Copenhagen Climate Accord

Hope you are still tuning in! I got crazy busy before the Christmas break but I’ve been reading world political news and I promise to make your head spin with all the blogs I’m about to post! Since weather is one of the favorite topics of conversation for Canadians, I thought the first topic I should catch up on is the Copenhagen Climate Accord.

The papers were full of stories about the world leaders attending the Copenhagen conference. The December 19, 2009 issue of the Ottawa Citizen carried a story entitled “ Climate accord falls short of crucial goals”. The article notes that the Accord failed to establish hard targets for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than develop specific reduction targets for specific countries, the Accord provides for a global target to limit global warming to an additional two degrees Celsius. Yes you read that correctly …… no specific country emission reductions yet the intent is to limit the number of degrees warmer the earth is allowed to become.

Here’s the detail of the plan, a plan, which almost didn’t come into existence except for some last minute negotiations between President Obama and the Chinese delegates. The Accord provides that $100 billion in climate aid will be provided to developing countries by 2020. The Swedish Prime Minister acknowledged that this would not solve the problem of the climate threat. Canada’s Prime Minister Harper was more optimistic noting Canada was comfortable with the deal and would be signing on. What’s not to be comfortable with? The fact is that Canada was the “ bad boy” of the conference receiving questionable honors for our countries lack of action and for our countries emissions as related to the oil sands true, governments do play a balancing act and environmental issues must also take into consideration economic issues as well. However, as we seem to follow the lead of the United States rather than take initiative on our own with respect to environmental matters we do get STRIKE ONE. Also, in the same issue of the Ottawa Citizen (December 19,2009) another story ran entitled “China oil sands take over bid under review”. China wants to purchase a 60% interest in some of the oil sand projects. Did we know that China is the world’s number one emitter already of greenhouse gases? STRIKE Two! To make matters worse, the Copenhagen Accord provides that if a developing country decides not to accept the aid money they can avoid emissions monitoring…. This was inserted precisely for China. Did I already tell you that China is the world’s number one emitter of greenhouse gases?

Is that progress? President Obama did say that, “ no country will get everything it wants”. My question is what did the world collectively get?

Another sad reality, many developing states resented not being part of the discussions in Copenhagen. Whereas China can avoid emissions monitoring, developing countries need to set emissions targets by February. As the Citizen article noted, Tuvalu, a tiny Pacific Island’s very existence is threatened by climate change. Is this the best the world’s leaders can offer?

Perhaps the seriousness of the world leader’s interest in the climate issue was best demonstrated upon their arrival at the conference when many flew in on private planes and there were so many requests for limousines they were brought in from other countries. With that carbon footprint they may have done better to stay at home! Europe is far ahead of North America on the green scale and that’s what their electorate supports. Our North American leaders feel that the electorate will bend to matters of the economy.

Political leaders who don’t take the climate issue seriously are not only failing the land, they are also failing the economy because money will be made with green technologies.

I don’t know whether to get out my skis while I can or my sun block. One thing is certain; Canadians will have more climate and weather issues to complain about.

Perhaps what the Accord really stresses is that political vehicles aren’t always the best way to solve certain problems. This one is going to be addressed person by person. I’m glad I joined the FROGG club this year!