The failure that was Rio

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The failure that was Rio
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Luath

Joined: 03 Dec 2009
Posts: 761

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 7:13 am Post subject: The failure that was Rio

https://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/25/rio-governments-will-not-save-planet

World governments have FAILED again, because like in so many areas, they fail to listen to and completely ignore those of us who know how to address the problems- WE are the ones living in the real world, we are the ones who are aware of what is going on and what has gone on, and we are the ones with the knowledge and unified power to do something about the things we can. If they istened to US, theordinary caring people on this planet and took time to let us get properly involved, I'm fairly sure the situation would be a whole lot different. In the meantime I'm keeping on keeping on like he suggests in his article. Under present circumstances, we may not be able to change things on a massive global scale, but we can sustain and improve our immediate surroundings for the benefit of all who touch it. Very, very sad, and that article says it all in an eloquent nutshell. x

robkb

Joined: 29 May 2009
Posts: 4205
Location: SE London

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 7:46 am Post subject:
I think this just about sums up the current attitude: "The Earth's living systems are collapsing, and the leaders of some of the most powerful nations – the United States, the UK, Germany, Russia – could not even be bothered to turn up and discuss it." Pass the revolver...

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 7:58 am Post subject:
Sad though it may be, the current "global financial crisis" (or for the cynics like myself read it as "the panic that those who normally make most money might make a bit less") seems to have taken precendence over any concerns about the planet. When will these dongs wake to the fact that we've only got one Earth and that it is more important that money

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:00 am Post subject:

paul1963 wrote:

When will these dongs wake to the fact that we've only got one Earth and that it is more important that money

When it's too late. When things start to go REALLY runny. When it starts to affect them.

Then they'll respond as they usually do: guns.

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:03 am Post subject:

mochyn wrote:

paul1963 wrote:

When will these dongs wake to the fact that we've only got one Earth and that it is more important that money

When it's too late. When things start to go REALLY runny. When it starts to affect them.

Then they'll respond as they usually do: guns.

You're absolutely right Mochyn, it's really terribly sad. Don't the world leaders have kids though? You'd think they might be worried about the kind of world they might inherit.

I've lost all faith in government and politicians lately. But hey ho, a 5p tax on carrier bags and 3p on a litre of fuel will sort it all out

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:08 am Post subject:
It's far to convenient to blame 'governments' when they're really just doing what the majority of their voters want. Given the choice between a slightly lower level of living to reduce our impact on the planet or keeping things as they are most voters will vote for keeping things as they are.

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:11 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

It's far to convenient to blame 'governments' when they're really just doing what the majority of their voters want.

Given the choice between a slightly lower level of living to reduce our impact on the planet or keeping things as they are most voters will vote for keeping things as they are.

I agree, however I seethe role of government as safeguarding the future (amongst the othe other things). A sensible and thoughtful govenrment would be mindful of the coming catastrophes and putting measures in place now to, at the very lest, limit damage.

As for governments doing what their voters want, I'm not so sure, take a look at our current govt in the UK. I suspect you might be hard pressed to find more than a very few who feel the "will of the people" is being enacted right now.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:26 am Post subject:

paul1963 wrote:

As for governments doing what their voters want, I'm not so sure, take a look at our current govt in the UK. I suspect you might be hard pressed to find more than a very few who feel the "will of the people" is being enacted right now.

That proves my point, they've barely made any of the cuts that many would say are required and will not go much further due to voter pressure (see the various budget U-turns).

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:40 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

paul1963 wrote:

That proves my point, they've barely made any of the cuts that many would say are required and will not go much further due to voter pressure (see the various budget U-turns).

The problem with joe public as that we've all been "greened" to death. Because climate change and the finite nature of natural resource is not manifestly visible most choose to ignore the coming calamities.

The very first global problem must surely be that of impending overpopulation in as much as the stretched natural resources will have to go even further in the future than they do already. And how on Earth (no pun intended) will we all eat, never mind drive, use the supermarket or fly away on holiday, which seem to be most peoples priorities...

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 8:59 am Post subject:
I think the UK Government thought they have done enough,with all the erected and planned erections of wind turbines,that they needn t attend this meeting. And of course the proposed planting of 100,000 hectares of carbon capture woodland in Wales.

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 11:48 am Post subject:
I think governments and those with power already know its too late and this trend for the rich getting richer while the rest of us gets poorer is their way of insulating themselves from the worst of whats to come. The people in charge are running things for their benefit, we dont count.

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 2:03 pm Post subject:

Andy B wrote:

I think governments and those with power already know its too late and this trend for the rich getting richer while the rest of us gets poorer is their way of insulating themselves from the worst of whats to come. The people in charge are running things for their benefit, we dont count.

I hate to sound like a bolshie, but it'll all end in revolution and that wont be pretty....

robkb

Joined: 29 May 2009
Posts: 4205
Location: SE London

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 2:17 pm Post subject:

paul1963 wrote:

Andy B wrote:

I hate to sound like a bolshie, but it'll all end in revolution and that wont be pretty....

Resource wars are fairly widely accepted as an inevitable future result of what's happening now. Stockpile while you can...

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 2:19 pm Post subject:
Indeed. I've got a lot of water, if anyone's short? Happy to trade...

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 12 2:38 pm Post subject:

robkb wrote:

paul1963 wrote:

Andy B wrote:

I hate to sound like a bolshie, but it'll all end in revolution and that wont be pretty....

Resource wars are fairly widely accepted as an inevitable future result of what's happening now. Stockpile while you can...

IMO that's what the iraq and Libya fiascos were really about. Hence the dissinterest in Syria's problems - shortage of sand anyone?

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