European Mayors at the forefront of the fight against environmental degradation

The Manifesto of European Mayors, led by Madame Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, on "Climate Change: European commitment and local solutions" is not only an excellent initiative but, due to the Paris Summit next December, particularly timely.

With the crisis on its death throes of globalizing neoliberalism, they are forgetting the urgent intergenerational responsibilities and, rather than paying particular attention to ecological transgressions, especially considering that can be reached no returning points, the "markets" transformed the citizens in impassive and stunned spectators. The "risk premium" in a monetary European Union that is now unable to construct a political and economic union, occupies the scene as nearly exclusive protagonist.

Ensuring our legacy to future generations is the main commitment of "We, the peoples..." that before long, led by the scientific, academic, artistic, ... intellectual communities, they will rebel against a system that invests billions of dollars a day on weapons and military expenditures while thousands of people are starving, mostly children from one to five years of age, and 80% of humanity lives outside the areas inhabited by the "welfare society”.

Already in 1979 the Academy of Sciences of the United States reported that carbon dioxide emissions were not only increasing but its recapture by the oceans -the lungs of the Earth- was decreasing. Large consortia led by Exxon Mobile reacted quickly creating a foundation in 1981 and, through pseudo-scientists hired, tried to counteract the warnings of the Academy. Until 2007 was not notified in Newsweek ("The Truth of Denial") the shameful, guilty and irresponsible proceeding of whom greed prevents seeing beyond their immediate benefits.

But fortunately, people can already express and the invisible and obedient subjects are becoming citizens able to participate and mobilize in a popular outcry in favour of a worthy legacy to future generations’ life.

Yes: as stated in the Manifesto, a progressive replacement of the current urban transport by another which involves a progressive decrease in fuel (electric cars, cable cars, suburban) and heating and cooling from renewable energy sources is essential.

The European Union, which is giving so bad examples in recent years, with harassment of neoliberalism that has reached unbelievable limits (naming without polls, governments in Italy and Greece, the cradle of democracy), it would give now good guidelines to follow throughout the world if take into account the agreements reached by the European Mayors, expressed in this Manifesto. And with the United Nations, which necessary participation is precisely requested in the text, expediting a great consensus on a global level.

Bravo, Madame the Mayor! As a scientist and former Director General of UNESCO, whose headquarters is in Paris and that has worked since the fifties in the geological, hydrological, oceanographic aspects and, in general, the biosphere, I want to express my total adhesion, applicable to all mayors who have signed the Manifesto. And the best wishes for the Summit that will be held in Paris next December that should not continue disappointing the fair expectations of the world community. Humanity as a whole aims to enjoy, finally, of appropriate conditions of life.

All Mayors should adhere to this Manifesto!

It should raise a global outcry against the Republican Party of the USA because of their aversion to the equal dignity of all human beings and democracy

We must mobilize. We cannot remain only as spectators of those who are still plotting from the Republican Party of the USA, which in recent years --for not going any further- have marginalized the United Nations imposing plutocratic groups (G6, G7, G20), have substituted the ethical values by the market laws, have established the World Trade Organization outside the scope of the United Nations, have not signed -the only country in the world- the Convention of Human Rights of the Child nor the International Criminal Court and, last but not least, have decided the invasion of Iraq based on lies and simulations of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction... 

And they have put all kinds of obstacles against "Obama Care" (medical care or medicare for more than 30 million Americans). 

And now, in the last four days, two more events that go over the top: in Oklahoma -one of the 34 States, more of them Republican, which retains the death penalty (what a shame, what a bad example of "the “great country of reference")- not only will continue executing but they will use gas chambers!!! ... And -news from 18th February- they are trying to suspend the implementation of immigration reform President Obama...

Yes: the Republican Party cannot longer act this way at a time when the voice of the people can now rise massively.

We must change "with" the world (¿!)

another nonsense of Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls.

And the process of submission continues, despite warnings from renowned economists like Krugman and Stieglitz, to the dictates of the market. France, the Founding Treaty promoter of the European Union,  appeared after the Bush-Merkel whirlwind- dependent Sarkozy, as the only country in Europe able to go straight to the point, to calm the neoliberal windstorm  following the guidelines initiated by President Obama -what a work, against the power of conservative Republicans in the US!- and make it clear that the shadowy image of a kneeling EU would not repeat while the markets appointed at its caprice, without polls, the governments of Italy and Greece (the cradle of democracy) ...

But this has not happened. Instead of being at the forefront of citizen mobilization and contributing to "change the world", Mr. Valls now says that "we must change with the world." This word "with" suddenly changes from dignity and hope to submission and despair. So many expectations vanished! When presuming courage, inspiration and ethical values for the urgent transformations, the young French Prime Minister obeys.

Will take place in France, as in the famous verse of Machado, "another miracle of spring"? Hopefully.  Otherwise the European collapse will spoil the current global perspectives even more.