Yes, the Australian Government might have flown a few AFL teams worth of people to Copenhagen in a big stinking jet plane for the Climate Change summit but rest assured, Penny Wong is “actively encouraging” them to catch public transport while they’re there. So you can stop the ironic groans now thanks very much.
While this gesture of carbon reduction behaviour is commendable, The Punch can’t help worrying about the “baggage officer”, who’ll be ferrying bits of luggage all over Princess Mary’s home town, presumably on the Copenhagen Metro (his/her plight was first brought to out attention by @GregAtkinson_jp on Twitter).
Hopefully Senator Wong also “actively encouraged” the delegates to pack light. You know, two pairs of undies - one on, one slung over the hotel shower rack after you’ve hand washed them in the sink.
Much has been written about the huge outlay of carbon emissions generated by bringing 30,000 people together in Denmark to discuss the reduction of carbon emissions.
The Independent labeled it the “Conference of a thousand limousines.”
The Punch’s Colgo has been known to wonder out loud why they couldn’t do it all online and call it Skypenhagen.
And Kevin Rudd might be feeling a bit peeved that he has to start out his time at the summit defending his government from claims its team is grossly inflated.
But Copenhagen is turning out to be as much about symbolism as it is about action, and the symbolism of sending hundreds of people Business Class to the other side of the world is pretty powerful, in all the wrong ways.
If all they bring back with them is 114 “I went to Copenhagen and all I got was this lousy t-shirt”, shirts people are going to be less forgiving about contributing to another mega talk fest in two years time in another city with a name like Davos, Bogor, Kyoto or Doha (I wonder if there will ever be a summit in Wagga Wagga?)
There’s an argument that the cost of the summit will be offset by the potential gains of an agreement. But if they want us all to make changes, the Government should start with itself.
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