What Assange did for Climate Change

With all eyes on the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and the UK government’s looming (possible) extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, activists await the next move. Using the Internet, Julian Assange lit the match that turned the light on government transparency.  An idea that the very Western governments targeted in many of the leaks encouraged the revolutionaries of the Arab Spring to call for. Assange’s on-line public library has been praised for the revelations that have surfaced, condemned by some, who claim government discreetness is a necessity for security. What has gone relatively unnoticed are the cables showcasing the jeopardisation and gambling of our natural environment by some of the world’s most powerful nations. Here are some of the most note-worthy cables.

1-     Russia wants the Arctic all to themselves, USA considers sharing

If Russia planting their flags in the Arctic wasn’t symbolic enough of their intentions, this cable from 2009 makes things clear. Russia appears to be a glass-half-full kind of country as it sees “both positive and negative effects from the melting Arctic ice”.  The cable then goes on to reveal Russia’s interests in using the Arctic as a “a strategic resource base…”, undoubtedly referring to the vast oil and gas reserves that lie in that area. Russia also plans to establish “the Northern Sea Route as “exclusive” to the GOR (Government of Russia)”.

The United States suggests, “Joint U.S. and Russian efforts in the Arctic could encourage Russian moderates to pursue cooperation”. It’s alarming that even after the Arctic melts, two of the most powerful nations in the world have no plans of changing their ways.

2-     Polluted water supplies taint Mafraq, where Syrian refugees are now camping, and Jordan’s capital, Amman. Possibly due to an Israeli leak

Limited water supplies in the Middle East is hardly news, but in 2007, 900 residents of the Mafraq were “infected by a nonfatal parasite found in their water tanks”. Repairs of the water pipe that allegedly caused this issue were halted due to funding. Over one hundred thousand Syrians have now taken refuge in the makeshift refugee camp set up in Mafraq last month. Many have criticized the living conditions of that very refugee camp. Two years later, another cable published in 2009 showed that oil and sewage had made its way into the canal that supplies Amman with “one-third of its water needs…Jordanian authorities determined that the contamination originated from Israel…” Although the reasons for this contamination were never actually determined, it was suspected that they were caused by rainfall. In what can be seen as an admission of guilt, Israel agreed to compensate the Jordanian government. Perhaps they realized that they didn’t own enough tear gas to stop the Arab version of Erin Brockovich.

3-     EU suggested “Creative Accounting” to push the Copenhagen Accord in the USA’s favour

I remember being at the World Climate Conference (WCC) just two months before the COP15 was due to start. Morale about the outcome of the conference was high, and although many of the WCC attendees were negotiators at the COP15, the Copenhagen Accord fell short of expectations, and clearly put more pressure on China to act, rather than the USA. In 2010 cable, EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard asked if any “creative accounting” should be used as a means to coerce developing nations to sign the accord through promises of aid and funding. Further cables revealed pressure on Ethiopia to sign the accord. The Maldives, on the other hand, commended the effort. However, its pleasure wasn’t shared by all nations, namely the United Arab Emirates, which signed the accord but kept the “association low key for political reasons”.

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need Wikileaks or Julian Assange, and he’d have a fair trial for the alleged rape that he committed, with no conspiracy theories surrounding his arrest. In an ideal world, governments would be naturally transparent.

If Iran were to ever surround a foreign embassy with aims of capturing an asylum seeker hiding inside, Assange’s supporters and enemies would unite to fight Iran. However, the asylum seeker in this case is Assange, and the country that intends to extradite him is the UK. As such, people are torn. Regardless of their views, one cannot abate the effects he has had on the international arena, especially climate change.