Joint editorial calls upon “the better angels of our nature”
In a display of global unity, 56 major newspapers in 45 countries published a joint leader editorial on climate change on the first of the COP15 summit, in response to what they term a ‘profound emergency’
By Celia Thaysen
Calling the world’s response to climate change so far ‘feeble and half-hearted’, the editorial made an entreaty to the COP15 delegates, saying: “We call on the representatives of the 192 countries gathered in Copenhagen not to hesitate, not to fall into dispute, not to blame each other but to seize opportunity from the greatest modern failure of politics.”
The joint editorial came about after more than a month’s worth of consultations between the editors of more than 20 of the newspapers involved. The unprecedented initiative was coordinated by Ian Katz, deputy editor of The Guardian, one of the UK’s leading broadsheets, and the text was drafted by a Guardian team of writers.
Pointing to Obama’s arrival at The White House as being the starting point for meaningful progress, the editorial acknowledged that while falling short of what was widely hoped for, recent commitments by the US and China to set emissions targets were “important steps in the right direction”.
However, the leader also recognised how critical the US position was to the entire process, stating: “Even now the world finds itself at the mercy of American domestic politics, for the president cannot fully commit to the action required until the US Congress has done so.”
Ironically no major US newspaper signed up to the editorial, with only the Miami Herald as the token US representative.
The 1,000 word plus leader piece also clearly set out what the newspapers believed should be done in order for a settlement to be reached – one that should fairly split the burden of fighting climate change between the rich nations and developing countries. It outlined the roles that all nations needed to play and emphasised the importance of nailing down the architecture of the treaty, stressing: “The politicians in Copenhagen can and must agree the essential elements of a fair and effective deal and, crucially, a firm timetable for turning it into a treaty. Next June’s UN climate meeting in Bonn should be their deadline.”
In recognition of the difficulties faced by COP15 leaders, the newspapers accepted that achieving success would require “a collaborative effort to achieve collective salvation”. It added: “Overcoming climate change will take a triumph of optimism over pessimism, of vision over short-sightedness, of what Abraham Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature”.”
Summarising the purpose of the joint editorial, Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of the Guardian, said: “No individual newspaper editorial could hope to influence the outcome of Copenhagen but I hope the combined voice of 56 major papers will remind the politicians and negotiators gathering there what is at stake – and persuade them to rise above the rivalries and inflexibility that have stood in the way of a deal.”
