Yesterday, we had high hopes for Copenhagen. Today, the conference is in disarray.
A draft climate agreement that was leaked to The Guardian is causing a stir on the ground and in the blogosphere. The agreement -- known as the Danish text -- is a secret document that was worked on by a handful of people that includes representatives of the U.S., U.K. and Denmark, according to the Guardian article. It was intended to be a working framework to be adapted by countries over the next week.
The Guardian's analysis claims it weakens the United Nations' role and strengthens the World Bank's role in handling climate finance, creates a new category of "most vulnerable" developing countries and allows rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes of carbon per person and poor countries 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050. This is a reversal of the main principle of the Kyoto protocol which excluded smaller countries from curbing greenhouse gas emissions because it would be costly to do so.
It's being criticized for marginalizing the role of developing countries in the negotiation process, with delegates from environmental NGOs calling it undemocratic, elitist and unfair.
"Like ants in a room full of elephants, poor countries are at risk of being squeezed out of the climate talks in Copenhagen," said Antonio Hill of Oxfam International. "As the talks ramp up and the big players put forward their proposals for the deal, it is vitally important that vulnerable countries are part of the debate."
Some delegates have played down the implications of the text. U.S. delegate Jonathan Pershing told reporters that he would be "appalled" if there weren't such a document since it's the delegates' job to bring something to the table.
Another report, report from ChinaDialogue.net, quoted Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists saying "What they (Denmark) put out early next week or whenever they decide to actually put it out to Ministers will probably be very different to what is on the Guardian website..."
Rosa Kouri, an environmental scientist and activist who is blogging from Copenhagen with adoptanegotiator.org, wrote in an email that the African Youth Climate Coalition had just staged an impromptu demonstration in a corridor. "It's pretty discouraging," she wrote. "Everyone's talking about it." Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.
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Jim Van Rassel
2 years ago
The New World Order
The UN gang is known world wide for its ruthlessness and secrecy. To become a member an initiation task of barbaric proportion is asked and demanded for acceptance into the gang and the right to wear it's colours. In this case I am not talking about one of the world's most powerful Drug gangs but the criteria to becom...e a member of the New world order is the same. How far does this corruption run through the fabric of our society?
freebear
2 years ago
And the IMF is any better than the UN?
As noted in M'Gonigle's article the threat to humans and the planet is continued pursuit of growth!
max von smartt
2 years ago
solar cycles drive planetary climate changes
not just earth, but venus, mars and other planets show evidence of warming trends. co2 is not the demon. carbon trading is another scam to enrich wall street and london bankers. by all means let us clean up our act consuming less energy, resources and reproducing fewer gluttonous babies aspiring to 50's amerikan dream lifestyles.
codemath
2 years ago
Do poor have right to survial
I'm not attack M'Gonigle's.But,I'm can't support the idea that the threat to humans and the planet is continued pursuit of growth! You mean that the poor has not right to grow.You say:Sorry,poor brother,you must be poor forever,because I want to enjoy a better weather and I don't want to pay.Please pay!!!!
"allows rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes of carbon per person and poor countries 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050."
What a joke!!!! the ones that has enjoy the benefits of emitting carbon can emit more,when the poor must emit less.this completely show what unfair is.