If ever the global leaders were to have a meaningful discussion about climate change, now would be the time to do it.  It’s sizzling hot across the country, particularly here in the south.  Now Europe is getting a good dose of record-setting temperatures with Britain making “meteorological history” several times over this past Tuesday, when the thermometer reached 102.4 degrees, the highest level ever recorded in the United Kingdom.  And according to Britain’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, less than 5 percent of the homes in England have air-conditioning.  Wow!  

The long-term forecast calls for continued high temperatures.  And there are already wildfires out west and dozens of fires in Portugal, Spain, France, and Greece.  That’s never a good thing.  

As of July 12, 2022, 44.98% of the U.S. and 50.61% of the lower 48 states are in drought according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.  That, folks, is significant.  Think about crops and herds which translate into food products that may or may not be present on our tables.   

And remember how Covid disrupted the supply chain, and all those container ships were sitting idle waiting to off-load?  Is that still a thing?  Don’t forget the baby formula crisis that is still causing parents and grandparents to worry about feeding their infants.  

Also, caught in this twisted plot of goings-on in the world is that little computer chip.  Remember all the vehicles, devices, and other of life’s necessities that require those chips?  Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel told CNBC back in April that he expects the shortage of semiconductors (chips) to drag on until 2024.  Why?  Well, apparently 75 percent of production of these chips takes place in East Asia and 90 percent of the most advanced chips are made in Taiwan, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle.  The Senate passed a bipartisan measure last summer to spend $52 billion subsidizing computer chip manufacturing and research in the United States.  However, a year later the funding hasn’t been signed into law.  And only 12 percent of the world’s chip manufacturing takes place in the United States!  How did we let this happen?

It is little comfort to know that most of these issues are affecting the entire world.  Especially when we pride ourselves as being the most powerful country in the world.  How is it that the shortage of baby formula points to a ridiculous failing to take care of our people?  We certainly couldn’t have predicted a global pandemic.  Why didn’t someone in charge recognize that there were supply chain issues, import restrictions, and a recall that caused a shutdown of the Abbott plant that all caused our babies to be without formula.  

Has the petty bickering between political parties caused our so-called “leaders” to take their eyes off the ball and be distracted from the fundamentals of governance?  Good governance is defined by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  It states that “Governance refers to all processes of governing, the institutions, processes and practices through which issues of common concern are decided upon and regulated.”  Sounds pretty straightforward.  

So, all you politicians need to get with it and do your jobs better than you’ve been doing.  Reclaim your honor and ethics.  Address the problems of global warming, protecting our food sources, and re-establishing supply and production.  We Americans are not ready to take second place in the world!

 

Bonnie Brown writes a weekly column for The Oxford Eagle. Contact her at bonnie.brown@oxfordeagle.com