World Team Now!

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/32366389]

As 99% of the world cries out with various forms of the Occupy Movement, one thing seems to be clear to almost all— the systems we have created for humanity to live within need to be reconsidered, and ultimately transformed. These are crazy times and to look at our systems globally is to wonder, with all of the magnificent brilliance of humanity, how did we end up here? Why do our political, medical, legal, educational, financial systems seem ineffective in truly serving humanity at large? How can we continue to make decisions about one country or state, when this is one world and the boundaries are shrinking with the realization like parts of the body— what is done to one part (or country) affects the whole body or (world). Why can’t we take this to heart and take action about climate change and agree to significant environmental policy for our world and our future? If not at COP17, maybe Rio+20 will be the time— after all Brazil is shaped like a heart.

The United Nations conferences have been the global games for tackling environmental issues facing humanity and our planet. COP17 is taking place in Durban, South Africa and how many in the world are even aware? Yes, the daily agenda is dense and intense— making it easier for most of us to ignore as week two begins. This past week the US media had little coverage on COP17. Was it primarily because much of the world perceived the United States’ leading monetary capitalism as the giant elephant in the room that prevented the rest of the world from taking steps forward?

Finally, the New York Times did a thorough article on the Kyoto Protocol, which is the closest we have come so far, to significant global environmental policy— although flawed it still may be better than not having anything. Here is a good article on the EU ‘s fight for climate policy. Unfortunately, the US Congress attempts to pass energy or climate policy has stalled as the issue is gridlocked between Democrats and the Republicans. Perhaps an African approach would be more successful? S. Africa’s actions with renewable energy and approach to understand the link to economics deserves attention.

COP17 update:

Suzanne Maxx for World Team

On Friday there was talk that China would indeed consider signing a deal at COP17— if so the United States might no longer have an excuse. Memories of COP15 and bearing witness to the frustrating way the United States and China were communicating with the rest of the world still haunt many of us.

The Weekend

C17 took an active role in organizing the march of about 5,000 people through the streets of Durban this past weekend. Tck,tck,tck, a campaign World Team Now is involved with, helped rally the civil action that is an important part of all the U.N. conferences. This UNFCC conference was no different— as marches bring more than talk, paper, and policy and into lives showing masses of humanity together in action.

Concert

As a GCCA partner, World Team Now celebrates Artist Project Earth (APE), holding a benefit concert for victims of East Africa’s famine on Sunday December 4^th, during COP17 in Durban.

APE has a long history of raising funds to help those suffering from the effects of natural disasters. To date, three albums have been launched in collaboration with Cuban musicians and Western artists, including Amy Winehouse, Sting, Coldplay, U2, and Gorillaz. Global sales have topped the one and a half million mark allowing the organization to fund nearly 300 global projects which address natural disaster relief and climate change awareness. World Team Now stands in support of this work.

Hope, at the Last Minute

As usual the last two days of the conference, the 8^th and the 9^th, when the heads of state are all present, we can hope action will happen. As much as we would like to see progress here, unfortunately the end may be when the Kyoto Protocol expires— the last chance looks to be Rio in June, but hope still remains for the Kyoto Protocol at COP17. Remembering the legacy of President Lulu and seeing how amazing he was in Copenhagen at COP15, we ask Brazil to keep on the path of transformation at COP17 as in this AVAZ campaign. It would be great if we would awake to perceive these last 20 years of trying to come to an agreement as just a bad dream, and be present to a new reality for our world…

Courtesy of NASA

Think Global: Act Local Act for ALL

By Suzanne Maxx

The reality of one home and shared resources for us all is starting to take priority for many who had been previously concerned only about personal survival or achievement. Global philanthropy is an at all time high — ironically this comes at a time when personal survival is challenged and despite these times many people seem to continue to seek the bigger picture, beyond their own challenges. Regardless of country, we are all dealing with the world now, and our potential future. We all have a need for air, water, earth, and energy. Our collective resources are shared and how we use them regardless of where we are, affects us all. An emergent question is how we put a value or “price” on responsibility to these elements. What can that replace or transform our present monetary structures and support the global “eco”mony/ology ? This is what humanity is beginning to awaken to with our global environmental movement. How do we live on earth in balance with our resources?

Growth is challenging. Is there a higher reason we all are being called to look at the way we have structured the game of life in our world now? Here’s to human evolution, and global transformation.

This is an exciting time for those of living inside the environmental and social movement for two decades or more…. Our time is now — people, like you are listening, and want to participate, as we are all stake holders in our children’s home. With perseverance, the battles to convince people of the existence of environmental and social challenges facing the planet are not over, but we have succeeded to begin to educate the masses. Multi-media telecommunications have shrunk the world, and some powerful leaders (without countries) have emerged on the global scene — thank you, Yvo de Boer, Al Gore, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Bono. Now the challenge lies in doing the work to create the change in enough time for the change to take hold so humanity has more options. The speed at which we are able to move now is exhilarating, if not overwhelming. Just when I’m ready to post about “G20”, or “solar energy”, something changes or the technology advances — it is a challenge to keep pace with accuracy with the speed at which the transformation is happening. Please forgive me if by the time you are reading this the information is obsolete.

For the future direction of humanity and our global environment, one thing is clear; there is a lot riding on the potential of the upcoming United Nation’s Conference in Copenhagen. The possibility of a global treaty that is enforceable and honored by the world for our world — could be a global game changer or life transformer. One of the challenges with the U.N. model is the way the world is divided, described, and regulated — by the concepts of categorizing countries by their “development”. Is there a more powerful framework to view with the world? Does it serve us to label the USA as “developed” and China and India as “developing” nations? We have to at least try to work within the U.N.’s global framework as it is the only global framework we have now. Just like we have to work within our challenged systems like our legal, educational, political, monetary and healthcare systems, as that is what we have now. How can the “systems” better serve humanity, and what role can the machine play in the transformation?

The outcome of a powerful Global Treaty could be like what The Constitution is for the USA, or like what the Declaration of Human Rights distinguishes for the world. Personally I have been following this dream of a global treaty for our environment, since Rio De Janeiro 1992, when I was there where it all began in the global community, at The Earth Summit/Global Forum. Then the treaty was just emerging as the “The Climate Change Treaty” or more formally; “The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), with more nations ratifying this global document than any other in the history of our world — for our environment. The idea behind the climate treaty is aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent change in our climate system. It became The Kyoto Protocol, after a rocky history of trying to get the USA to ratify, but the distinctions between developing and developed countries made the playing field questionable, when developing giants like China and India would not have to play by the same rules as the USA, for more history click here. The UNFCCC or FCCC roots grew back to The Earth Summit /Global Forum, formerly The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The acronym “UNCED” remained the joke that many told which summed up a strong underlying truth, of the outcome for many with the frustration of what was “UN-SAID” in the United Nations’ conferences. We believe at World Team Now name’s are significant. What about a new name for what could become “The Copenhagen Treaty” (It would be nice if we could evolve past the place it was created, and call it something that could have meaning for all in the World; like “The World’s Action Treaty for Environmental Resources and Sustainability”, with the acronym; “WATERS”…. This name is more encompassing as it could allow the off set, trading game to apply to more than Climate Change but also to other environmental contaminants that affect our earth and humanity offing a reward for the clean up, and cost to pay for those who chose to take our collective resources.

Tag: The Kyoto Protocol

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Copenhagan-The Big Picture

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