December 2005 Archives

UPDATE: The pact has gone forward with seven states participating.

In a very unfortunate piece of news, the Northeastern U.S. state pact to introduce reductions in carbon emissions and establishment of a regional carbon emission market has stumbled. Two states of nine balked at signing the measure at the last moment. It is a shame that Bush administration intransigience leaves states to fend for themselves. To be effective we need global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and major, dramatic increases in both renewable energy and energy conservation.

States Breaking With Bush on Carbon Fail to Agree

Nine Northeastern US states that have attempted to break with the Bush Administration and form a regional greenhouse gas market have failed to agree on how the plan would work.

One of the world's leading climate scientists, Dr. James Hansen, provides a good general overview of the pitfalls and possibilities in regard to addressing changing climate. He delivers the message that though climate change may be close to a tipping point beyond which cataclysmic change is inevitable, we have not yet crossed this threshold and it is not too late. Even as ecological collapse looms, it is good to hear from the father of global warming concern that there is hope. Of course, this presupposes that unprecedented political will is quickly mobilized to achieve massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy conservation.

It's not too late

The Earth's climate is nearing, but has not passed, a tipping point beyond which it will be impossible to avoid climate change with far-ranging undesirable consequences. These include not only the loss of the Arctic as we know it, with all that implies for wildlife and indigenous peoples, but losses on a much vaster scale due to rising seas.

The global movement to stabilize climate which includes YOU scored an amazing victory this past week during the Montreal climate conference. No, the internal combustion engine and other users of fossil fuels were not retired. Nor were required 60-80% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions mandated. While these are the climate policies necessary to stabilize the Earth's climatic system, they were not on the agenda, nor were they feasible at this stage. But real and substantial progress to establish mechanisms to regulate greenhouse gases -- demanded by the climate change movement including ClimateArk's network -- were in fact approved despite tremendous pressure by the Bush regime (much more coverage here).

Kyoto Treaty members have agreed in principle to make deeper cuts in the pollution emissions causing climate change, extending their present commitments beyond 2012. They have agreed to negotiate these cuts by 2008 in order to ensure continuity of carbon markets. Meanwhile the US (against its will), along with China and India, have agreed to non-binding talks on new measures that all nations can take on combating the threat posed by climate change. A proposal by Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica was approved which will allow developing nations to receive financial compensation from richer countries for agreeing to preserve their rainforests. The conference also adopted the Kyoto rule book, formally making the protocol operational.

ClimateArk's network including YOU generated nearly one million protest emails to conference delegates (crashing our servers in the process), and our demands were met in full. Clearly OUR protest, as part of the larger climate change protests surrounding the conference, was highly effective. Again YOU have significantly contributed to providing the global ecological conscience necessary to address life threatening global ecological change.

And then there was one.

Australia shifts on climate change

THE US has found itself isolated as other countries, including ally Australia, backed the early start of negotiations for deeper cuts in greenhouse gases, the fossil-fuel pollution blamed for global warming... Stalwart Australia broke ranks with the US to endorse a Canadian proposal for countries to hold talks over the next two years to find ways of curbing greenhouse-gas emissions.

The fact that Harlan Watson, the lead U.S. climate negotiator in Montreal, has been obstructing negotiations should hardly come as a surprise - as the Washington Post reveals he was hand picked by Exxon Mobil oil for the role. Of all the politically dastardly and potentially ecologically deadly things for a U.S. President to do - in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence that indicts your oil cronies as the cause of massive planetary harm - send a lackey to spearhead the efforts of honest and noble people to do something about climate change. We live in evil times full of evil little leaders.

Climate Official's Work Is Questioned

Environmentalists are unhappy with the job the lead U.S. climate negotiator, Harlan Watson, has been doing in the ongoing Montreal talks on how to combat global warming... Watson's position and the environmentalists' reaction should hardly be surprising -- considering his apparent popularity with the oil industry. A Feb. 6, 2001, fax sent to the White House by oil giant Exxon Mobil proposed involving Watson more closely in international climate negotiations.

The world's first global protest to combat global warming occurred yesterday and was a smashing success. For the first time the world's citizens took to the streets to express grave concern with the climatic system collapsing under the weight of global greenhouse gas pollution -- and the failure of leadership particulary by Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair.

The road ahead is long and difficult. The Kyoto protocol only reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 5.2% when we need 50-80% reductions by 2050 if we are to have any chance to stabilize climate within a safe range. But an important threshold has been broken - people are protesting the climate criminals and demanding their leaders take action (even as individuals, states and others do so on their own).

ClimateArk's network took part in a virtual demonstration in support of marchers in 30 countries around the world. Several thousand people sent hundreds of thousands of email protest messages on December 3rd! We are continuing the Take Action to Stop Global Warming email protest until the conference ends, and have updated the background and email text accordingly.

What planet are you on, Mr Bush? (and do you care, Mr Blair?)

More than 100,000 people took to the streets in more than 30 countries yesterday, in the first world-wide demonstration to press for action to combat global warming.

Yet another study indicates there are major economic benefits to reducing air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. The fossil fuel industry and their sycophants are obstructing more agile businesses and governments from acting upon this self-evident truth. Simply, it pays to reduce pollution.

USATODAY.com - Study finds economic gains in greenhouse gas rules

California's strict environmental laws, often derided as a drag on growth, actually saved consumers and businesses $56 billion through gains in efficiency since the first major oil price spike in the 1970s, a Stanford University study released on Friday shows.

TAKE ACTION
Ask each government's national focal point participating in Montreal climate meeting to support an expanded, strengthened Kyoto process
http://www.climateark.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=montreal_climate_conference

Members of the Kyoto climate treaty are currently meeting in Montreal for the first time since the Treaty took effect. A broad coalition of climate change campaigns of which ClimateArk is a part are carrying out climate change demonstrations on December 3rd around the world. Join us in demanding that the USA and Australia ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately, and that the entire world community move as rapidly as possible to a stronger emissions reductions treaty that will be both equitable and effective in stabilizing 'greenhouse' gases and preventing dangerous climate change. Even as the pace, intensity and impact of global warming increases, international progress on climate change policy continues to be not only slow but also downright tepid, clearly inadequate to enunciate solutions sufficient to the magnitude of the climate crisis on hand. Please participate in the virtual climate protest below, and join a real demonstration if available in your area by visiting the Global Climate Coalition at http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org/ . The alert below targets all of the governmental "national focal point" contact points participating in the negotiations. From here you are sending an email to most climate delegations at the conference -- some 200 people. Please send the alert now but make sure you come back on December 3rd and send it again - and let you friends know to do it then as well. http://www.climateark.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=montreal_climate_conference