The environment is truly global!
Winds, oceans, clouds, rivers, respect no borders, religions, cultures, nationalities, or whatever. Thus we can all be sure that degrations, as well as improvements to the environment will be shared by all.
The current state of the environment, and the trend we have set for it to follow, are stupendous achivements of Man. Landing on the moon, or on Mars due to come, penicillin, and all those technological "achievements" pale into nothing, when compared with what Man has achieved with respect to the planet's health.
In a few hundred years, we have sent whole species, who too have an equal claim to this planet, to extinction, polluted the air we all share, the oceans we all depend... Ah, the list is endless.
For what?
So that we can get from A to B a few minutes quicker? We could live a few years longer? We could brag about our wealth? Enjoy for a little longer?
We can all blame the West for inventing this concept of "luxury", and for raising expectations worldwide.
Everybody in the world wants to catchup with the West.
Can you blame them? NO.
This week (I am writing this on 12-12-2007), there is this much publicised gathering in Bali on global warming. It ends tomorrow. Today, the news reports say that there are deep divisions among the polluters. As a reporter remarked, "It may well turn out to be a trip up a garden path, rather than a road map to save the planet".
Can you force societies to turn the clocks back?
You think mankind will ever be able to recover from this disaster?
Can politicians take the bold decisions and still survive?