Tuesday 13 December 2016

Climate Change Politics II

This article is a makeshift one in response to the news that Rex Tillerson, the Chief Executive of ExxonMobil is to be the nominee of US President Elect Trump to the position of the Secretary of State.  I will be updating references and citations in due course. 

The New York Times,  Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal have all confirmed that Rex Tillerson,  the Chief Executive of ExxonMobil will be the President Elect's nominee for Secretary of State.  His alleged Russian interests notwithstanding,  what damns him more in my eyes is the fact that's he's an executive of one of the world's largest Oil Companies.  Not because of his corporate interests,  per se,  but because his Corporations interest is the vehement denial of the existence of Anthropogenic Climate Change  (Climate change caused by the result of Human Activities).  His corporation has regularly funded "scientific studies" that deny climate change. 
When a person with such apparent biases is picked for the position of Secretary of State,  it has consequences far beyond our scope of understanding at the moment. As the Secretary of State,  Rex Tillerson will be America's Top Diplomat,  and most probably in a Trump Presidency,  the primary policy maker as well.  He would,  in his role,  take a leading role in all negotiations and discussions happening under a variety of different frameworks,  including under The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),  and under the UN Framework on Climate Change.  Mr. Tillerson will be a deathblow to the existence of international treaties and agreements attempting to reverse the impact of Climate Change and Global warming. 

To counter the unprecedented effects of man made climate change,  it is necessary that we all agree on basic facts on the basis of Overwhelming scientific consensus. Our generation must not be damned by future generations for not saving our planet from damnation.  Hopefully,  Donald Trump's avowed Anti- Climate Change Politics will awake and Crystallise a lobby to take further the progress in trying to fight Climate Change.  China (PRC)  has already reiterated its commitment to fight climate change,  and so as India.  We must look forward to the future of Fighting climate change with pessimism,  but hope regardless. 

Addendum 1
It has emerged later today that Mr. Tillerson is more of a "Moderate"  in the Trump Circus.  He acknowledges Global Warming,  but thinks "it's more of an engineering problem"  and has a failed in his assessment to note the severity and scope of the issue. 
It seems that he is not a Climate Science "Denier"  but a skeptic.  He has mooted solutions to the problem,  but those are that merely peck at its root.  His optimism is based according to his perspective, that we've evolved ourselves drastically over the course of centuries with the advancement of technology.  His idea is basically 'We'll solve it when it becomes big enough'  and I would like to passionately disagree.  If we do not take this problem right now,  it will grow into an immortal Hydra that will destroy our species and wreck the planet. 

Hoping,  however,  for the best. 

References
Washington Post:Rex Tillerson on Climate Change
Slate:ExxonMobil is the worst Oil Company

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