Citizen power

Coming back to the power of the individual, on 26 September 2009, almost 4400 citizens from 38 countries participated in the world's first independent citizen consultation on climate change, World Wide Views on Global Warming (WWViews). The Centre for Social Markets organised one of two such consultations in India.

The message to negotiators from this non-political grouping of citizens was clear: Ninety percent thought that agreeing a global climate deal at COP15 was urgent. From high-income countries such as Australia, Japan and the USA, to middle-income countries such as China and Brazil, and low-income countries such as Malawi and Ethiopia, there was unanimity in thought.

Citizens believed that climate change was urgent and required immediate political action from developed nations. But almost 50% of participants thought that emissions from larger developing nations such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa should also be reduced commensurate with increasing income growth and emissions.

More than 80% said that a new climate deal should require all countries to pay for climate change impacts - especially on poor countries - with 55% specifying that least developed countries should not have to pay. Eighty-six percent said that a global financial system was needed to generate funds for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.

Indian campaigners delivered a petition to Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, calling for strong leadership in the face of catastrophic flooding. Signed by 1462 Indians in under 36 hours, the petition was a rapid action mobilization by Avaaz.org and India's Centre for Social Markets (CSM), to bring attention to the worst flooding in 100 years in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka causing massive loss of life and displacement.

Nobody doubts the hand of climate change in these floods, do they? And nobody can doubt the power of collective thought and action.

Write in to us with your thoughts on how to meet energy demands without compromising on quality of life or on the environment.