Climate Change Action

Flick Off is a recently launched climate campaign based in Canada.

There Kyoto Protocol was an important start in the fight against climate change, however there where many inadequacies. One of the most important is the absence of industrialised nations such as the US and Australia from the agreement, this problem--of comprehensive buy-in from the developed world--has been exacerbated by the complete lack of effort made by Canada, a signitory.

Australia has already declared the intention to enact a cap and trade scheme by 2011, recent indications are that this will be bought forward. The US looks likely to join suite soon, if democrats are ellected this is a near certainty, if the Republicans get back in (which seems quite unlikely) then we may yet be completely flicked! Setting the international context for industrialised world consensus on the need for a cap on emissions is vital. This campaign is
a significant step for helping this to happen in Canada.

The most likely political crisis i see at the negotiations for a post-2012 climate treaty is buy-in from India. China will also be a challenge, but a united front from the developed world is essential. A political roadblock at these negotiations could one of the greatest failures of govronance to ever occur. The question is, is there the momentum required on this issue? At the moment I don't think so, although we are nearing that point. We need a awakening around the globe to this issue, as we have seen in the US, much of Europe and Australia. Climate change is a more significant political force but still, i don't believe it is regarded as a first order challenge such as security or health.

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