The Global Environment and Its

Entractable Dilemmas

Yohannes Gebresellasie (Ph.d) Canada

10/05/09

Arguably in what can be classified as one of the most intriguing and controversial court drama in the history of the United States: the State versus the former football star OJ.Simpson, a jury heard deliberations both from the prosecution and from the defence and finally the verdict of the jury set the former football star free on all criminal accounts. Whereas some compelling evidences were presented from both sides, it was often difficult for the jury to reach and come up with a uniform and unanimous verdict. However, at the end of the day, a decision has to be made and the final decision helped the accused to be free. One of the momentous debates between the prosecutor and the defence was the case of the former football star’s glove that was exhibited by the prosecutor as an evidence of the crime and the prosecutor was quite confident that they have nailed him once and for all for the glove that belonged to him was contaminated with the crime seen and with much evidence that it indeed belonged to the former football star. The defence led by the black celebrity lawyer: the late Jonnie Cochran used the prosecutor’s exhibit and reversed the evidence to his advantage and in a very dramatic and perhaps the deciding moment of the crime, he asked the accused to put his hands into the glove in order to let the jury see for themselves if in fact the glove does or does not fit his hands. How hard the former football star tried to push his hands into the glove, to the surprise of the jury, the glove did not fit and the jury witnessed all the court drama unfolding. Then the celebrity black lawyer who defended the former football star faced the jury rather proudly and confidently and told the jury the following: “the glove doesn’t fit and if it doesn’t fit you must acquit”. This phrase soon became a household quote and even small school children keep on using this famous proverb time and time again to prove something. The case in point here is not to judge on the deliberation or the decision taken by the jury but rather to elaborate a case that is without any doubt the single most important issue affecting current as well as future humanity: the environment in general and the effect of global warning in particular. According to a very distinguished environmental scientist Tom M.L. Wigley, “the human induced changes (to climate) expected over the next hundred years are much, much greater than any changes societies experienced in the past”.

Africa’s concern and Africa’s agenda vis-à-vis environmental change in general and global warming in particular has been put on the back burner, unaccounted for and totally ignored by the industrialized nations who are the main causes affecting the global environment. Whereas Africa has virtually nothing to do with the overall environmental dilapidation, it remains to be negatively affected and thus, became a victim of this catastrophic environmental cataclysm. Africa has tried to put its case and plea to the international governmental as well as non-governmental institutions on the dire present and future consequences of this catastrophic environmental condition. However, its effort has thus far been individually oriented with no coordinated and with no uniformity of effort and with less systematic and organized manner, therefore, Africa’s effort to find solution to this single most important issue facing present as well as future humanity has not yet bare any fruit what so ever. In fact, any effort by individual African nations, scholars, the civic society etc. in presenting the case to decision makers in order to get positive verdicts has not bare any fruit; in fact, it has been totally mistreated and thrown on the back burner. Also, although the developed nations are better equipped both financially as well as scientifically to address the issue in question and to come up with a lasting solution to the subject in question, they have among others lacked commitment, sincerity and the political will to resolve it. Instead, they have so far been rubber stamping the topic with unnecessary and unproductive environmental get together, forums, conferences and the like. All those meetings by those industrialized nations regarding the environment have not brought any concrete formula to help mitigate the problem. Further, these industrialized nations have not yet been ready to even listen to ideas and possible solutions drawn by the victims: the developing nations. As a result, the Ozone Secretariat held in Nirobi, Kenya, The Multilateral Fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol and the previous Copenhagen summit, the London Amendment, the Beijing amendment as well as other successive forums regarding the environment brought no concrete results what so ever thus far because among others, in all environmental forums, conferences and the like, the African voice was neither presented in an organized and systematic manner nor has it been given any consideration.  In fact, the African voice that was individually presented has not seriously been considered. Also, never before have African leaders stood in unison with one solid voice and with a strong mandate on the issue in question because they too have been divided on the issue driven by either internally or externally motivated governmental and non-governmental self interested groups. Here, it is worth mentioning that it was only the Ethiopian PM who stood against all odds to force the African environmental concern to take its proper place on a global agenda and he was the only African leader who succeeded in convincing leaders of the developing nation to be serious about the African environmental concern and to let the African agenda to be heard loud and clear within the international arena. Further, he was able to persuade the leaders of the developing nations to take Africa as part of the solution even though it has not been part of the problem and in fact although it has been a victim. As a result, during the current African environmental summit held at Sirte, Libya, Ethiopia was selected to lead the African High Level Delegation and the Ethiopian Prime minister was unanimously elected to chair the African representation and speak on behalf of the whole continent with full mandate during the upcoming Global Environmental form to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Such a remarkable achievement by African nations to take a firm and unwavering stand and to be part and parcel of the single most important matter facing current and future humanity i.e. the environment and its challenges and solutions has never been achieved thus far and what a remarkable achievement it has been; way to go Africa! Congratulations Africa! This unity, uniformity and consciousness in having a one voice with full mandate: an African mandate reached by African nations on the most important current and future challenges of humanity can be a good start for future economic as well as political unity of the continent. From its very conception in May, 1963, the OAU and now the AU member states have had difficulties in reaching consensus on important issues because they have always focussed solely on preserving their individual territorial integrity, their sovereignty and their individual identity etc. and not much about political and economic unity and not much about environmental concerns and impacts in an organized, systematic and most importantly in a unified manner. From the very outset, OAU member states were divided into a Casablanca Group that believed on a united Africa and the Monrovia Group that believed on a gradual process to the unity. Over forty five years now, differences on variety of issues still exist and more so on political and economic unity. It is therefore remarkable that African States have now stood together in unison for an issue that effect humanity: the environment; it is indeed a remarkable achievement. Here, it is important to note that the perpetuators of the problem may or may not take the usual stand regarding the environment or they may get complacent with little agreements here and there; that, we shall see when the time arrives and when decisions are out. Here, it is important to note the famous saying by the late emperor of Ethiopia Haile Sellasie when he delivered a speech at the League of Nations regarding the Italian invasion against Ethiopia “God and history will remember your judgement.” Also the late President of the United States and perhaps the only scientist President and the longest serving American President Theodore Roosevelt emphasized the obligation of the society regarding the environment and reminds us as follows “of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us”. Also President Obama on his recent speech regarding the environment added “we must commit ourselves to protect ting our environment and ensuring the health of our planet”. The environmental challenge is hardening from time to time with more and more catastrophic storms and earthquakes, heavy and disastrous floods and dangerous tsunamis in countries for example the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Hawaii, Oregon and the Pacific Ring and the effects are showing throughout the glob including here at our backyard.  The tragedy is that it is mostly children who are swept away and die because of the enormous flooding and other problems caused by environmental dreadful conditions. It is critical therefore that industrialized nations wake up and listen to an alternative solution to the problem: The African Solution. This time around, the industrialized nations will, for the first time, confront a very equipped, intelligent and unified African voice led by the Ethiopian Prime Minister and that will be the greatest challenge they have faced so far. This African voice is also unwavering and with a firm but reasonable mission and stand. Although it is a challenge, it can also be an opportunity; therefore, it will be wise that developed nations listen to Africa seriously this time around and for the first time adhere and support the solutions Africa, a victim continent brings about. The African solution will be the global solution and it will be a win-win situation for all humanity; therefore, the African voice has to be taken very seriously by all countries: developed or developing. The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during the High Level Plenary meeting of the 64^th UN session of the General Assembly in New York warned all nations and mainly the world’s major carbon emitters that “failure to reach broad agreement in Copenhagen would be morally inexcusable, economically short-sighted and politically unwise”. Further, the secretary General of the UN “challenged leaders of the developed nations to take the first steps forward and called on leaders from developing countries to accelerate their efforts. “All countries must do more – now,” he said. If the African voice is successful, then there is a hope for current and future humanity but on the other hand, if it is business as usual, then the jury is watching and the jury is the public at large. As the famous lawyer Jonnie Cochran said “if it doesn’t fit you must acquit’ and if it is business as usual and if Africa is to be taken for granted, then Africa should walk out and as the PM of Ethiopia clearly and unequivocally pointed out, “Africa’s interest and position will not be muffled as has usually been the case when each African country speaks for itself or tries to do so on behalf of Africa without the necessary mandate”. Further, the Ethiopian Prime Minister stressed the importance of taking the African agenda very seriously and make it part and parcel of the overall solution to the global environmental question. Anything less according to the Ethiopian Prime Minister who will represent Africa will not be acceptable. He added “If need be we are prepared to walk out of any negations that threatens to be another rape of our continent”. Further, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin at the 64^th session of the UN General assembly regarding environment added “We in Ethiopia have been affected by climate change in the most difficult and complex manner.  The effect on our agriculture and on our plan for food security has been huge.  It is no longer every decade or so that we face drought, but rather every three or four years.  If not drought, then it is flood.  All the same, the consequences have been enormously damaging our plan to ensure food security.  Let me take this opportunity to thank all those partners who have stood with us to address and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on our agricultural activities.  I wish to thank, in particular, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for organizing a meeting on Partnering for Food Security on this very day. As for the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, it is indeed gratifying that we in Africa have decided to be innovative with respect to our representation and in connection with our approach to negotiation.  Africa has decided to be represented by one negotiating team delegated to negotiate on the basis of a common African position.  It is an honor for Ethiopia, in the person of its Prime Minister, to lead the African negotiating team.  We expect much from Copenhagen” This is an African stand on the issue in question and there has never ever been a strong, unified and yet logical stand reached by Africa so far. Therefore Africa deserves to be heard seriously and Africa deserves to be congratulated for a job well done.