Friday, December 7, 2007

The Irony In Bali

We are all aware of the important event that is happening in Bali, Indonesia. The United Nation Framework on Climate Change is staging its CoP 13 meeting hoping to finalize its decisions on the implementation of the 1997 ratified Kyoto Protocol. Beginning next year, each signatory country would make actions that will help them fulfill their target percentage of emission to the atmosphere. Climate Change and Global Warming had given a loud alarm to all concerned that it had started its devastation and is need of a prompt and radical response if it is to be delayed, halted or reversed. Anything that would reduce carbon emission is welcome and should be sought. The basic element of this crisis is the use of fossil fuel. There are other sources of heat-adding gases, but fossil fuel contributes the largest share. We know that the use of fossil fuel (oil, gasoline, gas etc.) had been the source of almost all activities in the modern world. Other sources of energy (wind, sun, geothermal, biomass, etc.) had taken a minor role if not completely neglected. The question is: If the members of the UN are really serious about this, then they must live and operate by example. Are they?

The conference is presently being held in a first class hotel in Nusa Dua. All rooms are fully air conditioned. All conference rooms, including the make shift meeting rooms are air-conditioned. Delegates are being brought from different parts of the Nusa Dua area to the Kuta area using air conditioned tourist and shuttle buses. Water dispensers are available in significant areas using plastic containers and disposable paper cups. The documents are produced using first class white papers. Many find their way in the trash can. Of course, the restrooms are to be used too. Gallons of water are wasted for every flush of the toilet, washing of hands, and paper towels to dry the hands.In order to supply the electrical equipments like LCD's, cameras, and (thousands) of computers, sockets are available around the convention area especially in the conference rooms and working areas. During the day, i notice that the lights in almost all rooms and open spaces are on! And they are not the energy saving lights but powerful spot lights. The NGO's and IGO's who are supposed to be examples of energy saving are also guilty by wasting so much paper(most of which are high quality) in their program and ad materials. The BICC-Westin or is it the UN (?), placed a plastic garbage bin in strategic places in order to encourage segregation. But, examining the bins will reveal that many are not following it. It gives one the idea that the delegates are the wrong people for this convention. Another effort was the availability of bikes for free use for those who would prefer to go around from meeting place to other events using the two-wheeled vehicle. But other than that, there seems to be none anymore. So, can anyone make a computation of the amount of carbon that will be emitted more or less by the conference which, according to estimate is being attended by about 12,000 people?

We live what we teach. We practice what we advocate. This seems to be lost in the busy atmosphere of the conference. It seemed as if, nothing is final yet and therefore there are no obligations. It seemed that the rules and commitment had not been made and therefore, we may not begin yet. The President, who is the Minister of Environment of Indonesia reasoned that the carbon emission of the whole conference will be offset by the planting of 4,500 hectares of trees in different parts of Indonesia. It is an example of the carbon trading principle. By a certain calculation, the amount of carbon that will be absorbed by those trees are more than enough to cover for the carbon that will be emitted by the conference. That announcement brought some hands uniting in praise. It at least made a lot less guilty.

It would have been more to the point if the conference was held in a cool but not air conditioned place. I am sure, there are places in Bali or other part of Indonesia that can fulfill that requirement. It could have been planned that activities had been finalized and participants were given a kit so that less papers were used. It would have been better if the traditional clay jars were used to supply water. It could have been better if only used rooms were lighted and other places were given just enough light to work on. I mean, there are very good thinkers and strategists in the UN body who could have thought of ways in order to stage the conference successfully in terms of policy results at the same time giving a good example on how to do things the concerned way. As a result, we missed the point in the conference. We sent the wrong signal to the members. Or was it the signal that the UN really wants to show? That this is about neutralization or trading and not really reduction?

An author of a book made a very good observation regarding the advocacy on climate change and global warming. He said that the first violators of the environment and the last to do something about concretely are the advocates themselves!

Well, maybe not absolutely, but he has a point. And it was proven in no less than the very advocacy of all advocacies, the Bali Conference!

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