Sham Paris climate agreement

So-called COP21 discussions from November 30-December 11 among hundreds of representatives from 196 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) countries were dead on arrival.

They fell short of a whimper, let alone a bang environmental and other civil society groups hoped for—in vain.

Meaningful results were entirely absent—impossible to achieve with America and its key allies unwilling to address a potentially catastrophic future problem without taking constructive action now.

Friends of the Earth International (FEI) accused America and other “[r]ich countries [of] mov[ing] the goal posts” to serve their powerful monied interests, profiting hugely by despoiling planet earth—ignoring a 19th century proverb more relevant today than ever, saying: ‘Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught (and the air no longer safe to breathe and contaminated GMO and other crops no longer fit to eat) will we realize we cannot eat money.’”

FEI called the deal reached in Paris “a sham.” FEI’s climate justice and energy coordinator Sara Shaw said “[t]hrough piecemeal pledges and bullying tactics, [US-led] rich countries have pushed through a very bad deal”—hype and deception substituting for vitally needed meaningful tough measures.

Principles agreed on an agreement “fail[ing] humanity,” Shaw stressed.

Rich countries refuse to cut their fossil fuel emissions or at least enough to matter. Climate Justice Alliance coordinator Ananda Lee Tan said “[o]nce again, world leaders have shown they lack the political courage, decency, and integrity to stand up for the needs of the most impacted communities around the world in the biggest ecological crisis of our time.”

“Our assessment is that, again, it is left up to us. We know it is people and communities that have to lead us out of this ecological crisis”—never major political leaders serving special interests exclusively.

US-led leading countries bullied, bribed and threatened smaller poorer ones to go along, the way imperialism always works.

On Saturday, “we will step it up on the streets of Paris, but we need to continue to get more people on the streets—block by block, community by community—to fight this global confluence of governments and corporat(e)” predators, Tan stressed.

Thousands of environmental group activists and individuals on their own protested in Paris on Saturday, defying an official ban. They demonstrated on the Champ de Mars and held hands beneath the Eiffel Tower—denouncing the sham deal announced on Friday and adopted on Saturday.

Their numbers stretched over two kilometers—from the Arc de Triomphe to La Defense business district.

Western media scoundrels lied—claiming a first time ever deal, committing nearly all countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to matter.

Reuters disgracefully called terms reached a historic “turning point” on fossil fuel use, promising a green transition.

The New York Times hailed “a breakthrough” deal, meaningfully “address[ing] climate change,” disgracefully praised by world leaders and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The Washington Post headlined “ ‘Historic’ climate pact nears final vote . . . put[ing] Earth on a path toward sharply reducing emissions from fossil-fuel burning.”

The Wall Street Journal said a “global agreement on climate change” is near fruition.

The Chicago Tribune said “nearly 200 nations near [an] unprecedented deal to slow global warming.”

The Los Angeles Times headlined “Climate change vote will mark a ‘historic turning point.’ “

National Public Radio (a.k.a. National Pentagon or Petroleum Radio) said with a final deal imminent on Saturday, “[t]he main hall of the COP21 climate meetings outside Paris echoed with applause from a standing ovation Saturday . . .”

The BBC said the “world awaits [a] landmark climate deal.”

London’s Guardian said world leaders “inch toward historic climate deal.”

Once again, efforts to address potential future ecological disaster fell flat. Washington and its key allies intend dirty business as usual going forward—while duplicitously claiming otherwise.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” Visit his blog at sjlendman.blogspot.com . Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.