September 21st, 2009

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

This week brings a “Summit on Climate Change” at the United Nations in New York City. With so many summits, rallies and special days devoted to discussing climate change, the point of this summit might not be immediately obvious.

The first thing to know is that this is not a negotiating meeting as were the recent sessions in Bonn, Germany,  or like  the upcoming one in Bangkok will be.

Still it is a part of the run-up to the Copenhagen conference Dec. 7-18, where world leaders will try to reach a new global climate agreement holding all participating nations to specific reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

So the New York summit on Tuesday is like a  meet-and-greet, but at a critical time, coming as the clock is ticking down to the big event. In this case it brings together several world leaders, including US President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao of China, heads of the world’s most polluting nations, in hopes of advancing progress, and allowing everyone to mull matters in a non-binding setting.

The New York Times reports in an article Saturday that this summit presents an opportunity for someone, any head of state, to step up and take the leadership role in a process that looks dangerously leaderless.

“While virtually all of the largest developed and developing nations have made domestic commitments toward creating more efficient, renewable sources of energy to cut emissions, none wants to take the lead in fighting for significant international emissions reduction targets, lest they be accused at home of selling out future jobs and economic growth,” the article notes, pretty much hitting it on the money.

Real change requires departing from the status quo, and that is never easy. Turning on the green power and turning away from the fossil fuels will disrupt the marketplace, create discomfort and invite opposition — and that’s not politically fruitful. Yet, whomever can step up and help rally the nations that are ready to make real carbon commitments could become a hero for the ages.

Let’s hope someone seizes this opportunity. Otherwise, New York will be little more than a photo op.

For more on the reasons the world needs a strong, new climate agreement see “Why We Need to Seal the Deal,” a backgrounder by the UN.