Vertical of environmental power

It has not yet been possible to create a single body to protect the Earth from warming

Last week's environmental conference in Paris could result in the creation of a major international environmental organization. President Jacques Chirac, representing the host country, proposed reforming the UN Environmental Program into a more solid structure - the United Nations Environment Agency (UNEA). Chirac's call was joined by 45 other countries around the world, who believe that such an organization, which would unite all the states of the world, could control and lead numerous environmental initiatives. Now there is no shortage of various programs to protect the climate, wildlife, oceans, etc., but they are scattered, their coordination and financing is carried out by hundreds and thousands of government international and public structures, committees and foundations.

The French initiative comes after the conference adopted a report blaming human activity for global warming . The main figures and forecasts of this document, prepared by a huge group of scientists under the auspices of the UN, became known a few days before the Paris Congress and have not undergone changes: it is assumed that by the end of the century the average annual temperatures on the planet will be 2-4.5 degrees higher than the indicators pre-industrial level, the melting of polar ice will continue, which will lead to a rise in the level of the world's seas, and natural disasters such as floods, typhoons and droughts will intensify. The main cause of climate change is atmospheric pollution, which creates the greenhouse effect.

Jacques Chirac, commenting on the findings of climatologists, noted that “the day will soon come when climate change will get out of control.” “We are at the point of no return,” the president added, declaring that now is “the time for revolution—a revolution of responsibility, a revolution of economics, a revolution of political action.” UNEA, according to the Frenchman, should receive very solid political powers. However, Chirac's idea of ​​​​creating a single power vertical in the protection and protection of the Earth's climate, naturally, also had opponents.

While European countries are quite prepared to support the creation of an environmental agency, the largest air polluters are understandably skeptical about this. Thus, the idea of ​​UNEA does not yet find support from the US leadership: Washington traditionally opposes international schemes for control over its own sovereignty, including in the field of environmental protection. Some other countries have also reacted cautiously to the French "ecological revolution". Among them, for example, are China, India, Brazil: these rapidly growing economies make a significant contribution to air pollution and the creation of the greenhouse effect.

This raises concerns that UNEA could repeat the fate of the Kyoto Protocol, which is also not functioning at full capacity, since the United States several years ago refused to participate in this system of controlling industrial emissions. Many leading powers fear that the restrictions they will have to impose on themselves to protect the atmosphere will negatively affect the state of their economies. As a result, good wishes to limit air pollution and save the planet from overheating go no further than convening major international conferences like this Paris meeting.

The first round of negotiations on the creation of the Environment Agency is due to take place in Morocco in the spring.

Vladimir DZAGUTO