18 Dec 2009

Big thoughts from Copenhagen – a new world order

Make no mistake, if there is a political deal today to limit carbon emissions and an agreed transfer of cash from the northern polluters to the southern victims, this will herald the beginnings of an entirely new world order.

Not one of these world leaders is an elected Green. These are all mainstreamers – Communists, Social democrats, Islamic Revolutionaries, Christian Democrats and the rest, conventional mainstream politicians with no environmental power base.

And the issue that has brought them together, once the preserve of open toed sandal wearing green protesters and green politicians, is climate change. They have taken a collective decision for mankind to attempt to preserve the ecology of the planet we all live on.

This is the moment that has seen China emerge as a giant of a world power flexing its muscles in its own interests and to a lesser extent in the interests of the emerging economies in the developing world whose natural resources she is already exploiting. China and America in their different, self-interested way have held the ring here.

But this has also been the moment the developing world, particularly the most threatened small island states and African nations, have demonstrated coherent and effective clout.

Once we used to wait upon these leaders as they fought to save the world from nuclear holocaust. Ironically, Medvedev of Russia and America’s Obama are meeting today to discuss nukes. But who any longer cares?

And collective wars against terrorism – forget it. The world has for so long looked for its successor to the cold war. Now it’s found it: the warming world war.

This is now the cause. Not war, not financial meltdown, but our own abuse of our planet that brings nations to the table. That’s the news out of Copenhagen. A new world order focused upon collective survival as never before even if self-interest finds its place too around the table.

Even if they agree nothing, THAT is what has changed, and changed for all time. The dialogue is open and will not be closed down.

Tweets by @jonsnowC4