Where to from Copenhagen?

Well, we have all read the papers, seen the TV and the press reviews; it’s now time to reflect fully on what was achieved or otherwise at Copenhagen.  There is some good news, although precious little; we do have a global agreement on an overall limit of two degrees Centigrade warming but - and it’s a big but - the accord is not a legally binding agreement.  As Gordon Brown said at the conclusion of the conference, the UK will need to lead an international push to reach a treaty as soon as possible in 2010, but don’t hold your breath for an early resolution. 

In addition the developed world has agreed to provide $30 billion of immediate short term funding over the next 3 years, although the track record of developed countries in terms of payment to the developing world - think ‘Make Poverty History’, ‘Millennium Goals’ - is not good so it will be interesting to see when this funding is actually forthcoming.  Probably more important than the short term is the longer term financing promised of around $100 billion a year by 2020 which was incidentally the figure that Gordon Brown was talking about 18 months ago at Gleneagles.  So, so much for the good news, but regardless it was hardly a fantastic advert for how to develop international agreements was it?  With tantrums, walk-outs, and accusations of replicating the Holocaust it was a fairly unedifying spectacle and that’s if you were one of the lucky ones to actually witness the conference inside the hall, as 45,000 – yes, 45,000 people – attempted to get into a conference centre that provided for 15,000.  I won’t even speculate about the carbon footprint!  It’s true that in a democratic process you have to make provision for all comers, but I do believe that two weeks spent like this trying to push together 190 odd countries into one single agreement can’t be the best way of doing things.  And then finally we saw the emerging struggle, not between Europe and the New World, not even between the developing and the developed World, but between the superpower that is (USA)and the superpower that would be (China) with the fall-out from those disagreements likely to rumble on long after Copenhagen.  Sorry to end on a depressing note just before signing off for this year. Let's hope that 2010 sees the delivery of an agreement that will unite the World together in the fight against climate change.  

Ironically, there’s little sign of global warming where I am currently, it’s looking remarkably like a version of Scandinavia as we speak.  White and cold. 

Anyway, I hope that you and your family have a wonderful break. I'll speak to you again in the New Year.

Comments

[shaun]

why has the govt chopped 174 million off the energy efficient warm front scheme if it is so concerned about global warming and efficency

[John Madeley]

It's interesting that you mention ‘Make Poverty History’. The missing link in the 2005 ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign was climate change, even though its effects on the poor were by then clear. I deal with this in my new book Beyond Reach?

This tells, in a novel way, what really happened in the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign. I am a journalist and author, and covered most of the national Make Poverty History events in 2005, including the G8 summit in Scotland. I was also involved in local campaigning.

The book employs a fact-cum-fiction plot to tell a witty story of how a feisty young married woman inspires a church minister to join the campaign. The result is an explosive mix that takes them into a world that neither bargained for. Their relationship energises them for the campaign, leading them to an exposé of government duplicity, of how the claims made about more aid and debt relief were far from all they seemed.

The debt relief came with strings attached and there was not much of it - four years later, only about 20 per cent of developing country debt has been wiped out - and the aid increase included money for debt relief. There was huge double counting, and the government was slow to act on climate change which is reinforcing poverty.

This is also a story about forbidden love and the meaning of life. The relationship of the book’s two main characters is set against a background of faithfulness, commitment, weakness and opportunity.

I draw on almost 50 years experience of campaigning on development issues to pack the book full of campaigning ideas.

This is a book for anyone who supported the Make Poverty History campaign, who bought a wrist band, or who just wants a good read about one of the most important issues of our time.

Royalties from the book go to agencies working to eradicate poverty.

“Beyond Reach?” is published by Longstone Books, 239 pages, price £9.99. ISBN: 978-0-9554373-7-3.

I am the author of nine factual books on development issues, including the best-selling “Hungry for Trade - How the poor pay for free trade”. and “100 Ways to Make Poverty History” (Illustrated by Dave Walker).
The book is available direct from me, or from all good bookshops.

John Madeley
e-mail: john.madeley@gmail.com
website: www.JohnMadeley.co.uk

BREAKING NEWS: “Beyond Reach?” has been nominated for The Good Writing Awards 2009.

Comments on “Beyond Reach?”

‘A revealing story about a scandal of our time, witty, sharp - and above all urgent’ - Rosie Boycott

Beyond Reach? is a wonderful tribute to all those ordinary people who take action against the scandal of global poverty. For those of us who took part in the Make Poverty History campaign, it's also great to revisit the experience of that year’ - John Hilary

‘In this amusing novel, John Madeley links modern ethics and politics with the age-old issues of relationships and the meaning of life. All this, with serious intent, too’ - Tim Lang

‘In the tradition of Saturday, this outstanding novel weaves together the world of public events with the private world of individual lives’ - Carl Rayer

‘A gripping and inspiring story of forbidden love and the struggle for justice. In a hundred years people will look back on our culture of greed and realise books like this helped change the world’ - Revd. David Rhodes 

‘A story rarely told, albeit in a landmark year, of what it is like to be a local campaigner....manages to highlight the reality of government positions and manoeuvring too often neglected in many accounts, fictional or otherwise. An enjoyable read’ - The Networker

‘Brings together in a human-centered format so many interconnections from 2005’ - Michael Crowther-Green

‘Be warned, this book could change your life’ - Ann Pettifor