Warming up in Kyoto<\/p>\n
One of the chief reasons for the current lack of rainfall in
\nIndonesia this year, besides the El Nio phenomenon, is the
\naccumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which comes from
\nburning fossil fuels, land clearing activities and forest
\nburning. This year's rainy season, which should have started in
\nOctober as usual, is not expected to start until this month in
\nmost parts of the country; others have to wait until next month.<\/p>\n
Scientists have observed that the amount of rainfall in areas
\nalong the equator, like Indonesia, has fallen by 10 percent in
\nthe last 30 to 40 years; while at the same time it has increased
\nby the same rate in temperate areas like North America and
\nEurope.<\/p>\n
The huge accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is
\nalso believed capable of increasing the mean air temperature of
\nthe Earth by up to five degrees centigrade by the middle of the
\nnext century. This is caused by what is known as the greenhouse
\neffect: poisonous gases, like carbon dioxide, resulting from the
\nburning of oil and other fossil fuels form layers of pollution
\nthat trap solar radiation in the atmosphere which then causes a
\nbuildup of heat.<\/p>\n
Global warming for many people on Earth may sound like an
\nabstract threat. But for people who live on islands, like
\nIndonesia and those in the Pacific Ocean, the threat is real.
\nRising temperatures will melt polar ice which in turn will raise
\nthe sea level, and islands will perish. There is no question that
\npeople in Indonesia and other island countries have, as should
\nthe rest of the Earth's inhabitants, a stake in reversing, or at
\nleast, stopping the global warming trend.<\/p>\n
That proves easier said than done. Burning oil and coal is at
\nthe root of modern civilization. It is what propels factories
\nwhich provide jobs for millions of people, and it is what propels
\nmost of the present day's modes of transportation which afford
\nmobility to the Earth's inhabitants.<\/p>\n
Scientists, businesspeople, government officials and
\nenvironmental experts are currently meeting in the ancient
\nJapanese city of Kyoto to discuss global warming. The fact that
\nmore than 160 countries are taking part shows that global warming
\nis of grave concern. But expressing concern is one thing and
\ndoing something about that concern is, apparently, a totally
\ndifferent thing.<\/p>\n
The news in the run-up to, and the first few days of, the
\nKyoto meeting has not been very encouraging. The meeting had been
\nexpected to produce a global commitment to reduce greenhouse gas
\nemissions. Instead, it is degenerating into a farce. The
\ncountries that are the worst polluters have gone to Kyoto with
\nconditional commitments.<\/p>\n
The United States, topping the list of polluters, is setting a
\nmoderate target of stabilizing gas emission at 1990 levels
\nbetween 2008 and 2012. The U.S. government insists on the
\ninclusion of large developing countries, particularly China and
\nIndia, joining in any commitment made in Kyoto. The European
\nUnion is proposing a 15 percent cut in gas emissions from the
\n1990 level by 2010. Host Japan, desperate for any agreement, is
\nproposing a 5 percent cut. Developing countries meanwhile refuse
\nto be part of any binding agreement, pointing out that their per
\ncapita consumption of oil and other fossil fuels is no way near
\nthe American, Japanese or European levels.<\/p>\n
The real reason behind American reluctance for a bolder cut is
\nthe powerful business lobby and workers' unions, both of which
\nhave so much to lose from any move to cut gas emissions.<\/p>\n
The Kyoto meeting comes five years after the Rio de Janeiro
\nEarth Summit in which the subject of global warming was first
\ndiscussed internationally. Kyoto could have been a historic
\nopportunity for world leaders to make a difference to the Earth's
\nfuture. Such high hopes have now to be curtailed by what many
\nleaders call practical or pragmatical thoughts. However, in 50
\nyears time, if and when global warming is rearing its ugly head,
\npractical and pragmatical will be the last words historians use
\nto describe present day leaders.<\/p>\n
The only thing that could be achieved from such a gathering is
\nan even greater awareness that we all live under one roof and
\nthat anything we do to our surroundings will affect us all in the
\nend. Kyoto may end up simply as another step in maintaining the
\nmomentum of international awareness of the issue. Instead of
\nmaking history, Kyoto is simply warming up the globe to the day
\nwhen its inhabitants eventually get their act together to save
\nthe Earth.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/warming-up-in-kyoto-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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