Social democratic approach needed for climate change

Alliance Party media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday 9 December 2009

Any agreement reached at the Climate Change talks in Copenhagen will be a stop gap measure at best, says Professor Jim Flynn of the Alliance Party.

In a public talk in Dunedin this week, Professor Flynn said that the present scenario sees affluent first world countries that have caused the environmental crisis telling third world countries that they shouldn't have the opportunity to lift their people out of poverty, through the same processes of industrialization and development because of the effect on the environment.

Naturally, developing countries are less than impressed.

"Therefore a globally binding agreement that will effectively deal with harmful emissions and other pollution is unlikely to be an outcome."

Professor Flynn says the way to conserve the earth's resources for future generations is to adopt a social democratic approach.

"That means recognizing that everyone should have equitable access to the earth's resources, reaching agreement on an acceptable standard of living for all and defining the level of development sustainable in the long term for the planet."

He says an international working party or think tank could be set up to develop these ideas.

Professor Flynn says the only long term solution is for third world countries to continue to develop their standard of living to a mutually agreed level, whilst first world countries agree to reduce wasteful consumption.

"Sadly this does not appear to be on the agenda at Copenhagen."

ENDS

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