Hypocrisy at its best, Climate Change an issue of Political Image

The Prime minister of Nepal Baburam Bhattrai is planning to leave for the trip to Rio de Janerio on Monday to address the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development of Rio+20 from June 20-22. The government made the decision on May 29 after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly where PM Bhattarai is expected to lead a 21-member delegation for the Rio+20 summit.

Similarly looking back to history in COP 15 2008, when Prime Minister Baburam Bhattrai attended the conference he opined,” Climate change and sustainable development as an ‘anti-development agenda’ and ‘imperialist propaganda. He expressed his staunch belief that Nepal needed to be fully industrialized at all cost and work on its economic growth rather than focus on ‘environment issues’ that hindered economic growth.”

With high controversy and interest surrounding the issue of global warming and climate change, it has become a huge interest for political leaders not in regards to issue but with the question of international exposure and recognition. It may seems a question of incompetence but the head of the state who lack to understand the issues, represent the country on forecasting and bargaining the deal for climate change issue and agendas is a joke. May be that is the reason why we get the least of what is offered on table. The go green campaign has become a political agenda in synchronizing and interpreting its meaning questioning the relevancy and effectiveness of the whole visit and barging at the international table. Anyone can imagine the state of mind and result with such intellectual capabilities as ultimately it comes down to the person leading the team, so what to expect with leaders, who lack to understand the potency of such summit.

Likewise, opposition parties and Nepali congress activists have announced that they will show black flags and prevent the PM from going to the summit. In September 2010, then Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had called off his trip to New York to take part in the 65th UN General Assembly owing to his caretaker status and domestic political. Climate change issue has been a political issue of substance which more or less stands for international recognition and exposure.

Due to lack of political culture and weak ethics, Nepal politics fluctuation with cheap publicity stunts and marketing strategies that are least effective questioning the image and vision of a leader. A leader who in true sense would lead the country towards development with effective policies not political agenda's