What Force Does the Paris Agreement on Climate Change Carry?
It should come as no surprise that there are people referring to the Paris Agreement on climate change, which 175 countries signed last week as “farcical,” on the basis that it is non-binding. It was probably these people’s ancestors who said the Declaration of Independence was a farce because the British had a big, well-equipped army that would be tough to beat.
Change sometimes comes in increments. No one believes the Paris agreement is perfect, only that it represents a huge step in the right direction.
Whenever perfection is not an option, rational people will take solid progress every day of the week. I’m not sure what type of person snipes at advancement; just be glad you’re not one of them.
Craig,
I don’t think being critical of any international agreement, especially those with a lot of high minded sentiment, and a lot of get out clauses is really “sniping ” !
Your our historic analogy isn’t quite right.
Following the Seven Years’ War, the British Army by 1775 was reduced to a poorly equipped, neglected volunteer force of 47,000, spread out around the world.
The army had no training in fighting the type of campaign they would find in America and since recruitment in the UK wasn’t forthcoming the government sought troops from Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick.
France, Spain and Holland sent troops to aid the Colonial Army, as well as a huge amount of war material.
Those skeptical of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change could be forgiven for lacking your trusting enthusiasm and optimism.
Perhaps those who doubt the sincerity and effectiveness of such treaties, can also point to historical precedent. Thousands of ineffective UN resolutions, SEATO, the League of Nations, “Peace in Our Time ” at Munich etc, all the way back to the “Holy Alliance”.
I hope you are right and your optimism justified, but experience warns this agreement will be observed more in the breach than compliance.
Thanks for that piece of history, as well as the good wishes. But keep in mind that the fate of this agreement is very much a function of the degree to which decent people everywhere support it.
Our fate lies not in the stars but in ourselves, as The Bard said.
Yes indeed. I think one of the great problems of such agreements is people believe the mere signing of the agreement solves the problems.
This makes it easy for the public to lose interest and even easier for the political signatories to move on leaving implementation to bureaucrats whose sole interest is the bureaucratic activity creating the impression of compliance and implementation, without actually accomplishing any tangible results.
Then again, maybe I’m too cynical….
There is no doubt that the follow-through of the people is required to make this happen.
Not only the people but everyone, especially the media.
That’s where people like yourself are so very important.Ordinary citizens prepared to give up time and energy to keep reminding governments and administrators to fulfill the spirit of the agreement of face the political consequences.
Sadly, in some nations, especially those without elected representative government, the opinions of ordinary citizens have little importance.
In terms of the environment, this makes implementation difficult requiring economic and diplomatic pressure from complying nations or the agreement becomes a discredited farce.
Whatever. A) Our civilization is headed for disaster. B) A great number of us understand this and care about it, and C) We’re working hard to avert it.
D? There is no D. The will of educated and decent people emerges victorious here, or our civilization will lie in ruins in 50 – 100 years.