Strong political will can bring global resolution
Even as a standalone, Pope Francis's encyclical on climate change would have been an important document. Taken in the context of the forthcoming global summit on climate change to be held sometime towards the year-end in Paris, it assumes added significance. A Papal circular — which is what encyclicals are in lay terms — has always played a crucial role in the interpretation of the Catholic doctrine, especially on controversial subjects such as birth control. It is, therefore, not surprising that the latest one has kicked off a debate both within the Catholic community and the world at large.
Pope Francis has put the onus on developed countries, whom he considers “responsible” for the destruction of environment, for adopting the major chunk of corrective measures. The developed nations must be bristling at his remark that “international (climate) negotiations cannot make significant progress due to positions taken by countries which place their national interest above the global common good”. The first world believes that it was due to its massive efforts at industrialisation and globalisation that the economy of the third world countries too received a boost.
The West, therefore, feels perhaps that it is being wrongly and excessively targeted. Be that as it may, the Pope's encyclical is not wide off the mark, given that most bipartisan experts hold the position that developed nations, having been the biggest contributors to environmental pollution, should also be the lead players in cleaning up the planet. This has also generally been India's stand.
The debate over who should contribute how much and what the reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions should be and in what time frame, has help up agreements during climate change talks that have been held over the decades. It is, therefore, with a sense of cynicism that the world is approaching the Paris meet. There isn't any excited anticipation because few believe that the event will arrive at a consensual solution of substance.
France naturally wants the Paris meet to end with something to show for it, and is naturally pulling out all the stops to meet its desire.
It would be more than happy to host heads of Governments in the hope that the assembled political heft would lead to a breakthrough. But that possibility is remote at the moment, given that the deep differences which continue to persist on the issue have to be ironed out first before Government heads meet during an occasion to ink the agreement.
After the Copenhagen summit end in a virtual failure in 2009 in the presence of world leaders, nations had given themselves six more years to resolve matters. Will the end of 2015 bring good news, given the sense of dismay that has dominated negotiators so farIJ A lot more of give-and-take will be needed for a resolution, which only a political will can provide. Miracles do happen. Climate change talks need nothing short of a miracle to succeed.