The chain of Live Earth concerts that began yesterday in Australia and ended on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach is estimated to have attracted television audiences of over two billion to say nothing of the tens of thousands who actually attended the concerts. This global event was an entirely fitting start to the five-year campaign being spearheaded by former US Vice-President Al Gore to address what is absolutely a global crisis. There is no country. no city, no town, no village, no hamlet, no house, no family nor anyone who will escape the dire consequences of climate change. It may very well be that part of the dramatic adjustments to weather patterns is accounted for by the earth’s own inexorable climatic cycle. There can however equally now be no doubt that human activity is contributing significantly to an acceleration of the process.
It is heartening that the Live Earth cause is being spearheaded by the young, both musicians and fans. It is their inheritance that the thoughtlessness and lack of understanding of their parents has put at risk. All the talk about the impact of replacing just four light bulbs with energy-efficient devices and taking shorter showers is quite right. Everyone must take responsibility for their individual contribution to the demand for power. There is however a risk here. The pressure to conform could turn into intolerance and bigotry by people who are sure that they have a monopoly on rectitude. That might create an adverse reaction to the Live Earth campaign and jeopardize its success. It does not need to add to the challenges it already faces.
President Bush may have been dragged reluctantly to finally admitting that profligate energy-hungry countries like the United States are contributing to the crisis. However, a poll this week reveals that the majority of Americans remains unconvinced and some suspect that the environmental campaign is a conspiracy mounted by America’s economic rivals. There is also a further danger in the Live Earth movement. This is that by focusing too much on man-made change, it will not confront the problem of natural adjustments because the arrogant notion will become set in stone that because this problem was created by man, man has the power to fix it.
He does not. There are millions of people from Pacific islanders to inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa whose worlds will be destroyed regardless of how many low power light bulbs are installed. The future these people face in an already crowded globe is grim. Once nations fought each other for living space. This cannot be allowed to happen again. Governments who will face their own severe problems from the likes of rising sea levels, may be disinclined to offer refuge to homeless strangers but they must do so.
The threats we all face from environmental change can only be met by wisdom, understanding and generosity from everyone, without exception...
