Our world faces a planetary emergency because of the massive environmental changes taking place.

Melting glaciers and ice caps; rising sea levels, disappearing islands, inundation of low lying coastal areas; major weather changes and patterns; increasingly violent storms; rising temperatures; desertification of more and more areas as rains fail and disappear; increasing pollution and salination of our remaining fresh water supplies, as well as the diminishing supplies of fresh water as the glaciers, rainfall and lakes disappear.

Arguments about why this is happening have gone on far to long, with the naysayers putting all of their trust in the historical fluctuations over aeons that have occurred on earth and denying that humanity has had anything to do with these problems.

Some even believe that none of this is actually happening despite all of the evidence to the contrary. It seems they would also deny that the destruction and removal of huge areas of forests in the Amazon Basin, Indonesia and elsewhere cannot be having any effect on climate, erosion, pollution of river systems, the fresh water and the life and spawning of the aquatic species that rely on that water. Presumably they will also deny that mining of coal, oil, fracking and numerous other human activities do not have consequences for water pollution, poisoning of fish and other fauna and flora.

But, deny it or not, these things are happening and on an increasingly large scale.

What is needed is for major co-ordinated attempts within each country and across the globe to minimise the abuses of the planet and to try to deal with these effects and abuses through an array of measures.

Some of the causes of this increasingly dire situation include the runaway burgeoning population of the world, undoubtedly unsustainable; and powerful governments intent on controlling other territories to control and take their resources.

Slightly more subtly, the huge power of soulless multi-nationals intent on gaining control of the resources for their own benefit, at the expense of the peoples they dominate. This process is gathering increasing momentum and power as it works through “influencing” governments around the world via so-called ‘trade’ treaties. These include the TPPA, TTIP and proposed EU-North American ‘Treaty.’

Some of the menace of these agreements (generally un-mandated by the governments that enter into them) have been played out under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the nascent Investor-State Disputes Settlement (ISDS) device which is now much more powerfully embedded as the centrepiece of the TPP and other proposed agreements.

So what is our future? – Frightening and probably terminal unless we are all committed to major, consistent and co-ordinated global emergency measures.

Politicians only deal with short time problems and solutions. They know that complex matters and severe measures – no matter how necessary they may be, will lead to them being sacked. – Unless the menace is staring everyone in the face because it is hitting them. By then it’s too late.

So it is up to us – each of us, to get better informed, and to pressure governments everywhere to combine internationally to take major actions to reduce the entire polluting agents world wide through a combination of inducements and penalties where non-conforming is occurring.

A new species of political leadership is required across the globe and this will only come about if the people at large focus on the inevitable outcomes for them, their children and grandchildren.

People must select honest, decisive and determined political leaders willing to put aside national and international rivalries who will work on behalf of their people for the ultimate survival of them and their descendants. Leaders willing to recognise that unless they stop attending international talkfests which end with no real, urgent or effective action, not only their people, but the whole of human existence on this planet is in dire jeopardy. Full and honest co-operation will be required to achieve this.

 

Undoubtedly a tall order, and new attitudes have to be learned. But, unless large numbers of people across the world become much more active politically, making their demands for better leadership and environmental action heard loud and clear, tomorrow will be too late.   — The time is NOW.

 Tony Holman.                                         1.6.16                                           ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Tony Holman is a sometime commentator on central and local government matters. He has wide experience in local government and statutory boards. Holds a BA (History) and Dip.in Local Govt & Administration. In 2001 he was awarded a QSO for Services to NZ.