Astronauts Address Global Change in Paris (Video)
Call to Earth: Astronauts Send a Message from Space to Global Leaders at #COP21 Urging Action on Climate
“Today, as part of the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, “Action Day” participants will view the video Call to Earth – A Message from the World’s Astronauts, featuring International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly, Flight Engineer Kjell N. Lindgren, and 16 astronauts from 6 countries urging leaders of COP21 to take action to mitigate climate change now, not tomorrow.”
That’s a terrific and powerful video.
I can’t help but think how much more powerful it would have been if it had included space travelers from Russia and China, as well. Was there no possibility to include them?
Chinese astronauts are not allowed on the ISS because … well because Mr. Culberson and Mr. Smith (like Mr. Wolff) do not like China. Yet it is critical we work with China to reduce CO2 emissions. But Mr. Culberson and Mr. Smith don’t “believe in” climate change either. So there is no problem.
The video was not exclusively about the experience of ISS astronauts, so there was no good reason to exclude our Russian partners or Chinese neighbors on this planet. Now, if they were invited and declined (either individually or as a national political decision), then that is something different.
The constraint on NASA is not that China cannot send astronauts to the ISS. The Wolf Amendment says that NASA cannot even communicate with anyone from China unless Wolff first gives his permission. Powerful members of Congress have toward China, they have conveniently used NASA as a tool to implement their personal prejudices.
Of course these same members of Congress are fighting to keep NASA from studying global warming because they do not “believe” in it.
Very cool, nicely done! I really liked the astronauts from different countries, several firsts from a country in space.
And I had to replay the end – Scott Kelly begins and halts his somersault with no hands, nice!
Bravo, bravísimo!!!!
Now Mr. Smith is going to ask for their e-mails…
G.