Five reasons why you should be optimistic about the Bali meeting

Tomorrow UN's climate meeting starts on Bali in Indonesia. During the eleven days the meeting is held the world's leaders will try to agree on how to properly combat climate change. This is the only chance we got to unite globally against climate change and its doomsday effects, so we (they) better not screw it up. But you shouldn’t have to high hopes on the results as there are many strong and greedy powers that will try to diminish the meeting and the end result.

But hopefully reason and science will prevail. Here are five reasons why you should be a little optimistic about the Bali meeting:

A greener Australia

In probably the first federal election ever that was decided on the climate question the people of Australia kicked out John Howard mainly due to his ignorant view on climate change. The new leader, Kevin Rudd, will sign the Kyoto-protocol only a few weeks before it comes into effect in 2008. This victory is not a big change for the environment, but it’s a very important political symbol. It means that now USA is alone in making a fool of itself and its politics.

A tougher Great Britain

It’s not just in Australia people are pushing for stronger actions against climate change. In Great Britain, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has, after massive public pressure, decided on new tougher climate goals. As a result Great Britain has decided on a 60% reduction to year 2050. That’s not enough, but it’s the most radical goal among the European countries. Portugal, currently EU’s President of the European Council, are encouraging EU to follow Great Britain's path.

Africa supports Contraction and Convergence

The network Climate Network Africa, with representatives from Kenya, Nigeria etc have decided, in a meeting last week, to support Contraction and Convergence, one of the most radical ideas to combat climate change.

Human Development Report

This years Human Development Report from the UN puts, for the first time ever, climate change in the spotlight. The report emphasizes how climate change is connected to social justice and the fight against poverty.

The trade union mobilizes

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), who represents 168 million people in 153 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates, supports 85% global reductions to year 2050. To emphasize this they will send 85 lobbyists from 25 different countries to the Bali meeting.