Wildlife Matters - Caring for our common home

IN A matter of months, world leaders and delegates are set to attend the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris. The objectives of this December's climate talks are extremely ambitious; it attempts to reach a legally binding global agreement on climate change. There is scepticism around whether such a deal can ever be reached, as global climate talks have the notoriety of having failed time after time to reach its objectives over the last two decades.
I have followed the climate talks over the years and with the passing of every uneventful conference, the enthusiasm to keep a keen ear on the talks have drastically waned. This year, however, there is a new optimism to observe the proceedings (from afar); fuelled very much by the Papal "environmental/climate change" encyclical titled "Laudato Si: On the Care of our Common Home" written by Pope Francis and released by the Vatican in June. In it, Pope Francis describes climate change (and especially its effects on the poor and marginalised) as a moral predicament. Many climate activists are hoping that the encyclical has had the effect of thrusting the morality argument at the forefront of the climate talks in December. At the heart of the morality argument is the quest for social justice and the urgent need for meaningful, concerted action.
What is hoped would be achieved in Paris, is for that landmark global climate deal to be agreed upon without any more flip-flopping and side stepping. Each country must, to avoid catastrophic rise in the earth's temperature, commit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a binding national action plan.
In his encyclical, the Pope reminds us of a few realities that tend to get mislaid in such climate talks, where so much time is spent repeating the rhetoric, arguing about semantics, debating time lines and interpretations, reminders of unkept promises, finger pointing, politicking and other such unproductive behaviour leading to failed talks. To me, the Pope's encyclical provides just that: a reminder of what global leaders and negotiators must bear in mind when seated at the negotiating table. That is to say, please leave political and corporate agendas outside of the negotiating room.
The Pope refers to the Earth as our "common home" and he appeals for the "human family" to come together to find solutions; particularly for the world's poorest who are the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. The encyclical laments on the lack of real leadership in forging new pathways towards feasible solutions. So if one is to take heed, the climate talks must proceed on a united front for the common good of all. As His Holiness says rather beautifully: "We require a new and universal solidarity."
Each nation that partakes actively in the talks must have a clear idea of what needs to be addressed at the national level and consequently outlining national actions that would contribute to the larger struggle to reduce emissions. The Pope refers to this matter specifically when he says "One authoritative source of oversight and coordination is the law, which lays down rules for admissible conduct in the light of the common good. The limits which a healthy, mature and sovereign society must impose are those related to foresight and security, regulatory norms, timely enforcement, the elimination of corruption, effective responses to undesired side-effects of production processes, and appropriate intervention where potential or uncertain risks are involved." So, no more empty promises and zero action at the national level.
The encyclical makes reference to wide ranging issues connected to climate change and environmental degradation; the critical importance of environmental education, transparency in environmental decision-making, the respect for the rights and cultures of all people, the ills of over-consumption, and last but not least, how capitalism is degrading the planet's natural resources.
An encyclical (meaning "circular") is traditionally part of a Christian canon and in this instance from the Roman Catholic Church. But as Pope Francis himself has said, the encyclical on climate change is aimed at everyone, as it carries a universal social message and is a tool for inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders. I would encourage reading it.
The road to the Paris talks will no doubt be bumpy as many issues remain to be ironed out before world policy makers decide to sign off on a post 2020 climate deal. As hosts of the talks, the French will have to show extraordinary will and leadership to see the talks through to success. Or at least, some measure of success. No mean feat with the world's largest emitters in the negotiating room, namely the United States, China and India.
In the end, will the Pope's encyclical make any difference in the way parties choose to negotiate? My hope is that it does, and that leaders elect to negotiate from a strong moral standpoint.
Naomi Klein, a social activist and author who is now being regarded as one of the Pope's allies on climate issues, sums this up really nicely in remarks she made at a recent high level debate at the Vatican on the encyclical – "In a world where profit is consistently put before both people and the planet, climate economics has everything to do with ethics and morality. Because if we agree that endangering life on earth is a moral crisis, then it is incumbent on us to act like it."

Now once you are done reading Laudato Si, do proceed to read Naomi Klein's book This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate. It's a fascinating read. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com