COP15? One thing that can change the debate right now!

"Following the outstanding example of Norway in leadership positions in both public and private sectors, create full gender balance in all delegations and decision councils shaping the climate debate and recommendations".

This is our answer to the following question that was posed to our readers in the World Streets feature article of October 26th:

To make a significant difference in COP15 . . . what is the ONE BASIC THING we could do right now to change the game, the rules, so that our planet has a decent chance. Something deep and fundamental. Something that upsets the old order that has failed us for so long.

We shall go into our reasoning behind this in more detail tomorrow (I promise you, it changes everything), but for now kindly and for your convenient reference find the full text of the original 26 Oct. piece reproduced below:

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Winning the World Climate Game: Brainwork challenge

Let's assume that the world climate negotiations in general-- and all in the run-up to COP15 in December and its aftermath -- need a shot in the arm, a game-changer, in order to begin to break a deadlock that has gone on all too long at huge cost to the planet and future generations. Do you accept this as something worth at least considering? If so . . .

After having observed closely this largely failed process for many years, here is one thing I have concluded about our dilemma:

The challenge (the planet) is clearly a lot bigger than the problem-solving apparatus we have put in place to deal with it. Does that seem about right to you?

So what about this as an analogy to stimulate our thinking? We are trying to play a game, say like tennis. We have a ball, net, court, lines, etc. Should be easy enough, eh?

However, in the climate case the ball (the planetary challenge) is clearly far bigger than the court (the existing problem solving frame) into which we need to hit it. Oops.


So what is the solution? Obviously to turn it into something that is not a travesty, and at least possible, we would have to redraw the court, somehow reshape and redimension the problem solving process.

(Of course if we want to shrink the ball, i.e., do less for the planet, we can do that too. In fact, that looks kind of familiar.)

How might we handle this challenge in the case of the climate process? What could be the game-changer(s) that would allow us to have a shot at winning.

This is to invite your suggestions as to ONE BASIC THING we could do to change the game, the rules, so that our planet has a decent chance.

Something deep and fundamental. Something that upsets the old order that has failed us for so long.

Please send your nominations and ideas to the editor@worldstreets.org, and also we invite you to post them directly to the Comment section which you will see just below.

Let's see if we can solve this one by putting our heads together.

The editor

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