Dear Editor,

The recently concluded gathering of nearly 200 world leaders in Paris, France to decide "how to save the Planet" from the mounting adverse climate conditions, underscores the very essence of the problem that these self-driven interests are seeking solutions for. By pledging money and unwavering unity as part of the appeasement process, the Rich Countries, daring fate, have once again succeeded in hoodwinking the Smaller Countries into together "kicking the can further down the road" with their superficial attempts to find a solution to a problem created mostly by the Rich.

The worst outcome of the "deal" that was eventually reached — as far as lowering any meaningful amount of global air pollution is concerned (the real culprit of climate change) — is it won´t go into effect until 2020 (if it does at all). In other words, the biggest polluters on the planet can merrily continue on with their present economic agendas in practically a self-regulated manner. (This norm presently epitomizes China´s and India´s newly acquired "Red Alert" affluences).

Alas, in spite of the appeasing optimism of "Prosperity for All" (a side theme of the Conference) the subtle but clear message of the Paris Climate Conference is plain and simple: "Money and Power Rule and Good Luck to the Rest of You".

Obviously the "deal" will unavoidably leave some of the members like small island communities out in the cold — you cannot share in the "prosperity for all" if you are under 11 feet of water.

The seemingly arbitrarily selected 1 ½ C increase in temperature (adding more carbon emission into the atmosphere) — as an integral part of the proposed solution is an unrealistic target. It apparently lacks a cogent understanding of a basic fundamental principle of nature: that the existence and well-being of the planet is not contingent upon the applicability or grandeur of human design; that humans can only "influence" planet conditions temporarily - whether turning the Pacific Ocean into a Fukushima radiated cesspool or a more efficient and quicker "nuclear winter" scenario — but nature decides what ultimately survives.

Disparaging indeed, but for the most part the "laws" of nature remain unassailable to human intellect at this still very early stage of human development ("e le iai so tatou taeao") and in spite all the human tinkering, if we had been astute observers we would have learned that nature does not discriminate and ultimately is a self-healer — able to adapt to whatever form suits the moment´s conditions.

And unless an errant black hole swallows up "our" sun, planet earth will continue to journey on just like it has done for the past 5 billion years; it can just as easily travel on for the remaining 4 billion years with or without humans (an insignificant minor inconvenience).

Unfortunately, all the high-minded posturing about "saving the planet" can be dangerously misleading; no doubt the planet will survive all human nuisances - after all it has survived other previous mass extinctions.  But humankind´s shortsightedness — in careless treatment of the environment — may have applied an irreparable self-inflicted hound that its survival prospect at the moment is the issue. For besides poisoning the environment, sustaining resources are presently being rapidly depleted and destroyed — a dilemma now being compounded with escalating high demand (over populated perhaps?).

It may be viewed as being overly pessimistic, but the sad truth is the ongoing "destruction" of Planet Earth´s natural environment — at least that which is critical to the sustainment of human life — cannot be separated from man´s voracious appetite to acquire and accumulate wealth — the facilitator and pinnacle of his precariously short existence on the planet.

"Feeling Good" on your way to oblivion is not an option. Clearly we cannot stall the inevitable much longer with half-measures; admittedly, it takes a lot more than the "less than serious" solutions as proposed by the Paris Climate Conference to partial survival equity and save the majority of the Herd. Unfortunately some — like the smaller island communities — will have to be sacrificed.

A gloomy outlook indeed if you are an island dweller, but maintaining some perspective, perhaps it might still be a helpful reminder to remember what is important when dealing with climate change: that nature does not have a time schedule — humans do.

G.M. Malala