... it was underwater
OK, only partly, but the flooding was severe. And, OK, I wasn't actually there, I saw it on TV. But it was very wet.
Point is, the weather has been crazy these past few (or dozen) years. Surely you've noticed right where you live, even if you don't watch the Weather Channel like a Class 5 was barreling down on you.
But, back to Paris. That city is on the radar this week 'cause that is where the Climate Accords were forged. Those same Accords that Dear Old President Trump just axed.
Now, if you are an environment loving kind of guy, like me, who once wished he could be a combination of Charles Darwin and Jacques Yves Cousteau (with a little Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson thrown in), this dissing by Trump of the World's best effort (since the Kyoto Protocol was ignored by another Republican President) really sucks.
If you think of money before most else, then you might think what the President did is a good thing. After all, cleaning up current and preventing future messes takes time and money, and is not nearly as much fun (or as profitable) as making those messes in the first place.
Or maybe you are someone who believes that God made everything we see for the sole purpose of supporting mankind, and we can do whatever we damn well please with it. And, anyway (you might say), if it gets bad enough God will rescue us. No need to lift a finger ourselves.
If you are the latter type, I guess you never had a Mother who taught you 'God helps those who help themselves'.
Whatever you may find as a reason for supporting the lack of support Trump gave the Paris Accords, I must tell you that you are being unreasonable. Trump's told you it was a 'bad deal' for the USA. Apparently we had commitments (as one of the World's top two creators of greenhouse gases) that were tougher than some other countries.
Well, forgetting for a moment that the US negotiators thought those were reasonable at the time, there is nothing in the Accords to force a country to abide by its commitments - the country can always change the terms if the circumstances change. Trump could have kept us in the Accord and negotiated a different commitment, but, no, he had to throw this particular baby out with the bathwater.
Don't believe we could have stayed in and changed the terms? OK then, check this: although Trump stated the USA was quitting the agreement, we can't legally pull out until nearly 2020. During that time Trump and his government will do absolutely nothing to comply with any of the terms - because he can, and could do even if still in the deal.
So, pulling out was just making a political point of keeping a campaign promise, and maybe also of thumbing his nose at the Europeans who were mean to him during his recent trip.
But here's the deal, and its where those Paris floods come back in again.
The crazy weather doesn't wait. Every day we pump out the crap into the air and water, the more extreme and unpredictable the weather will become. And, it takes time for anything we do to make a positive change. So, if we were to cut emissions tomorrow, the improvements might not be seen for 5, 10, or even 20 years. It's not like we can wait until the last minute and then save the World. Basically, the 'Last Minute' is nearly here, and we are about to miss it.
Those Paris Accords were a visible sign that all countries on Earth were in this together and would work together. It was a handshake. A Gentleman's Agreement.
And our President just cut out its heart.
OK, only partly, but the flooding was severe. And, OK, I wasn't actually there, I saw it on TV. But it was very wet.
Point is, the weather has been crazy these past few (or dozen) years. Surely you've noticed right where you live, even if you don't watch the Weather Channel like a Class 5 was barreling down on you.
But, back to Paris. That city is on the radar this week 'cause that is where the Climate Accords were forged. Those same Accords that Dear Old President Trump just axed.
Now, if you are an environment loving kind of guy, like me, who once wished he could be a combination of Charles Darwin and Jacques Yves Cousteau (with a little Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson thrown in), this dissing by Trump of the World's best effort (since the Kyoto Protocol was ignored by another Republican President) really sucks.
If you think of money before most else, then you might think what the President did is a good thing. After all, cleaning up current and preventing future messes takes time and money, and is not nearly as much fun (or as profitable) as making those messes in the first place.
Or maybe you are someone who believes that God made everything we see for the sole purpose of supporting mankind, and we can do whatever we damn well please with it. And, anyway (you might say), if it gets bad enough God will rescue us. No need to lift a finger ourselves.
If you are the latter type, I guess you never had a Mother who taught you 'God helps those who help themselves'.
Whatever you may find as a reason for supporting the lack of support Trump gave the Paris Accords, I must tell you that you are being unreasonable. Trump's told you it was a 'bad deal' for the USA. Apparently we had commitments (as one of the World's top two creators of greenhouse gases) that were tougher than some other countries.
Well, forgetting for a moment that the US negotiators thought those were reasonable at the time, there is nothing in the Accords to force a country to abide by its commitments - the country can always change the terms if the circumstances change. Trump could have kept us in the Accord and negotiated a different commitment, but, no, he had to throw this particular baby out with the bathwater.
Don't believe we could have stayed in and changed the terms? OK then, check this: although Trump stated the USA was quitting the agreement, we can't legally pull out until nearly 2020. During that time Trump and his government will do absolutely nothing to comply with any of the terms - because he can, and could do even if still in the deal.
So, pulling out was just making a political point of keeping a campaign promise, and maybe also of thumbing his nose at the Europeans who were mean to him during his recent trip.
But here's the deal, and its where those Paris floods come back in again.
The crazy weather doesn't wait. Every day we pump out the crap into the air and water, the more extreme and unpredictable the weather will become. And, it takes time for anything we do to make a positive change. So, if we were to cut emissions tomorrow, the improvements might not be seen for 5, 10, or even 20 years. It's not like we can wait until the last minute and then save the World. Basically, the 'Last Minute' is nearly here, and we are about to miss it.
Those Paris Accords were a visible sign that all countries on Earth were in this together and would work together. It was a handshake. A Gentleman's Agreement.
And our President just cut out its heart.
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