Stop Kicking Us With Carbon! We’re trying to Prosper Too You Know!

By Abraham Williamson
From Lindale High School

Haiti desperately requires a treaty in Copenhagen for numerous reasons. We haven’t contributed to CO2 emissions, but we suffer incredibly from emissions. We need to reach an agreement in which those responsible for the damage pay for the detriment as well as make the shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy. If this treaty goes undeveloped Haiti could drift into oblivion, perpetually wounded by gargantuous problems with zero solutions. The United States, China, Russia, Japan, and India rank in the top five countries with the highest Carbon emissions of over 1 billion tons; the US nears 6 billion! “When one looks at cumulative carbon emissions from 1950-2000, the historical responsibility for climate change is evident. The United States produced 27% of emissions during this time period, followed closely by Europe at 24%.” (Dow and Downing 2006).  Haiti only emits about 1400 per year, ranking us 132 out of 172 according to nationmaster.com, and yet we experience the most damage from the dangers carbon-dioxide emissions cause. We are in the middle of the Hurricane belt, and suffer frequent and severe climatic disruptions. Between the years of 2005-2007, were hit especially hard with hurricanes, such as Emily, Dennis, Dean, and Ivan. Intense tropical storms such as Wilma and Noel, along with drought, then flooding has thrown our country myriad tribulations and hazards. In addition to all of the forceful disruptions from weather, our alert systems are lack-luster, which puts our country further at risk. On September, 21 2004 six hundred citizens or Haiti were killed in what is considered the poorest country in the western hemisphere in a single flooding (www.bbcnes.co.org). These climactic hazard primarily affect the agricultural sector which accounts for seventy-five percent of the Haitian population that lives on less than 2 USD a day; this is about half of the population. This agricultural sector, which encompasses around two-thirds of the labor force, suffered an increasing estimate of US $50 million in the last five years. These CO2 emissions cause us great harm, and most of these emissions are the result of the burning of fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are being used at a rapid rate, and although coal should be around for at least another thousand years, oil and natural gas will be a just a memory in fifty. By forming an agreement to compensate for damage to the environment, not only will CO2 emissions be greatly reduced, the world can focus on sustaining the comfortable lifestyle of the developed worlds, and improving the lives of developing people through alternative energy that does not endanger our environment (especially those that aren’t damaging it!). But, if a treaty is NOT reached and Haiti along with many countries just like it aren’t represented in discussion, these countries will be the ones who suffer the most, perhaps to the point of obliteration.

• Role Play:  Take the stand of a delegate from a least developed country - what are your five main arguments for why we need a comprehensive climate treaty in Copenhagen?

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