we are all Doomed --climate change action stalled

**zubber** · 15-11-2009, 11:28 PM

Copenhagen climate summit hopes fade as Obama backs postponement

• US supports delaying difficult decisions on emissions targets
• Copenhagen summit to concentrate on political deal

Jonathan Watts, Asia environment correspondent, and agencies
Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk, Sunday 15 November 2009 12.05 GMT
Article history

Barack Obama speaks with Thailand prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Photograph: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images

Barack Obama acknowledged today that time has run out to secure a binding climate deal at Copenhagen and began moving towards a two-stage process that would delay a legal pact until next year at the earliest.
During a hastily convened breakfast meeting in Singapore, the US president supported a Danish plan to salvage something from the moribund negotiations by aiming for a broad political agreement and postponing contentious decisions on emissions targets, financing and technology transfer.
While this falls short of hopes that Copenhagen would lock in place a new action plan for the world, it recognises the lack of progress in recent preparatory talks and the hold-ups of climate legislation in the US Senate. "There was a realistic assessment … by the leaders that it was unrealistic to expect a full internationally legally binding agreement to be negotiated between now and when Copenhagen starts in 22 days," said Michael Froman, deputy national security adviser for economic affairs.
Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the host and chairman of the climate talks, flew overnight to Singapore to pitch the deferral plan to 19 leaders, including Obama and Chinese president Hu Jintao, at an unscheduled event during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. He insisted that the Copenhagen talks could still set political targets and outline commitments.
"Given the time factor and the situation of individual countries we must, in the coming weeks, focus on what is possible and not let ourselves be distracted by what is not possible," he said. "The Copenhagen agreement should finally mandate continued legal negotiations and set a deadline for their conclusion."
Obama was said to have spoken in support of the proposal, cautioning the group not to let the "perfect be the enemy of the good", Froman said.
The proposal by Denmark, the host and chair of the climate talks, would set the stage for a political accord at Copenhagen next month and the setting of a new deadline for countries to agree on targets, levels of funding and verification of commitments.
This would give breathing space for the US Senate to pass carbon-capping legislation, allowing the Obama administration to bring a 2020 target and financing pledges to the table at a UN climate meeting in Mexico or Germany in mid-2010.
It was unclear if China, the world's biggest emitter, supported the delay, but other leaders said there was little choice.
"Leaders … were clear in their view that the current officials-led process is running into all sorts of difficulties, and therefore it is time for leaders, politically, to step in," the Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, told reporters after the meeting with Rasmussen. "It's going to be tough as all hell, but let me tell you I believe everyone is seeking, right now, to put their best foot forward, and that was reflected in what transpired around a small table of 20 world leaders this morning."
The extension of the process is not unexpected, given the flurry of downbeat statements by world leaders in recent weeks. It may avoid a total breakdown at Copenhagen, but the delay has frustrated those who feel time is running out to prevent calamitous levels of climate change.
"Heads of states must go beyond simply discussing the problems. They have to start solving them," said Diane McFadzien of the Worldwide Fund for Nature. She noted that the APEC leaders deleted emission reduction targets in their final declaration.

**StrontiumDog** · 15-11-2009, 11:29 PM

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...

**Don Juan** · 16-11-2009, 05:02 AM

Bush didn't want anything to do with this climate change racket until they did the sums.

**mordred** · 16-11-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Don Juan

Bush didn't want anything to do with this climate change racket until they did the sums.

Meaning until special interest groups backing the Republicans had time to determine how they could make money from it. His family is neck deep in oil and cleaning up the environment is a conflict of interest.

**chassamui** · 16-11-2009, 06:02 AM

I think even Obama realises that the tipping point has already been passed. politically and financially, it is easier to mitigate later, than to act now. (Short sighted, but true).
The only saving grace to come from the global recession, is the slowing of climate change processes has bought them some time.
The fact that Obama has prioritised US healthcare in year one of his presidency tells you where climate change and all other issues sit.
Even the Chinese are having to come to terms with the fact that securing supplies of potable water, will soon become more important than securing the worlds mineral rights.

**teddy** · 16-11-2009, 07:43 AM

The weather is always in constant flux. It was before humans came along and it will be long after they have gone. Just 300 years ago there were ice fairs every winter on the frozen River Thames. The Sahara has been moving and covering fertile areas since well before the first internal combustion engine. Every 10,000 years the earths polarity changes as well.

**chassamui** · 16-11-2009, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by teddy

The weather is always in constant flux. It was before humans came along and it will be long after they have gone. Just 300 years ago there were ice fairs every winter on the frozen River Thames. The Sahara has been moving and covering fertile areas since well before the first internal combustion engine. Every 10,000 years the earths polarity changes as well.

This has got fvck all to do with natural cyclic changes. Natural changes almost always occur over extended time spans. The earth and its inhabitants have time to adapt and change.
These changes in climate, and the effects on glaciers are predominantly man made. Our ability to adapt to change is hindered by the pace of change. Over 70% of the worlds fresh water supply is held in glacial form. China has already destroyed its main water courses with pollution. Peru depends on hydro electric sources for 80% of its water and it can no longer meet current demand. In less than 50 years time all glacial waters could disappear.

You stick your head back up your arse if it's more comfortable up there, you smug selfish twat..

**teddy** · 16-11-2009, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by chassamui

Originally Posted by teddy

The weather is always in constant flux. It was before humans came along and it will be long after they have gone. Just 300 years ago there were ice fairs every winter on the frozen River Thames. The Sahara has been moving and covering fertile areas since well before the first internal combustion engine. Every 10,000 years the earths polarity changes as well.

This has got fvck all to do with natural cyclic changes. Natural changes almost always occur over extended time spans. The earth and its inhabitants have time to adapt and change.
These changes in climate, and the effects on glaciers are predominantly man made. Our ability to adapt to change is hindered by the pace of change. Over 70% of the worlds fresh water supply is held in glacial form. China has already destroyed its main water courses with pollution. Peru depends on hydro electric sources for 80% of its water and it can no longer meet current demand. In less than 50 years time all glacial waters could disappear.

You stick your head back up your arse if it's more comfortable up there, you smug selfish twat..

Jeez you're a cheerful chappy. I've got a suggestion: slit your writs now. I'm going for a beer in my 3L pickup before heading home to light me a big fire for this evening's barbecue.

What's wrong with glaciers disappearing anyway? They are probably the biggest cause of accidents for anyone hiking in the mountains. I don't hike - I drive - but if I did I would like to know those slippery buggers aren't around anymore.

brom brom

**mobs00** · 16-11-2009, 08:51 AM

^^ Tibet has got lots of water.....

**StrontiumDog** · 16-11-2009, 11:07 PM

Oh dear.

It appears you have proven his point and some.

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