25 December 2009

hope springs eternal

There is one part of the world that has come to a stand-still in a despair of lost hope. There is a percentage that is unaware and still others who are still apathetic. The end of the year brings with it a morose close, of failed negotiations and still uncrossable geopolitical boundaries. The decisions made in the high-tables or the back-rooms of Copenhagen have a resounding implication that will affect every facet of human life.

No other environmental conference has seen this amount of turn-out which in itself demonstrates the high expectations of delegates, civil society organizations and governmental groups. No other environmental conference has garnered immense public awareness and pressure from almost every part of the world. Several events, protests, demonstrations and rallies in the months leading-up to Copenhagen has communicated the concern, worry and expectations of millions of people.

Yet for all the effort and the energy; the hopes of many thousands of people have been dashed. There has never been a moment in human history where so many people have been fighting for a different beat in every corner of the globe. Even the smallest nations have fought for a platform to voice their opinions and are prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest giants. The fact that they have been let down does not nullify the gesture. It reaffirms that we can still come together inspite of our discords and if we stick it out long enough, differences can be hammered out.

This is the first time such a large number of world leaders have joined together to make monumental decisions. There are bound to be frustrations, anger, dashed expectations and false hope. However, there is a reason why we do this: we still believe that we can undo damages caused. Today, I am overwhelmingly optimistic and uncharacteristically hopefully that change will come. I only hope that when it does, it is not too late.

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