<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Climate change is about equality among nations and fundamental human rights]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by KenG http://www.grist.org/article/climate-equity-wolfgang-sachs/ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 03:26:20 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/climate-equity-wolfgang-sachs/1 Bad Example

Dr. Sachs may have a good point, but the Pacific Island example is not much help in proving it. These islands are sinking as opposed to being overtaken by rising ocean levels. As I understand it, the overall Pacific level has not, as yet changed significantly. Islands in volcanic areas rise and fall over time and these just happen to be falling. This may provide some vision of what rising oceans levels would do but I think it is incorrect to say that climate change is the cause of these particular islands problems.

]]> Bad Example

Dr. Sachs may have a good point, but the Pacific Island example is not much help in proving it. These islands are sinking as opposed to being overtaken by rising ocean levels. As I understand it, the overall Pacific level has not, as yet changed significantly. Islands in volcanic areas rise and fall over time and these just happen to be falling. This may provide some vision of what rising oceans levels would do but I think it is incorrect to say that climate change is the cause of these particular islands problems.

]]> Comment #2 by lorna salzman http://www.grist.org/article/climate-equity-wolfgang-sachs/ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:00:33 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/climate-equity-wolfgang-sachs/2 Universal Human Rights and Equity

I can't disagree about the proposed allocation of responsibilty to those historically and presently chiefly responsible for global warming. But just as we can't assume that we can continue with the same levels of consumption and energy use, we should not assume accommodation of continued population growth, especially in Africa, where families of six, eight, ten and often more children are the norm rather than the exception. If we are to mitigate and adapt to climate change, this will mean serious population control and limits to the number of children. The traditional response - that women's  rights and equality would lower the birth rate -is not applicable. Similarly, in the US, immigration has already raised our population by about 40 million, and it is expected that it will reach 100 million. Mind you, these are people who eventually, due to education and increased economic opportunity, will become middle class American consumers adopting the American life style...which is unsustainable and must be drastically revised under any global warming scenario. Only when both traditional economic growth and consumption, as well as population growth, is curbed will we be in a position to seriously address climate change. The responsibilities therefore lie mostly, but not totally, on the developed industrial countries, accompanied by those countries who recognize that equity and the rescue of the poor nations from the climate change emergency demand radical curtailing of population growth..and soon. We are all in this together.

]]> Universal Human Rights and Equity

I can't disagree about the proposed allocation of responsibilty to those historically and presently chiefly responsible for global warming. But just as we can't assume that we can continue with the same levels of consumption and energy use, we should not assume accommodation of continued population growth, especially in Africa, where families of six, eight, ten and often more children are the norm rather than the exception. If we are to mitigate and adapt to climate change, this will mean serious population control and limits to the number of children. The traditional response - that women's  rights and equality would lower the birth rate -is not applicable. Similarly, in the US, immigration has already raised our population by about 40 million, and it is expected that it will reach 100 million. Mind you, these are people who eventually, due to education and increased economic opportunity, will become middle class American consumers adopting the American life style...which is unsustainable and must be drastically revised under any global warming scenario. Only when both traditional economic growth and consumption, as well as population growth, is curbed will we be in a position to seriously address climate change. The responsibilities therefore lie mostly, but not totally, on the developed industrial countries, accompanied by those countries who recognize that equity and the rescue of the poor nations from the climate change emergency demand radical curtailing of population growth..and soon. We are all in this together.

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