7 February 2008: "Natural" disasters and responsibility...

7 February 2008: “Natural” disasters and responsibility…

It was absolutely beautiful. But scattered among the lush mangroves, floating crocodiles, and soaring coastal birds were the obvious signs of hurricane damage. Here, in the Rio Lagartos nature preserve, vivid scenes of wildlife are juxtaposed to acres of dead mangrove forest. This became especially transparent when I spotted herons perched atop toppled mangrove trees.

Of course, we typically tend to write off such natural disasters as exactly that: natural. But what we must keep in mind is that they are only in part natural. Science has already shown that such dramatic weather events are likely to increase in frequency and intensity as global warming continues. What strikes me however is that although the US is fully aware of this dreadful prophecy, it continues to stumble forward as if it is blissfully unaware of the environmental consequences of its actions. Ultimately, this begs the question of why.

While in Rio Lagartos, it struck me that one of the reasons may have to do with the nature of the US’s geopolitical place in the world. After all, despite being the hands down largest contributor to climate change, the US remains the country least likely to feel its effects. Blessed by its geographical place in the world, the US avoids the worst and most immediate impacts of global warming, which tend to occur within the tropics. Similarly, thanks to its political clout and general affluence, it is also the country most able to deal with the effects of global warming even if they do occur. Thus, despite bearing the most responsibility for the current climate crisis, the US is isolated from the consequences of its decisions, allowing it to deny any responsibility while never having to pay the price.

Sadly, as Rio Lagartos reminds us, the burden often falls on the shoulders of the countries that are least responsible and least capable of handling such disasters. Although a disheartening case of environmental inequality, there is hope. Recently, at the Bali Roadmap conference, the delegation from India refused to move forward until the US accepted its responsibility. Their insistence was followed by comment after comment from every delegation reprimanding the US for its hesitation to lead in the search for a solution to a problem that it, along with a handful of other countries, had primarily created. Eventually, the tension reached a climax as one delegate directly addressed the delegation from the US, stating, “We seek your leadership but if for some reason you are not willing to lead, then please leave.” Ultimately, the US gave in to the demands and promised to help developing countries deal with climate change induced disasters. Of course, in politics, one’s word is never tantamount to future action and so the question of the whether the US will finally act responsibly still remains.