Bob Geldof, is an Irish singer, songwriter, actor and political activist who became famous for his achievements including organising Live Aid and Live 8 and being an outspoken agent for change in promoting aid for developing nations stopped to chat with G20 Summit bloggers. I had a chance today to ask Mr. Geldof for his opinion on what world leaders should be doing in regard to climate change.
In short, he says it’s all the same thing, poverty, economic crisis, climate change. It’s a result of city states pursuing economic growth in an unsustainable way.
“All wars are resource wars. We’ve had three governments collapse in the European Union in the last four months. When they emerged from autocracy they expected freedom and wealth and they got despair and poverty and they don’t have the democratic institutions to withstand the social pressures. We do.”
“The people most affected by the economic crisis and climate change are those who had the least to do with causing it. The two problems have the same solutions.”
We need a system of cap and trade to deal with the climate change issue and the monies that are generated by these fees can be used to help rebuild Europe in places where the economies have collapsed.
According to Geldof, “We can build up their economies not in aid, but in a stimulus coming from our carbon emissions.”
The formula of nation states looking after their own needs first makes it difficult to reach an agreement that is in the best interests of everyone.
“We cannot race to the bottom today in London. We must race to the top, we really must race there. The time is up!” says Geldolf.
Most Summits are generally renowned for seeking concensus on issues instead of reaching for a really high goal. The result is often a watered down document that doesn’t offend any of the parties. We need to work on reversing the impact of traditional industrial expansion and work towards supporting green industry. We need to support those nations that are suffering most significantly from the economic shut down – developing nations. We need a plan for economic development that gives people hope for the future.
As Geldof implores, “Politicians need to work together to get it done now. There is no time to wait.”
G20Voice.org has made bloggers the centre of attention on the floor of the media centre at the G20 Summit by working with the UK government to let the voice of ordinary citizens from around the world be heard.
photo: @jessicauribe
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Great post. Geldoff went on to discuss the power of blogging with Joe Rowley, a youth reporter with the Department for International Development. The interview is here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/01/seychelles-food-supply