UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told members global warming could present a danger for peace and security in the world. Regions will have to overcome challenges on many fronts, Ban said, and nations must work together to bring climate change under control.
The British government, a strong supporter of limits on greenhouse gases blamed for climate change, called for the discussions, which were opened by British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett at UN headquarters in New York.
Britain's UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said discussion would focus on global warming's expected impacts on populations around the world.
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected melting polar caps, rising sea levels, storms, water shortages and diminished crop production over the coming century unless global warming is brought under control. The rising temperatures are blamed on increased carbon emissions produced by humans.
Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.
There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.
This post is the second of a two part series. Read the first installment, Unreported Emissions From Natural Gas Blow Up BC's Climate Action Plan.
Methane leaks from British Columbia's natural gas industry are likely at least 7 times greater than official numbers increasing the entire provinces' carbon footprint by nearly 25%. That's like putting 3 million more vehicles on BC's roads.
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framing climate change
One way to frame climate change to get the attention it deserves is to use national and world security concerns to focus your audience -- as you've done in this post. See here and here, posts inspired by the work of Matt Nisbet and Chris Mooney.
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