The instinct for revolution often arises in the face of reaching a dead-end limit on the threshold scale of expectations and in some instance could be misjudged as a form of desperation for a change; but then, if seen in the light of a reasonable reflection, it looks more like a path or rather an awakening to a healing process. The same instance of reference could be inferred in regard to global mobilisation for the sake of making a new a turn in the quest to addressing the climate change scourge.
We have reached a decisive point in the history of mankind towards our dealings with one problem that we caused and have failed in a great deal of ways to find an agreeable and common solution to: “Climate Change.” And the time has come when we seem not to have a lot of time to keep dancing around the negotiation tables or playing hide and seek with the future of our planet. The time stands now as it is for us to make a decision and not just the ones that will selfishly favour some short-lived gains that leave nothing but woes ahead for the future of the ones that shows no level of commitment.
The countdown has begun towards the new climate deal in Paris in 2015. The question is, is it time again to get our hopes high? Or rather a time to sit still and make the dangerous conclusion that our hopes could end up being dashed? Of course a lot of reasons abound to develop a default mindset of failure but then I wouldn’t say this time is different because the factors of making this time the distinct moment of change all depends on each and every one of the human community on this planet. This is not just a matter of leaving all in the hands of the leaders, the time calls for every a sundry at least the ones who hope to have a future on a planet not exterminated by climate change to arise in their respective capacity and help push for the realisation not just only a binding agreement by our leaders but a timely manifestation of the structures that will help the people to adapt while we fight the changes our long term indifference has caused us.
The climate summit in New York looks towards preparing the governments leaders ahead of the 2015 climate deal and it is more to getting them committed such that, this time around, they won’t assume their well know default momentum of a divided camp. The future is grateful to those leaders who have made up their minds to attend while yet there are a number of those still in the process of making a decision of attending and while the numbers on this camp of indecision are much and in a way, the most labeled as culprits. But then and again, the time is not on our side and the common people are taking up a formidable stand this time and it will go down in the history of mankind and in the fight against climate change that some people stood and fought with all they could possibly afford, “The Peoples’ Climate March”
We need to remind our leaders that, for every second wasted on indecision, a child far away in Africa is at the risk of dying of climate change induced famine, a small island in the pacific is getting deeper under water, a part of the Amazon Forest is at the mercy of being cleared, an unbearable heat wave is picking up momentum to kill somewhere, the arctic ice is thawing away and the ecosystems are changing for real – a reflection on the catastrophes every moment of indecision would create.
Making a note of emphasis for Nigeria here, the time has come for a decisive action on adopting a cap measure on the continuous gas flaring in the Niger Delta, for just this reason. Nigeria is the largest contributor to GHGs emission in West Africa, we must make an end to this, and we must lighten our total reliance on fossil fuel and invest in a future of reliance on renewable energy. Every country must be set to bring to reality their respective plans on adaptation and mitigation measure as the fight is for all now and no other option avails.
On a final note, the mobilisation is set and voices are rising all over the world, it is indeed the time to make a push for what we believe, we must get it right this time and for those who wouldn’t yield to the bidding of the time, am afraid the nemesis of their inaction will be a shame for them in the future for the people will win…and our future we shall rescue.
By Bamidele Oni (Executive Director, Green Impact International)
