The WikiLeaks brought up an important issue on the relation between global environmentalism and politics. The news started with the current environmental problem (climate change) due to over consumption of fossil fuel. This problem needed to be tackled by a major global action. This was when a consensus starts taking place, firstly with the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit being organized to involve countries of the UN members to meet and come to an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emission. The Copenhagen Accord was set, but it appeared that the means to achieve it was thought to be unethical. The article mentioned that the United States-one of the major polluter, used political and financial pressure to get nations on board to the accord. Most smaller nations weren’t on board with the accord because they thought they didn’t contribute to the pollution but still felt the negative effects of global warming. They wanted money that they thought were their right to make up for the fact that these other nations have harmed them. These nations were not cooperative to US wishes, so the United States is using the information they wrongfully obtained as ways to convince or blackmail these other nations. In the end, 140 countries pledged to support the Copenhagen Accord, which was what the US had aimed for and accounts for almost 75% of the parties to the UN climate change convention and, accord supporters like to point out, are responsible for well over 80% of current global greenhouse gas emissions.

I have different views on the collective actions that took place. Firstly, I personally, believe that the State Department cables should not have been released with the reason that the leaks may have substantially created a hostile environment between involving countries that could break down negotiations and other diplomatic relationships with the United States. I’m also now a bit more informed of how the ‘big guy’ politics work (by reading this and watching the House of Cards). Although it is viewed as unethical by many, including me, it is almost crucial that blackmail and lobbying effort be part of achieving a unitary decision. From the smaller, less wealthier countries’ point of view, the leaks is probably a godsend to them, showing that wealthy countries do not have the upper hand over them anymore. The actions of the leaker and news organizations to expose the information is like saying to the U.S. “If you can spy and attack these countries, we can spy and attack and expose you too”.