AMU Emergency Management Opinion Public Safety

We May Yet Survive: Paris Climate Accords Ratified

Quotable Quotes

A: ‘Climate change is the most dangerous threat to the survival of humankind that we’ve ever faced.’

B: ‘Climate change is one of the most incredible hoaxes ever perpetrated on the American people.’

You’ve heard both of these, I’m sure. I know I have.

Both have multiple sources and entire political movements behind them. This post will not discuss the ‘who’s right’ aspect–we’ve covered, and the media has covered, and the science has covered, what the facts and evidence shows to be the truth at great length–even ad nauseam. No, this post will provide an update regarding what the majority of the U.S. and the world has already concluded–essentially, quotation A.

Viva la Paris–the City of Lights

When we have to come together as a world community, even locations to meet are subject to great debate and dissension–and often sacrifice on the part of the ultimate host. This can be certainly true of Paris, which became the host of the international climate accord treaty negotiations. They suffered horrifically.

In November 2015, [link url=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34818994″ title=”Paris was attacked”] with a series of coordinated terrorist attacks that killed more than 130 people.

In July 2016, nearby [link url=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36801671″ title=”Nice was attacked” with a truck that killed at least 86 people.

It is certainly arguable whether or not these attacks are related to the climate accords–that’s a fair criticism and debate topic. But the idea that terrorists are drawn like moths to a flame by cities that are at the center of progress and advancement of the human condition–that I would be willing to argue, and I don’t think I’d be alone.

So whether or not we agree that these attacks were motivated by the climate accords, I would argue that Paris deserves our gratitude for putting itself at risk to make these accords happen.

Ratification

The [link url=”http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/negotiations/paris/index_en.htm” title=”Paris Climate Accord Agreements”] were announced in December 2015. At this stage, the accords were agreed upon by 115 nations in attendance that [link url=”http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/” title=”forged an agreement to reduce greenhouse gasses”] in order to limit global warming.

The agreement required ratification: and the ‘new news’ provided in this post is that the [link url=”http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9444.php” title=”accord has been ratified by 55% of nations”], obligating the signatories to conduct their national affairs and governance with the goal of meeting the accord goals. The U.S., along with China, [link url=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37265541″ title=”are party to this feature of the agreement”].

What does this mean for us?

Well, it means that the U.S., regardless of which side you fall on with regard to the original quotes, now has a treaty-level obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is something that most of our fellow Americans agree should happen.

The accord reaffirms that we Americans are a component of a global society, whether we like it or not. Our American society will survive or decline due to events that occur outside our borders. Therefore, it is critical to our national objectives to adopt an international perspective with regard to how the world works.

The same is true regarding our personal perspective. We can fight against what our citizens think is critical to keeping our society together, OR we can support the agreements that our society makes to enhance our global society. One results in resistance–sometimes deadly resistance, as with the Branch Davidians or Ruby Ridge–or peaceful, benign resistance, such as installing wind and solar power at our residences and thereby becoming immune to any future edicts and mandates to conform.

Winners & losers

To make it personal: I have friends and acquaintances that have adopted the ‘armed camp in the woods’ perspective with regard to national and international relations. I have friends that have adopted the ‘go along, get along’ perspective and have installed solar power, adopted recycling, and otherwise complied with societal norms to their benefit–these opposing interpretations always exist, and always end up defining winners and losers.

Don’t be a loser. You have plenty of evidence that complying with the Paris accord is good for you, regardless of whether or not you agree with the concept of nations working together, or liberal conspiracies, or whatever. There are fundamental features within the accords that will make you more successful.

Find them. Enact them. You won’t lose anything for doing that. And you just might become a hero to your family and community.

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