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by Eddy Teng

Created on: December 11, 2009   Last Updated: December 12, 2009

Greenhouse AD-mission - A Joint Responsibilty 

It is indeed encouraging to note that the hype surrounding the issue of greenhouse gas emission has certainly raised the public awareness considerably. The ongoing 15th Conference of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen is another attempt to agree on the ways and means to prevent the gradual destruction of the world and of mankind, through the cutting down of greenhouse gas emission. Much hopes have been placed on this platform to  thrash out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

The Copenhagen summit is billed as the biggest climate meeting where 15000 people from 192 nations are attending.Big countries like the US and China ( the world's two biggest polluters )have pledged to cut down 25 % on emission.The European Union has vowed to reduce its emission by 20% from 1990 level before 2020, rising to 30% in the event of an international agreement.Japan has offerred 25% while Australia will cut 25% from 2000 level by 2020.

Are these percentage cuts on the greenhouse gas emission a political gimmick or serious figure to contend with in the first place? The pertinent questions often raised by most skeptics are : 1) Do these nations face strong objections from the industrial and agriculture lobbyists as well as the oppositon parties?  2) Do these govenments have the political will to carry out what were promised ? The G77 bloc which consists of China and India plus other developing nations are very vocal and worried about the attitudes shown by developed nations. To the G77, the percentage cuts for developed nation should somewhere be 40% or more. They insisted that financial assistance shall be extended to developing and underdeveloped nations to bring a more meaningful cause on the geenhouse issue.

Let us turn to the other side of the poor nations. To the poor living in some developing and underdeveloped nation, the climate talk has little meaning, much less the subject matter itself. Many of them are undernourished, starving and helpless. What is another flood or drought to them? Their main concern is the daily survival of life.Hunger and poverty are ever persistent worries on their minds. Therfore, the leaders of these poor nations have to juggle their administrative policies and focus more on the social economics issue rather than the environmental issues so as to avoid being accused of championing the global cause but neglecting their own backyard. As a result, much of their resources and attention were focussed more on the humanitarian needs rather than the global cause. Do they have a choice of neglecting their own people's needs ?

Due to the lack of financial clout and support / assistance, many national leaders would tend to draft their own budget / fiscal plans more on humanity needs and neglect the global cause of containing greenhouse gas emission .It is therefore no surprises that pollution indexes, air quality and disaster prevention control are secondary issues. Sights of floating icebergs may raise another alarm bell but the normal more frequent catatsrophies such as La Nina. El Nino, hurricanes, storms, floods, droughts and the raging forest fires etc.... have become  normal phenomena.

Having said that, as a responsible government and people, we should do our parts on its own merits, strengths and capablities. It is better for each country to embark on its own conservation efforts while at the same time serving the needs of its own people. There are many options which a government can adopt based on each nation's  financial strengths and capability. These options include :

1) Preservation of forest and eco-system. 

Forests should not be rampantly felled to give way to developements. Plants and trees are important to our llives as they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Impose stringent control and enforcements on illegal logging and animal poaching. No housing developement projects should be allowed on the mountains or hillslopes to prevent further soil erosion, landslides or floods. Landscaping management and irrigation controls should also be tightened. Wildlife should be protected to maintain the  biodiversity and eco-system.

2) Use of alternative energy.

For power generation, revert to the use of solar, nuclear, wind, hydro and biomass geothernal technology. down on the use of fossil fuels to avoid more greenhouse gas emission. Research and developements shall focus more on biofuels such as the use of palm oils genetic engineering. Though these measures will receive strong resistance from the OPEC countries, but it is a way to help our world preserve the petrolium reserves and avoid from being heading towards holocaust.

3) Carbon Taxes and emission caps.

    Impose levies on fossil fuels and encourage more use of biofuels. Limit / cap on greenhouse gas emission. Put a price on over-emission.

4) Improve Energy Efficiency in buildings,transports ,appliances and lighting though this may incur higher cost and consumers resistance.

5) Carbon Capture

    it is an expensive technology that takes CO2 at source and store underground.  It can be applied in  lanfill site conversion (which had been practised in Korea ) to reduce leechate and foul smells, thus improving our air quality .

6) Education

    Educate the people from young anfd inculcate values of civic-mindedness and care for the environment / eco-system. Always encourage them the constant use of clean renewable energies and biofuels. Cut down the use of plastics as these are non- biodegradeable and dispose them in a proper manner.

In short,  governments must have the political will to carry out greenhouse projects  The people / citizens must complement their government's  policies /  efforts to achieve synergistic results. Rich or poor issues aside, everyone has a role to play to ensure our world is a good and clean living place. Hence, it is a joint responsibilties for all.

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