Target: Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change
Goal: Stop allowing the shipping industry to veto climate change regulations.
The unprecedented summer-time heat wave in the Pacific Northwest is shattering records and pushing temperatures well past 100 degrees in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This stifling uptick may be responsible for hundreds of deaths in these regions and in Canada. Experts believe climate change is a likely fueling factor. One University of Washington scientist put it simply: “climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves.” This punishing summer could be just a harbinger of effects to come. The United Nations (UN) and its member countries often make bold promises about combating this crisis, yet too often the global organization turns a blind eye. In fact, one of its own agencies may be actively worsening the world’s emergency state.
When countries agreed to leave regulations on shipping out of the Paris Climate Agreement, responsibility for overseeing an industry driven by rampant oil use and soaring carbon emissions fell to the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO). Unfortunately, the IMO has seemingly let the foxes rule the henhouse, as representative members of its board are largely comprised of the very industry businessmen the organization is supposed to be regulating. As a result, attempted measures to help the environment, such as putting more stringent speed limits on ships, have been struck down. In addition, all meetings that take place are conducted in secrecy with little to no transparency. Individuals who have attempted to attend the meetings describe them as akin to an “old boys’ club” atmosphere.
This agency is acting in bad faith and its overt conflicts of interest cannot possibly serve its important mission. Sign the petition below to urge the UN’s climate change division to advocate for immediate reform of a damaging enemy from within.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ms. Espinosa,
The shipping industry contributes more than its fair share to climate change, yet this widespread influencer has largely escaped accountability, even from the Paris Climate Accord. The one UN-branded agency that should be keeping this industry in check is apparently instead filled with special interests-peddling insiders. Where is the responsibility?
The International Maritime Organization desperately needs an overhaul and a refocus on objectivity and transparency. You should say no more…no more closed-door meetings, no more blanket vetoes of reasonable and essential initiatives, and no more declarations from the UN about the world’s most urgent crisis without the actions to back these words up. Please advocate for a clean up the International Maritime Organization.
Re-cement your mission to fight the looming threat of climate change from every angle.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Martin Damboldt
Destructive industries must change NOW for the good of this planet and everything which lives upon it. We can’t keep a “business as usual “ attitude, when we know that it is killing our world. Sacrifices will have to be made by all of us if we want to conserve the land, oceans and atmosphere that sustains us.