Copenhagen Schmopenhagen

It's no surprise what's happening in Copenhagen right now... dubbed by some, ironically, as "Hopenhagen." The forces of obfuscation, moral corruption and economic globalization are working overtime with their leaky email systems, scandalous memos and supposed "draft documents." You see it here at the United Nations all the time - the alliances, the politics, the backroom deals. I have to say I saw it coming a mile back.

The question is: how can we take the United Nations or the United States (or any other Western nation) seriously anymore? The West has lost the high road. It's obvious that our petro-party is slowly coming to a close and yet we continue to deny its impending demise, choosing instead to tighten the blindfold and pour more champagne. There are some real gems in James Howard Kunstler's blog post from last week, a snippet of which I share with you here:

Reality doesn't care if we are on-board with its mandates or not. The human race has to get with whatever program reality is serving up at a particular time. Are we shocked to learn that scientists fight among themselves and cheat as much as congressmen? Does that really change the relationships we understand about parts-per-million of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere and the weather?

What the people of the world can do or will do about a change in climate is something else. My guess is that the undertow of entropy is now too great to provoke any meaningful unified change in behavior... In the meantime, it is unlikely that any of the major players will burn less coal and oil, or not cheat on each other even if they pledge to burn less.

Absolutely. So where is Canada on all this? Right where you would expect, given the Prime Minister and his party: with the climate change deniers, debunkers and discreditors. Want to know just how bad it has gotten? Check out this headline beauty from the Guardian:

Canada's image lies in tatters. It is now to climate what Japan is to whaling; The tar barons have held the nation to ransom. This thuggish petro-state is today the greatest obstacle to a deal in Copenhagen

Granted, I suspect the Guardian reporter, Georges Monbiot, is being purposely scandalous to bring attention to our recent, deplorable record on the environmental disaster that is the Alberta tar sands. Still, if ever there was a crisis of image, of reputation, of confidence in Canada, now would be it.

It's clear we have lost the plot but perhaps what is more disappointing is the apathy of a majority of Canadians. We must all demand better from our elected officials rather than accept what can only be described as a pathetic effort at proper government.

Let's see what comes of Copenhagen. I, for one, think not much, even if there is some fanfare about a deal at the close of the conference. Hey, at least we can always take pride in the spitting accuracy of our diplomats, can't we?