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IN FOCUS akzente 3/15 17 which guided policy-making at the time. And then there are the scientific uncertainties: why has the global average temperature stabilised over the last 15 years when atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations have been rising ever more rapidly since the start of indus trialisation? In short, for many years there was little sign that, in their relentless quest for economic prowess, the world’s countries were taking global warming seriously as a genu- ine threat and not just as an abstract statistic. Instead, climate politics seemed to evoke the words of evolution- ary biologist Edward O. Wilson: it is the tragedy of our time, he said, that humankind has ‘Stone Age emotions, medieval institutions and godlike technology’. But now – in the last four months of 2015, as the United Nations also finalises the new Sustainable Devel- opment Goals – this is supposed to change. The closer we get to the Paris conference, the more policy-makers shift into therapy mode. But as with any chronic disease, there is no quick fix to heal the suffering of our planet. What is needed is a well-crafted treatment plan – one which provides faster relief as the suffering increases. W e’ve turned the corner – just in time. All being well, these words will sum up the outcome of climate year 2015 and the Paris conference. The aim is to reach a political agreement with ambitious tar- gets – progress, finally, after the failed Copenhagen con- ference six years ago. That was typical of the UN climate process and its efforts to secure commitments on paper: it’s complex and laborious and progresses in fits and starts. That seems to be the tradition. Not that it matters – for failure was always a calcu- lated risk in this diplomatic poker game, which began at the Rio Summit in 1992. There was too much at stake for the players who were committed to economic suc- cess, and there also appeared to be too much scope for diplomatic chicanery. The climate crisis? Surely that was an issue for future generations? That was the maxim Time for change Global warming was long regarded as an abstract issue and a problem for future generations. But there are many signs that climate change is already happening: its impacts are being felt in more and more regions of the world. That’s why all eyes are on Paris. Text Joachim Müller-Jung Many migratory birds are already reacting to higher temperatures by changing their flyways – with devastating impacts on some populations. » PHOTOS:GETTYIMAGES/PHILASHLEY(Page14/15),GETTYIMAGES/FLICKRSELECT(Page16) akzente 3/1517