Hot! Hot! Hot! – The Climate Change challenge

Every day, the echoes of Montserrat’s most famous calypsonian, Mighty Arrow, reverberate throughout our society – “hot! hot! hot!”. This is in relation to the record temperatures being experienced, among the hottest in recorded history. It is not only the heat though that is troubling to Vincentians, for combating it is resulting in new expenditures such as increased light bills, installation of air conditioners and purchase of fans and other cooling devices.

More and more the realities of worsening climate change are impacting on our daily lives. Unfortunately, in spite of our daily moaning, the connections between this global phenomenon and day-to-day existence seem to escape us and we seem to believe that there is little or nothing, save the actions indicated above, that we can do to alleviate the deteriorating situation.

It is vitally important that those connections be made, that we begin to appreciate that the worsening climatic situation has a human origin and therefore can be arrested and even reversed. The heating up of the earth has its roots in human greed which continues to drive policies based on the overwhelming consumption of fossil fuels because of the profitability involved. The rich and powerful are not genuinely interested in alternative means of power generation unless they prove to be more profitable. That is why instead of massive investments in alternative energy, the multi- billionaires are pursuing space initiatives instead.

However, the solution does not lie with the rich alone, either as private companies or as governments. We too have a role to play and unfortunately, are not doing enough in this regard. Whatever the shortcomings of our governments, those leading Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have not been idle, either in identifying the impact of the worsening situation, or in loudly advocating an alternative approach based on special support for those states to combat the effects of climate change and to develop alternative energy sources.

Sadly, there seems not to be sufficient appreciation either of the causes of the global deterioration, or as a consequence, the utmost need for manifestations of those affected, not just SIDS governments but of the people themselves for support for the various initiatives to demand that those responsible for the crisis should be charged with the responsibility to fund a way out of it.

In many cases the major attacks within the SIDS countries themselves, is targeted on their governments and their weaknesses, real or imagined, to demonstrate sufficient firmness in their advocacy. However, this might be so, we as a people, through our multiple organizations in civil society have not done enough to educate our people, to mobilize support for the initiatives at SIDS and individual government levels.

Indeed, we can clearly discern efforts in industrialized western countries by non-governmental forces to press their governments to deal with the realities of climate change and to meet commitments agreed upon globally, to assist developing countries. Unfortunately, as we know well enough, one hand cannot clap, so it is important that if the initiatives are to be successful at all levels, that we demonstrate both support for those initiatives and press our governments to play their part, especially in public education on the subject.

It is critically important that such education concentrate heavily on those who will suffer the worst effects of climate change if action is not taken now -the youth, children and the elderly. Complaining about heat and trying to beat it will not do. We must go much further.