Resolution 2016: Nature’ Rights contribute to Human Rights
Each year, millions of people decide to take new resolutions to start the New Year. This 2016 edition is no different from the previous ones, however, mankind should take a serious resolution this upcoming year since humanity is facing a great challenge that is safeguarding Planet Earth from inner destruction.
Indeed, the climate change has become a menacing issue to the stability of our planet and ecosystem. Each year, regions across the globe encounter weird storms and high degrees of heat that were practically unknown to them and even to their fathers and grand-parents. The COP 21 meeting in Paris last month stressed on the need of urgently reducing CO2 emissions by advanced world but also helping third world countries and those in development enhancing their own control over such emissions.
CO2 Emission: Source of the current climate change
It is no secret to all that CO2 is largely contributing to weakening the Ozone layer, melting thus the Icebergs in the North Pole pushing toward the increasing of the sea level. If such a trend continues, many countries and regions will drastically change and big parts of them might go underwater, since their current level is almost by the sea level while a several years ago it was significantly above…
Mankind is the only responsible of this problem. It is the duty of each one of us to act to avoid such a disaster. This can be done by changing our way of life and exerting pressure on our governments to switch to renewable energies. For instance, why is North American State focusing on oil and fossil-based fuels why if they put their research emphasis on renewable energy such as electrical cars, they can significantly reduce the CO2 emissions and contribute better to protecting the environment?
The problem that we encounter, is basically linked to the current economic trend focusing on accumulating wealth instead of targeting the Human well-being. Hence, the main objective becomes making money at all costs with no regards to the consequences in general. And of course, this is doable by encouraging and pushing people towards consuming more and more… and sometimes more than it is available on the market or in nature which bring speculation even higher and profitable to the richest countries…
Two main resolutions to focus on in 2016
2016 should be put under two main resolutions that are basically linked: The Human Rights and Nature’s Rights. The first one targets the oppressed people and refugees fleeing their own countries and drowning the Western countries creating thus new short and long term problems while many solutions can be found if the main problematic is extirpated from the source. The issue, is that often the source is known but for political and economic interest great powers refuse to act against them in favour of the refugees… The Syrian example is a major one, since the problem can be solved not only by changing the regime but especially by stopping neighbouring countries contributing in arming and logistically helping the ISIL terrorists fueling more and more the conflict, but instead welcoming the refugees and helping in educating the youth instead of pushing them toward the Western countries which are not equipped to dealing with huge numbers of culturally different populations…
Human Rights as the Nature’s Rights, must be dealt with the appropriate way. There are numerous ways to stopping the pollution that is poisoning our lives and Planet Earth, starting by switching to new energy sources instead of fossil-based ones that are the main reason that increases CO2 emissions. Researches have shown that in many cases, if government are determined to change the way industry has been operated, Nature would be in better shape. Take for instance the smog in Beijing, China. A few weeks ago, people hardly were able to breath because of a thick smog that covered the whole Chinese region. The reason is clear, the way Chinese factories operated their machinery and the power sources they were using… Same thing goes for oil, China is currently the big consumer… so are some other emerging economic powers.
Our role…
We as intellectuals and governments have the obligation to seriously work together to find new solutions for these problems. Imagination has never been so active… and there are solid proofs to that. For instance, and without willing to make any advertising to any company, Tesla with its motor division and recently with its new battery division led the way towards the new age of environment friendly power generating… Why cannot it be imitated by all industrialized countries? Not only it will largely contribute to eliminating the CO2 emissions but it will create new technologically advanced industries and reduce the consumer energy bill as it has brightly and effectively shown with its electrical cars…
Finally, whether it is Human Rights or Nature’s Rights, it is us, the people, and the consumers who can make the change…. It is weird to see Montreal under 17 degrees Celsius on December 24th, see Santa on a bike with people almost in shorts and no trace of snow whatsoever… Even if this is not the trend, still climate change is seriously affecting our lives… Only a solid and wise policy focusing on clean and renewable energy can replace the climate properly in the years to come. Failing to do so, will certainly affect more Humanity and destroy whatever is left from our rights, since if climate change hits us hard, people and especially government will focus more on taking others’ unaffected and/or new resources, which will certainly affect more Human Rights and civil liberties that will end up directly affecting the West, destination where future refugees will target to escape from their new misery.
Safeguarding the Environment is beyond all safeguarding the future of our kids and our Planet Earth. Our role as WLCU and member of ECOSOC is also to contribute intellectually and through educating our members and their families to the appropriate way of contributing to eradicating the danger that is getting each day closer to us… Let’s wake up once and for all and introduce change to our way of life through some basic steps, such us the importance of recycling, etc. … it will certainly be of great benefit to all of us.
Alain-Michel Ayache Analyste politique Spécialiste du Proche et Moyen-Orient, Montreal Canada