New Bi-Polar World

By Floy Lilley, J.D.
December 16, 2004

The Plenary this morning heard an assurance that "Scientific information on climate change is INcomplete." Thus, the Minister of the Environment of Australia placed himself squarely in the camp of the 105 member U.S. Delegation under the Bush administration whose position is that science is NOT clear that humans have caused dangerous harm to the world's climate.

Additionally, Australia evidenced understanding of real economics by insisting that "strong economic growth is VITAL to any adaptation and mitigation."

After Australia's view, some seven speakers simply and unashamedly asked for funds, money, aid, transfered technology, debt forgiveness, more funds, and full GEF financing. Each spoke of wetness or dryness or heat or cold as being all the proof needed that ours had become, as the minister from Bangladesh said, "a bi-polar world where those few who have changed the climate continue business without mitigation and those large numbers of victim nations are faultless."

Australia may understand real economics, but these seven ministers understand real politics.

Their demands are appropriate animal responses to the the smell of a promised slaughter of the world's currently richest nation – the USA. They each count on ending up sooner rather than later with a full plate of funding and technology spoils. They can taste it. They are circling.