Rock on Climate changes

Profound changes in the climate calls for a responsible agenda, says rock bands

Global cool

How do we, the people, force our politicians to take extraordinary action in order to combat the dire consequences of our environmental laissez-faire? This is the question a number of high profiled rock bands posed this week. The proposal is that any caring person should help by buying up the CO2 emission, that companies are buying in order to keep up their production and growth. The artist's press material however does not outline what steps they themselves are going to take in order to stop polluting the world. Will they in the future let their singing be accompanied by acoustic guitars? Will they stop using enormous light shows consuming enormous amounts of electricity? Will they stop touring the world from one festival to another in their private jets? Lots of questions must be asked in order to evaluate their initiative.

Global standards and hypocrisy
Perhaps it only goes to show that what we really need is tough global standards. This is where the political system must take the lead and formulate some binding agreements on how to tackle the climate issues at hand. This was also the message from Davos, as well as the planned reaction to the UN report on climate changes that will be released on Friday. Twenty governments are accordingly to meet in order to reach a worldwide agreement. One must hope that the greening of Bush was not just a feeble and lame attempt to acquire some cheap points among the liberals. On the other hand hypocrisy can be found everywhere, e.g. in the European wrangling this week over gas-emissions from cars. In these negotiations Angela Merkel acted much less tough than the countries with no significant car industry. This happened in spite of the historic debate following the report from the commission, we commented about a fortnight ago.

Biedermeier inspiration
When all is said and done, these challenges are not met unless the leaders of the free world agree on a tough agenda. On the other hand we may all do our bit. One place to get inspiration is at the Biedermeier exhibitons, when the new bourgeois created a warm, pleasant and homey lifestyle suited for small occasions, small parties and small homes.

Related articles
Biedermeier, Read here and be inspired.
Climate changes, so what?  Tourism and Fishing Culture will suffer says European report

Related information
Davos Climate Alliance, www.davosclimatealliance.org

Global cool has set up a website backed by Leonardo Di Caprio, Orlando Bloom, and other artists in a worldwide effort to beat climate change.  The global cool website gives advice on how to go cool and thereby reduce energy consumption by doing simple things such as turning the heat down or switching off the lights or sharing a shower with a mate.