EDITORIAL - To be in Paris in changing climes

Mayor Michael Rama and three Cebu City councilors recently left for Paris for the global climate change conference taking place there. It is easy to understand why the leaders of more than 190 countries are there -- the world needs to keep global temperatures from rising two degrees by 2020, the supposed point of no return for Planet Earth. The trip of Rama and the three councilors, however, is more perplexing.

Never mind the cost of the trip to the city's taxpayers. There are a million and one ways to make trips official and a million and one ways more to justify all expenses incurred therefrom. Never mind even that Rama took along three councilors who have absolutely nothing to do in Paris. At least in this regard, Rama was candid enough to say he took them along because they were his allies.

It is the why about Rama that is more obfuscating. For instance, why of all people was Rama invited to speak at the conference, regardless of whether it is just at a side meeting, or front, back, or whatever. Was he even invited at all? From what Rama himself told media, he was indeed invited and asked to talk for five minutes. Five minutes? What is he going to talk about in five minutes that would have a positive bearing on global climate change?

And that is if he even gets to talk at all. From all the published reports about the trip, Rama himself said their late departure from Cebu will not allow them to make it to Paris in time for his scheduled five minute talk. If that is the case, then the question begs to be asked -- why did Rama and his three allies proceed with the trip?

In fairness to Rama and his companions, maybe they can learn a little from what they hear and observe at the conference. Maybe they can exchange notes on some best practices in similarly situated cities as our own on how best to cope with the changes that are threatening life as we know it on earth. Maybe they can even ask for some kind of assistance on climate matters that our own national government is hard-pressed to give.

But until their return, we will never know if their trip shall have been a productive one. It is only hoped that the foursome will strive to learn what they can from such an important conference because their home city of Cebu is increasingly getting very vulnerable to the ravages of climate change. It is further hoped that, in the event they do learn something, they will have the political will to put into action their newfound knowledge.

To the mischievous among Cebuanos who suspect the trip is just to give vent to be in Paris, let us reserve judgment until the foursome get back home. If they come home with positive gains from the trip, then why begrudge a trip at our expense just because it happens to be to Paris. If we so much as benefit even a little, at least the trip will not be for naught, as many ostensibly official trips really are.