July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong becomes the first human being to set foot on an extra-planetary body. After reaching the lunar surface, Armstrong famously proclaimed, "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." We have later come to find out that these timely words were much less divinely inspired than they were quickly improvised. Nevertheless, their poignant summation of a remarkable moment in the chronicles of humanity remains a lightening rod for historical reference. Upon hearing them, we are instantly drawn to a picture of men in puffy white spacesuits bopping around on a desert-like lunar surface with the dark reaches of space and a crescent sliver of Earth in the background. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I'll be damned if just a few powerful words or a choice phrase can't instantly elicit potent imagery of past milestones.
Yesterday, mankind made one of those giant leaps about which Mr. Armstrong was speaking. After seven years of political wrangling and cold feet on the part of our world's tentative (and most responsible) superpowers, the Kyoto Protocol went into effect, with the hope of reducing the projected 30 percent increase in worldwide emissions (between 1990 and 2010) by a meager 3 percent. Yeah you heard that right; a global effort to end up with 27 percent instead of 30 percent ... and even that modest goal is in serious question.
Our friends across the pond in the European Union are taking a position of leadership on the issue of climate change. They have committed themselves to "burden-sharing" and picking up the slack for European nations that are unable to meet the emissions standards set forth in the protocol (such as Spain) in order to reach a collective goal of compliance for the continent.
Even before Kyoto officially went into force, the European Commission met last week to discuss options for strengthening Kyoto after its termination year of 2012 by potentially extending its reductions to aviation and shipping.
There is a broad scientific consensus about the nature of global warming and its effects on the planet's climate. Even the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the pre-eminent national authority on high-minded, technical stuff like that, has endorsed this consensus on the causes of climate change (emissions of greenhouse gases from humans.) The president proceeded to override the humble, collective opinion of hundreds of accomplished and respected scientific authorities because of what the administration perceived to be the "incomplete state of scientific knowledge" regarding the topic of climate change and its causes. In other words, "you told us what is wrong, and how we aren't helping things, and how we could make them a teensy-bit better, but we are just looking for more before we can move on this." Rainfall pattern changes, melting mountain glaciers and shrinking Arctic ice just don't cut it for these folks. I mean, Kevin Costner (with gills and webbed feet of course) literally needs to be speeding by the White House on a boat searching for the secret to DryLand for this administration to be thoroughly convinced.
Whether there truly is an incomplete state of scientific knowledge or our nation is an incompetent state guilty of scientific disregard, we may never know, simply because our apparently paranoid international brethren are attempting to pick of the slack for us. I mean, for an administration that prides itself on following the Reagan-esque tradition of stomping out free-ridership of government social programs, this is perhaps the most egregious abuse of a public good the world has ever seen. By a state that prides itself on being unparalleled with regard to individualism and self-reliance no less.
At this focal point in human history, our planet's first attempt to control global climate change, there are no bold and ambitious goals being set forth by our nation's political leaders like those President Kennedy asserted a decade before Armstrong gingerly traversed the lunar surface. There are no families huddled close together in front of the TV to view the proceedings, inspired by the vivid images that speak to the wonder of human achievement. No warm wishes and special designations of admiration and respect from world leaders for another jewel in the crown of the uniquely American march toward progress and innovation.
And for perhaps the first time since the United States established itself as a dominant and involved world power, we are on the sidelines of a momentous occasion in the continuum of human progress. But this time, much like in 1969, and for better or for worse, we do have words. Words that lead us to images that in turn represent the glory of our achievement and the importance of our progress. Only this time the words are a little less inspiring. A little less bold and imaginative. Perhaps even unfocused on the pursuit of progress. With regard to Kyoto's implicit assertions about climate changes and its causes and future efforts beyond Kyoto, this benchmark of human existence, this administration's words are as follows: "We think it's premature."
I guess that's one large step (back) for a superpower, and one giant leap for everyone else.
