Has it become fashionable to speak of a healthy environment and climate change as a luxury? From the US Presidential election to the emerging economic giants, (the BRICS) to the Eurozone crisis, conversations regarding the environment and climate change are viewed as beyond the scope of immediacy or urgency. Following the global debate from several angles, as I have made it part of my responsibility on behalf of Diplomatically Incorrect and as global citizen, I’m struck by how little is being discussed after the series of disappointments from Copenhagen to the Durban Climate Talks. Read: - “Durban Climate Talks – Failure or Success” -http://diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/durban-climate-talks-failure-or-success-by-ambassador-mo/42771 The turn is not being made toward greater care and health of the environment. To the contrary, it has become defined as a luxury when presumably unemployment, economic recessions and financial crisis are on the stampede. US Presidential candidates, most of the Republicans, are questioning in open debates whether climate change is man caused. Most are screaming “drill, drill, drill!” Few though mention the benefit of additional jobs and advanced technologies from alternative energy and/or conservation. They are all against Obama’s health care program, “Obama Care,” and claim to be alarmed by the rising costs of medical services; however none mention the chronic and other illnesses created by a pollution and degradation of our environment. The BP Gulf oil spill is largely forgotten and medical waste and other garbage has become more numerous than shells and seaweed on many beaches throughout the world. Read: - “Trash in Our Oceans” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/trash-in-our-oceans-by-ambassador-mo/28807 Let there be no mistake, this is the warmest decade ever: Read - “Warmest Decade Ever” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/warmest-decade-ever-by-ambassador-mo/42151. Also, it does pay to preserve as well as drill, mine and cut down the earth’s resources: Read: - Pilot Indonesia Program Links Deforestation – Carbon Emissions” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/pilot-indonesia-program-links-deforestation-carbon-emission-by-ambassador-mo/41940. However, there are many other highly important health, economic and leisure reasons, among others to protect our most critical resource, our earth. Water may become the next commodity to be priced beyond the range of the working poor. Wars are already being waged. Oceans are being exploited to or beyond extremes of sustainability. Also Read: -Saving Oceans – 10 Concrete Measures” -- diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/saving-oceans-10-concrete-measures-by-ambassador-mo/39921 The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has identified a couple below, and I would always encourage to visit their website to find out how all of us can promote and do for our earth even if some politicians or media may not see it as fashionable. Fact 1 from UNEP - “More than half of the world's hospital beds are filled by people suffering from water-related illnesses affecting human well-being and countries' further development and economic growth.” Fact 2 from UNEP - In 2010, governments agreed to increase landbased protected areas to 17 per cent of the Earth's surface, from around 12.5 per cent now, and to extend marine protected areas to 10 per cent.” Fact 3 from UNEP – “Ecosystem services and other non-marketed natural goods account for 47 to 89 per cent of the so-called 'Gross Domestic Product of the Poor'.” The UNEP website also has some great photos on its website – worthy a visit – only 2 of which we have included above. Link to UNEP - www.unep.org/ By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey





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