Unite for climate change
Friday, December 18th, 2009If you want to understand whether COP15 us likely to make any meaningful difference look not to Copenhagen, nor to the twittering commentary of my fellow bloggers, journalists and assorted spinners. Look instead to England. The most important thing that has happened this week that frames the Western World’s proposed and possible actions on reducing GHG emissions took place this month in the UK High Court, where BA won an injunction declaring proposed strike action by BA cabinstaff as illegal.
Unite, the union representing some 12,000 BA employees had propose to cal a 12 day strike. Such action would, according to BA head honcho Willie Walsh “ruined Christmas for millions of people”. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown was reported as saying he was “very worried” by the prospect of a BA strike, and warned that BA and the unions must both consider the damage the airline would suffer if they cannot reach a resolution..
And there lies the key to understanding the degree to which Brown and other(se)elected national head honchoss of his ilk can lead us toward a safe level of greenhouse gases. They will pledge the world in Copenhagen. Just as anything they propose doesn’t interrupt the voting public’s plans to fly somewhere to see Granny or sit on a warm beach for Christmas.
How then are we meant t cost into airline tickets the environmental cost of flying, in a way that encourages the potential traveler to consider and choose alternate means of transport? Therein is the hypocrisy, moral weakness and failure to lead that speaks volumes, but leads is little.
