For the greedy, all of nature is too little

Economic and security governance are the mainstays of the existing global governance system. How-ever, the fundamental forces that are shaking that system stem from ecological and environmental strain.

Already our days are filled with alarms and excursions. And these will only multiply as the global population grows - by another 2.2 billion in about a generation, according to a prediction by the United Nations.

That's a lot more people competing for resources that are already overexploited and threatened by the heatballing effects of climate change, whether that be desertification, warmer seas or changes to microclimates that support complex biosystems.

Which means the squabbles and conflicts over water, land, food and other resources are only going to become fiercer and more frequent if we persist in our wanton ways.

For despite the attempts of some to twist the facts to suit their intentions, when all the probabilities have been balanced and the impossible eliminated, the truth is inescapable: It is our rapacious consumption and relentless terraforming of the Earth that are the cause of the damaging environmental and ecological changes that are outpacing our attempts at coordinated stewardship of the planet.

The Paris Agreement raised hopes that that stewardship was finally coordinated enough to take actions to stem the rising tide of troubles we have created. However, the best individual outcome for any country is to carry on as they have been doing - especially if other nations cooperate to reduce their emissions - and this is what President Donald Trump has signaled the United States intends to do.

This will, perhaps, give the US a competitive advantage for a while. However, climate change, environmental degradation and the loss of ecosystems are not something that the US can quarantine itself from no matter what technological advantage it has, or thinks it has.

Water scarcity, air and soil pollution, contamination of the seas with pesticides and plastic, and the warming of the earth are now global realities. The pursuit of profit from the growing scarcity of natural resources may benefit a few for a time, but we are fast reaching tipping points where even technology and belated, united stewardship may not enough to prevent the balance coming down on our own passing as a species.

Simply renewing the strategy of business as usual is like turkeys setting the table for Thanksgiving.

But then this has been done by those who are deaf to the voice of conscience, and so far from confessing their own guilt, actually pretend to be indignant at the knavery they claim of others.

But let us not possess our souls in patience and grieve for all that is vanishing day by day, for there is a ray of hope in all this - the chorus of outrage that greeted Trump's announcement and the vows of other nations they remain true to the deal suggests there has been something of a sea change in the global political mindset.

And that is better late than never; for as has been said, it is not because things are difficult that we don't do them, it's because we don't begin to do them that they seem difficult.

Contact the writer at richardhannay@chinadaily.com.cn