The scientist who convinced the world to take notice of the looming danger of global warming says it would be better for the planet and for future generations if next week's Copenhagen climate change summit ended in collapse. In an interview with the Guardian, James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate scientist, said any agreement likely to emerge from the negotiations would be so deeply flawed that it would be better to start again from scratch."I would rather it not happen if people accept that as being the right track because it's a disaster track," said Hansen, who heads the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York."The whole approach is so fundamentally wrong that it is better to reassess the situation. If it is going to be the Kyoto-type thing then [people] will spend years trying to determine exactly what that means." He was speaking as progress towards a deal in Copenhagen received a boost today, with India revealing a target to curb its carbon emissions. All four of the major emitters - the US, China, EU and India - have now tabled offers on emissions, although the equally vexed issue of funding for developing nations to deal with global warming remains deadlocked.
The scientist who convinced the world to take notice of the looming danger of global warming says it would be better for the planet and for future generations if next week's Copenhagen climate change summit ended in collapse.
In an interview with the Guardian, James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate scientist, said any agreement likely to emerge from the negotiations would be so deeply flawed that it would be better to start again from scratch.
"I would rather it not happen if people accept that as being the right track because it's a disaster track," said Hansen, who heads the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.
"The whole approach is so fundamentally wrong that it is better to reassess the situation. If it is going to be the Kyoto-type thing then [people] will spend years trying to determine exactly what that means." He was speaking as progress towards a deal in Copenhagen received a boost today, with India revealing a target to curb its carbon emissions. All four of the major emitters - the US, China, EU and India - have now tabled offers on emissions, although the equally vexed issue of funding for developing nations to deal with global warming remains deadlocked.
Mounting scepticism and deadlocked negotiations have culminated in an announcement that the Copenhagen climate conference will not result in a comprehensive global climate deal. Disappointing? Certainly. But the summit was always meant to be a transitional step. The most important thing to consider is where we will go from here.The phrase "the day after" is most commonly associated with the word "hangover". The absence of a binding agreement could mean a global hangover, and not just for a day. Fed up with apocalyptic predictions, people wanted a miracle in Copenhagen. So a perceived failure may cause a massive, perhaps irreversible, loss of confidence in our politicians. No surprise, then, that governments have sought to manage our expectations carefully.Decision-makers have not faced up to just how close the world may be to the climate "tipping point". But, while a runaway climate remains a risk, runaway politics are already a fact. Official negotiations are removed from reality. According to the latest science, the current proposals under negotiation will result in warming of more than 4C during this century - double the 2C maximum endorsed by the G8 and other leaders. That leaves a higher than 50% probability of the world's climate moving past its tipping point.
Mounting scepticism and deadlocked negotiations have culminated in an announcement that the Copenhagen climate conference will not result in a comprehensive global climate deal. Disappointing? Certainly. But the summit was always meant to be a transitional step. The most important thing to consider is where we will go from here.
The phrase "the day after" is most commonly associated with the word "hangover". The absence of a binding agreement could mean a global hangover, and not just for a day. Fed up with apocalyptic predictions, people wanted a miracle in Copenhagen. So a perceived failure may cause a massive, perhaps irreversible, loss of confidence in our politicians. No surprise, then, that governments have sought to manage our expectations carefully.
Decision-makers have not faced up to just how close the world may be to the climate "tipping point". But, while a runaway climate remains a risk, runaway politics are already a fact. Official negotiations are removed from reality. According to the latest science, the current proposals under negotiation will result in warming of more than 4C during this century - double the 2C maximum endorsed by the G8 and other leaders. That leaves a higher than 50% probability of the world's climate moving past its tipping point.
It will be the largest climate conference ever, but the outcome far from certain. World leaders originally hoped to negotiate a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, but they are likely to fall short of their goal. Negotiators trying to hammer out a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been dragging their feet for months and disagreeing behind the scenes. European Union nations have, for their part, been in relative agreement on the aim of this deal: the increase in global temperatures by 2050 cannot exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). But few non-EU countries are willing to sign on to such an accord, according to the European Commission.
Negotiators trying to hammer out a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been dragging their feet for months and disagreeing behind the scenes.
European Union nations have, for their part, been in relative agreement on the aim of this deal: the increase in global temperatures by 2050 cannot exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). But few non-EU countries are willing to sign on to such an accord, according to the European Commission.
LONDON (Reuters) - Climate skeptics, people who doubt the science on global warming, must not be allowed to sabotage U.N. climate talks which start next week, Britain's Energy and Climate Secretary said Thursday. "I do think that we have to beware of the climate saboteurs, the people who want to say the science is somehow in doubt, and want to cast aspersions on the whole process," Ed Miliband told reporters at a briefing. "I'm not claiming there's a conspiracy, but there are interests that don't want to see an agreement in Copenhagen."
LONDON (Reuters) - Climate skeptics, people who doubt the science on global warming, must not be allowed to sabotage U.N. climate talks which start next week, Britain's Energy and Climate Secretary said Thursday. "I do think that we have to beware of the climate saboteurs, the people who want to say the science is somehow in doubt, and want to cast aspersions on the whole process," Ed Miliband told reporters at a briefing.
"I'm not claiming there's a conspiracy, but there are interests that don't want to see an agreement in Copenhagen."
