On this day in 1989 the Hague declaration was signed.
This was one of a flurry of meetings after the emergence of the climate issue in the summer of 1988. In the lead up to discussions about a climate convention Noordwijk, Bergen, Cairo, etc.
Initiated by “the Netherlands, France and Norway … the conference declaration called for a ‘new institutional authority’ to combat global warming (Hague Declaration 1989, p. 1309). Although a number of major states were not invited (including the US and the USSR) or did not attend (as in the case of the UK), the fact that 17 heads of state or government were present reflected the growing prominence of climate change as a political issue” [source].
At this stage the USA, USSR and Australia were still actively resisting the idea of a global treaty on reducing climate change emissions. Because that’s really how they roll..
Of course, the Hague is where the people who slowed/stopped climate action belong for crimes against humanity. They won’t go there, of course, because they are from the rich nations. And justice is only dished out to homicidal maniacs, leading weak nations.
If we ever do hold crimes against humanity for delaying climate action trials, then the 1989 meeting can be dredged up…
Why this matters.
This early history has shaped everything that has followed
What happened next?
A climate convention began to be negotiated in 1991. The word “negotiation” basically means everyone tries to get the American government administration to act as if there’s a problem. And the American administration, resist and resist and resist until the proposals are piss weak. And then they reluctantly sign – that’s what’s called negotiation.