Conference Blogging Pt. 5

The Global Conference is over. It was a very memorable experience.

Last roundup:

• Panel on the Arab world, featuring diplomats from Egypt and Libya. Self-serving pap and naked appeal for investment and tourism without an honest accounting of Islamic radicalism (within Egypt), Libya's continuing counterbalancing role in Africa, and both's rather abysmal human rights record. Interesting for perspective on how little we really know about the Middle East though. When the Egyptian delegate told the audience that Iran was a Persian, not Arab, country, I heard people in the audience gasp in surprise.
  

• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke on California's energy successes. A rousing speech, but short on policy specifics. That was fine though. He was, after all, speaking an hour before an all-star panel of Nobel-prize winning scientists dealing with the subject of climate change, so he could be forgiven for speaking in generalities. The Governor was fundamentally optimistic about California's contributions to warding off global warming, pointing proudly to reduced consumption and emissions. He was also ready to challenge the federal government, threatening to sue the EPA if they didn't allow California to go along with further reforms.
  

• The Governor was very critical of the President, and emphasized that if the federal government was unprepared to deal with the reality of climate change, California would lead the United States (and, he seemed to imply, the world) on fighting global warming. He mentioned that other countries were already copying Californian approaches. With all political speeches, one has to be careful about the difference between rhetoric and reality--especially when faced with a politician as charismatic as the Governor. I have yet to do serious research on the reality of California's energy programs, but the Governor was a convincing salesman, if anything else. And the environmental movement needs salesmen, especially those who don't fit the stereotype of the tree hugger.
  

• I was seized with a urge to yell "HASTA LA VISTA, BABY!" or "Get to the Chopper!" during Arnold's speech, thankfully I resisted. Otherwise his security team might have had other ideas.

• The Nobel Prize panel went completely over my head. But I did see a healthy diversity of views and solutions, and in the end, that's the best you can ask for. Conflict, within certain limits, does create consensus.