The world is still reeling from the tremors of a US exit from the Paris Accord. Being the leader of the free world, it is paradoxical the US is negating on a critical responsibility as climate change considering the danger it poses to humanity. Climate issues have now become moral issues. And the ethics of environmental stewardship cannot be sacrificed at the altar of economics. Indeed, one need not be a scientist to conclude that global weather patterns have become erratic and destructive.
That is why perhaps the world seems undeterred by Trump's latest drama. There is defiance in the US and abroad. In its quest for a greener cleaner planet, key actors such as the European Union, China and even India have reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Accord. This is good news to the planet that is baking every day due to global warming. But, we should take the Chinese with a pinch of salt. They are the world's worst polluters, lack in philosophical foundation for respect of dignity and human life, thus as latter day converts, they don't wash.
Luckily, in the US, cities, states, corporations and even universities have vowed to stick to the Paris Accord. The New York Times reports that Michael Bloomberg, former NYC mayor, is coordinating this group that will make compliance submissions to the UN in relation to the Paris Accord. Trump's main piece of charcoal with the Paris deal is that it seeks to weaken the US economically. He argues that it will export coal jobs to India and China. He has been quoted enough times throwing aspersions on climate change and global warming as a creation of China, a hoax if you will. In 2012 he tweeted thus: "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive."
The reality is that coal jobs in the US are shrinking by the day. Technology of extracting coal including robots is at such an advanced stage that the past can only be nostalgic.Technological breakthroughs in fracking for shale gas also means that natural gas will soon surpass coal desirability in the US. Furthermore, worldwide, the juggernaut of green energy is moving at an irreversible speed. Technology has greatly advanced in this sector so much so that carbon related industries will be edged out in due course.
The UK once boomed with coal. It powered her industrial engine so much so that coal was part of the legend of UK. But it required a pestering labour union and a steely premier in the person of Margaret Thatcher to bring to an end that illicit romance of coal and economics. Today the UK is at the cusp a green energy revolution. The rest of the world too pursuing ground-breaking technology in solar, wind and geothermal energy. Manufacturers are targeting the green economy where clean jobs are rising from California to Costa Rica. Germany for instance is going big in wind and solar even proposing to phase out nuclear plants by 2022.
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Solar, according to the New York Times, created 373, 807 jobs in 2016. In total, the green energy sector created 748,547 jobs in the US compared to coal's 160, 119. Take Elon Musk's Tesla for instance it is going big on green energy including heavy investments at Tesla Motors and Solar City that will disrupt the way we generate and consume energy. China is also leading an offensive in mass cheaper solar panels.
Again, the market will always have its say and way. People are increasingly becoming conscious of their planet and they will support green industries and shun carbons. Countries may even impose carbon tariffs if push comes to shove. Ironically, China, which for a long time has been the dark exhaust chimney of the world, has turned around and handed that baton to the US.
Iceland, Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey and even Kenya are leading the world in geothermal exploration and development. Geothermal for instance, apart from generating electricity, is a prolific source of energy that is used directly for diverse heating processes. Take Iceland for instance, 97 per cent of her heating comes from geothermal. This means that with this kind of innovation, overreliance on carbons is reducing astronomically the world over. Sadly, Trump and his court are stuck in the coal pit as the world moves on.
Mr Wamanji is a Public Relations Expert, ewamanji@yahoo.co.uk @manjis
