Protecting… the environment

Well, today’s “World Environmental Day” – as declared by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1972!! It was around then that the realisation of how some of our activities to push “development” – such as the increased use of insecticides and herbicides, for example – was destroying the world that was our home!! Thing is, this consciousness-raising Day’s now 54 years old. But, along with other aligned “Days”, like “Earth Day” and annual world conferences like the UNFCCC-launched Conference of the Parties (COP) to tackle climate change, it doesn’t seem to’ve done much to handle the identified dangers of Earth turning into one global desert!!
We’d been warned that a 1.5°C rise in global temperature was the limit and tipping point. But we’re now crossing it with record-high temperatures in large swathes of the world. Who’s taking notice?? The world has heard the climate story – warnings, targets, distant deadlines. But the developed that did the damage? They’ve just basically shrugged cynically!! Their response has been clouded by noise, delay, distraction, and denial!! Small, underdeveloped countries like us are now being pressured – even by some of our own “woke” citizens – to hold back our development that’s finally being fuelled by our carbon-generating oil production that’s scheduled to move beyond the one million bpd level!!
This year, the UNEP’s trying to make the situation as stark as possible, and under the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future”, has declared that “the planet doesn’t argue. It doesn’t negotiate. It sends signals – rising seas, raging wildfires, heatwaves, melting glaciers”!! They supplemented this with a powerful statement that conveys the message of environmental chemistry and its urgency to take action – ACT #ForClimateNow. Nature is not an option; it’s our future!! But the organisation’s call for us to “Join the Climate DANCE Challenge” struck your Eyewitness as just probably sending mixed signals!!
Is it possible that from their elevated position they’ve seen something your Eyewitness missed?? That beneath all the noise, another signal’s rising from the solar panels stretched across rooftops – like over in Mabaruma, Buxton, and across countries like China and India?? Those wind turbines now lining the horizon in many coastal cities? Smart cities – like our Silica City being environmentally redesigned by visionaries like Pressie?? Forests being sequestered, like with our Iwokrama, and replanted, like in India?? Is it that climate solutions have taken root in so many corners of the planet that we can jump – and dance! – in joy??
Well, even though your Eyewitness is an eternal optimist, he doesn’t think we’ve turned the corner. This ain’t gonna happen till the developed world – especially the Yanks – quit their denial and get with the programme!!

…their interests
Our leaders should take note of the actions of two of our allies, the US and India, vis-à-vis Venezuela and Devious Delcy!! A couple of weeks ago – signalling their total control of Venezuela – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that interim President Delcy’s travel itinerary would include a visit to India: “We want to sell them [India] as much energy as they’ll buy.” We also think there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil. In fact, it’s my understanding that the interim President of Venezuela will be travelling to India next week as well.”
Well, Devious Delcy’s in India and has met Modi to discuss upping the Venezuelan oil shipments back to their pre-sanction, 400,000 bpd levels!! That’s gonna provide a tremendous boost to the Venezuelan economy – and Devious Delcy’s hold on power!! We should note too that neither the US nor India made acceptance of the ICJ’s upcoming decision on our border controversy a condition precedent to improved relations!!
Even though India was invaded by China, which ignored a colonial-drawn border!!

…a different ceasefire
A reporter recently asked Pres Trump how he’d define a “ceasefire” with Iran. The US President responded quite interestingly: “I’d say, in that part of the world, ‘ceasefire’ is when you’re shooting more moderately.”