The one thing that is clear about global environmental problems is that the solution will require a global consensus and a uniform global response. Otherwise we are treated to the silliness of the so called impoverished countries demanding that only the developed world reform while the same countries are importing the polluting industries.
And bad policy such as the Kyoto accord will naturally destroy any tentative consensus before it accomplishes much. Any solution must be both global and universal in its application. And this is obviously very difficult.
Our international institutions are still very tentative and very weak and are lacking leadership. Fault is irrelevant. That is just the way it is. Though every country participates, no one seems willing to develop binding systems that can be properly upheld. The Europeans are solving this problem for the Europeans and seem to be shaking out a solution.
It all comes down to the progressive reassignment of sovereign rights to transnational institutions that are trustworthy. This is a hugely sticky idea that some countries have accepted while others are just coming to grips with the idea. Many will accept this idea on the face of it, yet subvert it at every turn. Others are so new to their sovereignty that they can hardly countenance any disturbance.
And the three most important of all, China,India and the USA, are the most prickly of all. On the other hand, if France and Germany could get past it perhaps even they can.
I think that a global consensus on the creation of governmental transnational organizations is very timely.
It is very easy to select a few very pressing global problems to build such individual organizations around. We do not have to even start with smoke stack emission controls. There we can build a long transition program that gives all participants time to pay off and depreciate the current infrastructure. Even though we know how to eliminate the problem now.
An even better problem, as I have posted on earlier, for developing a transnational organization is the exploitation of the sea. Right now we still have a beggar thy neighbor system maintained in the face of all economic sense. A global system for fish stock ownership and regulation would be a boon that would speed the recovery of stocks and establish sustainable husbandry.
This is so obvious that I do not comprehend why it is not been pursued more aggressively. Then again, even nations have trouble with this idea. Canada has its caribou herds and a very confused approach to their management. Yet they are classic examples of prey - predator collapse cycles that could be easily managed to everyone's profit including the environment itself.
We have presented our options for the resolution of the CO2 problem in this blog. The good news, is that these solutions turn out to be excellent husbandry and will be adopted. It will simply take longer without an international effort.
And bad policy such as the Kyoto accord will naturally destroy any tentative consensus before it accomplishes much. Any solution must be both global and universal in its application. And this is obviously very difficult.
Our international institutions are still very tentative and very weak and are lacking leadership. Fault is irrelevant. That is just the way it is. Though every country participates, no one seems willing to develop binding systems that can be properly upheld. The Europeans are solving this problem for the Europeans and seem to be shaking out a solution.
It all comes down to the progressive reassignment of sovereign rights to transnational institutions that are trustworthy. This is a hugely sticky idea that some countries have accepted while others are just coming to grips with the idea. Many will accept this idea on the face of it, yet subvert it at every turn. Others are so new to their sovereignty that they can hardly countenance any disturbance.
And the three most important of all, China,India and the USA, are the most prickly of all. On the other hand, if France and Germany could get past it perhaps even they can.
I think that a global consensus on the creation of governmental transnational organizations is very timely.
It is very easy to select a few very pressing global problems to build such individual organizations around. We do not have to even start with smoke stack emission controls. There we can build a long transition program that gives all participants time to pay off and depreciate the current infrastructure. Even though we know how to eliminate the problem now.
An even better problem, as I have posted on earlier, for developing a transnational organization is the exploitation of the sea. Right now we still have a beggar thy neighbor system maintained in the face of all economic sense. A global system for fish stock ownership and regulation would be a boon that would speed the recovery of stocks and establish sustainable husbandry.
This is so obvious that I do not comprehend why it is not been pursued more aggressively. Then again, even nations have trouble with this idea. Canada has its caribou herds and a very confused approach to their management. Yet they are classic examples of prey - predator collapse cycles that could be easily managed to everyone's profit including the environment itself.
We have presented our options for the resolution of the CO2 problem in this blog. The good news, is that these solutions turn out to be excellent husbandry and will be adopted. It will simply take longer without an international effort.
