A lot of people-- especially ENGO's from North America-- are systematically denying the possibility that we can do the organizing and politicking needed to build a movement that can *really* tackle climate change. The arguments are that the "political will" simply is not there. But what is never mentioned about this line of argument is that the needed will to get there, speaking planet wide, not only is "there" it is _already happening_. Where "political will" is a serious problem in North America for the political parties-- even the so-called Green Parties are not talking about realistic programs to address climate change and do so in a just way-- the question should be put to the majority of the environmentalists. These organizations are beholden to a structure and a funding pattern that not only is wedded to the very system that created the climate crisis, within that system the bulk of them are funded by the aspects of that system-- industrial corporations-- who are the production point of the catastrophic systemic changes happening right now.
Obama gave a speech where he made it sound as if the need to get off fossil fuels finally struck his brain. The proposals in that speech are non-starters. However, why do we have environmental groups that continue to deny the actual severity of the crisis?
If you are not an individual that is scientifically inclined nor are you spending a lot of time trying to surf through the various public pretencions, you might simply open a random 'environmental' webpage to see what needs to happen to stave off the crisis. These groups (in both Canada and the US) will fill your head with lies about what to do, some even including proposals to "limit" c02 emissions to a point of 450-550ppm for carbon in the atmosphere. If that happens, we are simply doomed.
Meanwhile, the political will among the majority of humanity has reached immediacy. If you have had it with the lies and the "it's not time to panic" talk of the so-called experts in North America, take heart: most of the world is with you.
Recently, the "lack of political will" was expressed in Bolivia, at Cochabamba & Tiquipaya with the people's agreement document, coming from various social movements representing over 140 nation states and multiple grassroots groups. The First World ENGO's of North America were almost entirely absent, though not quite. The few who did attend were among those who were the few who pushed back with the same tired arguments: This is what is politically achievable. Mind you, no one listened to this paternalistic nonsense. Instead, a new document was written. It compares with the Copenhagen Accord, an accord that regardless of how utterly bad and in fact suicidal it is, had some North American ENGO's endorse it. Lined up beside the People's Agreement, the agreement that followed Che's maxim to "be realistic, demand the impossible!", Copenhagen looks like this:
http://pwccc.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/comparision-of-the-people%C2%B4s-a...
--Macdonald Stainsby
