How do I contain my disappointment, let me count the ways:
One... Take solace from the fact that, deep down, I kind of new that it was going to end this way, no treaty, no legally binding commitments, no big solution. Business as usual really...
Obama was rubbish: "Time for action, not words!" He says. And then doesn't do anything. Apart from leave early because the bad weather might interfere with his flight. (Fans of irony may wish to read the preceding sentence again, just in case they missed any the first time round). I invested hope in this guy. And I want it back.
And everybody blames China, who are as rubbish as everybody else, just on a bigger scale, but they are less rubbish per person, and most of their emissions are to feed the west's need for cheap plastic cr*p.
Thom Yorke made an appearance, looking a little dazed and sleep deprived, (although I think he always looks like that to be honest), but saying the right kind of things.
Still, Tuvalu stood their ground, what's left of it anyway. The Polynesian island nation of 12,000 people, which at its highest is 4.5 metres above sea level. The environment minister there doesn't mess about. Instead of thinking small and investing in low carbon technologies for the island, his plan is to buy land in Australia so they can evacuate the population there. Is it surprising that they couldn't be persuaded to sign a treaty written by the US and China which would see them left underwater. Still, it might be easier at the next conference, if instead of having 192 countries to agree, they now only have 191.
Nice to see Greenpeace gatecrashing the queens dinner though.
Sounds like Ed Miliband at least made the effort. In the past, he has been criticised for looking a bit too fresh faced and youthful. The last fortnight will probably change that.
In conclusion: rubbish.
So what now? Do we sit around and mope that our politicians have failed us? That we seem stuck to the rather frightening path of 'business as usual'?
No! We do stuff. Lots of stuff. Activist type stuff, like climbing on things, gatecrashing things, blogging about stuff, nagging work colleagues to turn the heating down, not being scared to be loud and opinionated in pubs, pestering our MPs, getting informed, getting the message out there, being heard, being Greenpeace.
Business as usual? Damn right.
Stuart Bray
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