Thoughts on Copenhagen fallout

The international climate conference in Copenhagen, known as COP15, ended yesterday in yet another pathetic example of what we can expect from the so-called leaders of the biggest economic powers in this world. Specifically in the US, whether on healthcare reform, military policy, food safety, climate change, moral leadership is inexistant. The Founding Fathers would be ashamed.

Climate issues are truly global and every citizen of the earth has the same rights to clean air, water etc... For any nation to believe that it has some right to pollute or consume more than its fair share is egregious.

The scientific facts are undeniable. Even if you don't believe the catastrophic predictions of what will happen once climate change happens, the fact that it's happening are beyond debate for any objectively minded human being. Further, the fact that we are depleting natural resources much faster than they can be replenished or regenerated is also beyond question.

I read yesterday something to the effect of 'the science says we must, the technology says we can, now what we need is the political courage to do it'. The latter is shamefully absent where it counts the most. Leaders of small nations the world over are ready to do what's needed, even if they have fewer means to do it. Yet the so-called leaders of powerful nations are beholden to special interests who are hell bent on protecting their financial interests, and are dragging their feet or aggressively opposing real, needed change.

To those who are in a position to act but don't, I say ask yourself whether you can live with the idea that you are committing future crimes against humanity. Tens of millions of vulnerable citizens of the world will die because you are delaying the inevitable. Their blood will be on your hands and I hope one day you have to account for it, on this earth or elsewhere.

To those who are pulling the strings in the background, I say watch out. You're all about protecting your current profits? Ask yourselves: what is the future cost of your actions? What will happen if your customers, the citizens of the world, join in rejecting your shameful ways by boycotting your products or services? Don't underestimate the power of the Internet to allow people to organize effectively. Pay attention to the 350 movement if you need an example. If you can't support what is right for humanity on moral grounds, then look at your business risk, your brand risk, your market risk, and ask yourself whether in 5-10 years the choices you are making today will look like the right ones in retrospect.

Whenever I think hope is fading, I am reminded that most of the world's population stands together in wanting to do what's right, ready to make personal changes and sacrifices to play their part. These voices, once anonymous and disparate, are being brought together in unprecedented ways by the power of the Web to unite, organize, amplify, communicate, act. Iran's government learned this lesson in a very meaningful way a few months ago. Obama used this to his advantage to get elected. If he doesn't quickly live up to the promise of his presidency, he will soon find out there is a flip side to this coin.

As Maldives president Nasheed eloquently said, 'we will not die quietly'!