Awakening from the Centenary Slumber that is wrecking Mother Earth L Vol XII No 350, MMXVIII

Awakening from the Centenary

Slumber that is wrecking Mother Earth

Discourse on Polices & Political Will

The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth is not that we are on the way to destroying the world – we have actually been on the way for quite a while, we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep, to a whole new relationship to our world and each other (Joanna Macy)

Public Lecture - RL Vol XII No 350, MMXVIII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Chair, Lem Ethiopia, the Environment & Deve. Society,

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

Scientists on the Nobel Prize-winning IPCC point to a global temperature rise of 1.5°C as a threshold the planet cannot cross without seeing the worst effects of climate change. Yet according to the U.N. organisation’s latest report, temperatures have already risen 1°C as a result of human activity, and the planet could pass the 1.5°C threshold as early as 2030 if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate. We need a plan to save us, we have a short window of time and a huge responsibility.’ African Member States are urged to strengthen their policies and interventions for effective climate change adaptation planning. In this regard, particular emphasis should be placed on increasing land-use efficiency, water-use efficiency and access, and agricultural productivity, with a view to enhancing climate resilience, especially for food production and security in Africa. With the involvement of civil society, they are urged to develop strategies to advance low carbon development, taking into account the specific needs and context of African countries…. They are urged to strengthen regional cooperation to enable countries to focus on areas of comparative advantage and to formulate and implement supportive policies that promote access to affordable, reliable and clean energy services to reduce poverty, improve health, increase productivity and promote economic development.

‘The main difference between possibility and impossibility is just political will”. The consequences of failure would be immense and affect countries and their citizens in every corner of the globe. But the worst toll would be inflicted on developing countries that lack the resources to adapt and communities located in vulnerable regions like coastlines, small islands and particularly dry regions.  ‘We need a ‘climate just’ pathway’. ‘The risks posed by global warming in excess of 1.5°C are large and unpredictable and in some cases irreversible.’ In confronting the imperatives of political will, nothing is more challenging for our polities than the strategic co-ordination of diverse global and local elements, relations and activities within themselves, nor has anything greater potential for enabling them achieve successful transitions to democracy. The concern here is not so much the number and diversity of ideas, values and opinions allowed to gain currency during transition as modes of their competitive and co-operative articulation.

Key words: climate change, Paris agreement, IPCC, Africa, desertification, climate bonds, carbon-tax-credit

See lecture here or use this link  https://www.academia.edu/37727654/Awakening_from_the_Centenary_Slumber_that_is_wrecking_Mother_Earth_Discourse_on_Polices_and_Political_Will_RL_Vol_XII_No_350_MMXVIII