The Obama administration will formally declare Monday that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to the public's health and welfare, a move that lays the groundwork for an economy-wide carbon cap even if Congress fails to enact climate legislation, sources familiar with the process said. The move, which Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa P. Jackson will announce at an afternoon press conference, comes as the largest climate change conference in history gets underway in Copenhagen. It will finalize an initial "endangerment finding" by the government in April. While an EPA spokeswoman declined to comment on the matter, the agency sent out a press advisory that Jackson will make "a significant climate announcement at a press briefing" at 1:15 p.m. at EPA headquarters. Jackson will also speak at the U.N.-sponsored climate conference Wednesday; her address is titled "Taking Action at Home." Obama, who will attend the end of the U.N. talks Dec. 18, has sent a series of recent signals to the international community that the United States will curb its carbon output as part of a new global climate deal.
The move, which Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa P. Jackson will announce at an afternoon press conference, comes as the largest climate change conference in history gets underway in Copenhagen. It will finalize an initial "endangerment finding" by the government in April.
While an EPA spokeswoman declined to comment on the matter, the agency sent out a press advisory that Jackson will make "a significant climate announcement at a press briefing" at 1:15 p.m. at EPA headquarters. Jackson will also speak at the U.N.-sponsored climate conference Wednesday; her address is titled "Taking Action at Home." Obama, who will attend the end of the U.N. talks Dec. 18, has sent a series of recent signals to the international community that the United States will curb its carbon output as part of a new global climate deal.
Doable exercise for the EPA to insert 'above 1990 baseline' somewhere in there to make sure that there is a certain net reduction.
Atrios thinks a well-administered cap & trade would work better, and I tend to agree. It's just not likely to emerge out of Congress -- more like monster cap & trade bill from hell if anything ever makes it out.
The United States and China are going to have to offer greater reductions in their CO2 emissions than they have hitherto done, according to the Swedish Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren, who leads the European Union's negotiating team. "That is absolutely vital if we are to reach our goals of keeping temperature rise below two degrees. The European Union is ready to increase its reductions from 20 percent to 30 percent, but that means that others will have to put something on the table," Carlgren says on the first day of the UN's COP15 Climate Summit. "The end game will be about what the United States and China deliver. It would be somewhat astounding if President Obama comes to Copenhagen and only offers what he has already said," Carlgren says at a news conference.
"That is absolutely vital if we are to reach our goals of keeping temperature rise below two degrees. The European Union is ready to increase its reductions from 20 percent to 30 percent, but that means that others will have to put something on the table," Carlgren says on the first day of the UN's COP15 Climate Summit.
"The end game will be about what the United States and China deliver. It would be somewhat astounding if President Obama comes to Copenhagen and only offers what he has already said," Carlgren says at a news conference.
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- China has all along actively pushed forward international negotiations on climate change, and made its own contribution in energy saving and emissions cut, said a senior Chinese official on Sunday.
China would continue to raise energy efficiency, develop nuclear power and renewable energy, plant trees, adopt energy-saving measures in construction and transportation, and develop low-carbon economy, he said. Developed countries, which shoulder historical responsibilities for climate change due to their emissions, have accomplished their industrialization, while China is still in the process of industrialization, noted Xie.
Developed countries, which shoulder historical responsibilities for climate change due to their emissions, have accomplished their industrialization, while China is still in the process of industrialization, noted Xie.
It has taken nearly 20 years to bring the world to this pivotal moment in climate change politics. Along the roller-coaster ride toward an international agreement, expectations have soared and plummeted dozens of times -- sometimes within a matter of days. But as nations convene today in Copenhagen for the world's largest global warming summit, one thing is new: For the first time, every major greenhouse gas polluter in the world has a promise and a plan to cut carbon. What that change signifies still isn't clear. Few think the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, which runs through Dec. 18, will conclude with a new international treaty. Too many countries are still sparring over major issues for that. Moreover, the nation others expect to lead the world -- the United States -- still has not passed the legislation required to cut emissions.
Along the roller-coaster ride toward an international agreement, expectations have soared and plummeted dozens of times -- sometimes within a matter of days. But as nations convene today in Copenhagen for the world's largest global warming summit, one thing is new: For the first time, every major greenhouse gas polluter in the world has a promise and a plan to cut carbon.
What that change signifies still isn't clear. Few think the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, which runs through Dec. 18, will conclude with a new international treaty. Too many countries are still sparring over major issues for that. Moreover, the nation others expect to lead the world -- the United States -- still has not passed the legislation required to cut emissions.
A much-anticipated global meeting of nearly 200 nations -- all seeking what has so far been elusive common ground on the issue of climate change -- began here on Monday with an impassioned airing of what leaders here called the political and moral imperatives at hand. "The clock has ticked down to zero," said the United Nations' climate chief, Yvo de Boer. "After two years of negotiation, the time has come to deliver." From now until Dec. 18, delegates will try to hammer out some of the most vexing details involved in the pursuit of a global climate accord.
"The clock has ticked down to zero," said the United Nations' climate chief, Yvo de Boer. "After two years of negotiation, the time has come to deliver."
From now until Dec. 18, delegates will try to hammer out some of the most vexing details involved in the pursuit of a global climate accord.
Dutchman Yvo de Boer has headed the UN's climate bureau since 2006, and the Copenhagen conference is the culmination of his efforts. Insiders say De Boer feels passionately about the issues, but getting a climate change agreement is an intellectual challenge first and foremost. When Yvo de Boer applied for the job of executive secretary of the UN's climate bureau, there was little chance he would get the job. His predecessor, Joke Waller-Hunter, who had unexpectedly died, was from the Netherlands too. It is very unusual for the UN to give a top job to the same country twice in a row, and anyway, it was a developing country's turn. But de Boer was simply the best candidate, even after an extra selection round was held. The climate bureau was created to support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the official name for the treaty that came out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It in charge of collecting data on greenhouse gas emissions from all the countries that are party to the treaty. It is also in charge of organising climate conferences, such as the one that started in Copenhagen on Monday. For that reason De Boer has been known to refer to himself as a "butler".
When Yvo de Boer applied for the job of executive secretary of the UN's climate bureau, there was little chance he would get the job. His predecessor, Joke Waller-Hunter, who had unexpectedly died, was from the Netherlands too. It is very unusual for the UN to give a top job to the same country twice in a row, and anyway, it was a developing country's turn. But de Boer was simply the best candidate, even after an extra selection round was held.
The climate bureau was created to support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the official name for the treaty that came out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It in charge of collecting data on greenhouse gas emissions from all the countries that are party to the treaty. It is also in charge of organising climate conferences, such as the one that started in Copenhagen on Monday. For that reason De Boer has been known to refer to himself as a "butler".
The COP15 United Nations Climate Summit has now opened in Copenhagen to calls from Denmark's host Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen for the 193 national delegations to knuckle down and reach agreement on how to make a climate difference. "Welcome to Denmark, welcome to Copenhagen. Welcome to two weeks during which we have to do what is most difficult in politics. Take difficult but necessary decisions now, to prevent increasing problems in the future," Løkke Rasmussen told delegates. Løkke Rasmussen reminded delegates in his opening speech that in order for agreement to be reached, heavy negotiations would be needed over the next two weeks in the corridors and meeting rooms of the Bella Center, where the summit is taking place.
"Welcome to Denmark, welcome to Copenhagen. Welcome to two weeks during which we have to do what is most difficult in politics. Take difficult but necessary decisions now, to prevent increasing problems in the future," Løkke Rasmussen told delegates.
Løkke Rasmussen reminded delegates in his opening speech that in order for agreement to be reached, heavy negotiations would be needed over the next two weeks in the corridors and meeting rooms of the Bella Center, where the summit is taking place.
A reported 'revolt' among members of its climate change talks' negotiating team has put the Indian government on the political defensive at home. The turmoil comes with some members of India's delegation already in Denmark for the critical United Nations-sponsored summit. The Environment Minister has told Parliament there has been no change in India's negotiating stance for the Copenhagen climate talks and that the country's 35-member team is again representing a unified position. In the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, Jairam Ramesh faced hostile opposition party lawmakers who accused him of yielding to international pressures, undercutting the national interest. "We are going to Copenhagen with the objective of not accepting any agreement that would put a constraint on expanding electricity supply to rural households, for livelihood security and for all the other economic objectives," Ramesh said.
The Environment Minister has told Parliament there has been no change in India's negotiating stance for the Copenhagen climate talks and that the country's 35-member team is again representing a unified position.
In the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, Jairam Ramesh faced hostile opposition party lawmakers who accused him of yielding to international pressures, undercutting the national interest.
"We are going to Copenhagen with the objective of not accepting any agreement that would put a constraint on expanding electricity supply to rural households, for livelihood security and for all the other economic objectives," Ramesh said.
Delegates left the Bali climate change talks in December 2007 with high hopes that a grand bargain on reducing greenhouse gas emissions would be secured by now. But today, as the latest round of climate change talks begin with representatives from more than 190 countries gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, expectations are far more modest. The biggest decision - a binding international agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is likely to be pushed off until next December, when another round of climate talks are scheduled for Mexico City. Nevertheless, two weeks in Copenhagen will yield insights into global efforts to control industrial emissions and the warming of the planet.
But today, as the latest round of climate change talks begin with representatives from more than 190 countries gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, expectations are far more modest.
The biggest decision - a binding international agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is likely to be pushed off until next December, when another round of climate talks are scheduled for Mexico City. Nevertheless, two weeks in Copenhagen will yield insights into global efforts to control industrial emissions and the warming of the planet.
The Copenhagen summit next week will generate vast quantities of hot air. It will see 16,500 people coming in from 192 countries. That amounts to 41,000 tons of carbon dioxide, roughly the same as the carbon emissions of Morocco in 2006. Also, the organisers will lay 900 kilometres of computer cable and 50,000 square metres of carpet. More than 200,000 meals will be served and visitors will drink 200,000 cups of coffee -- at least that will be organic. When asked if the carbon footprint might have been reduced by turning Copenhagen into a video conference, a spokesman for the event said: "For such a major agreement, people need to meet together and negotiate face to face. We have delegates from all over the world. Video-conferencing systems are extremely useful, but they don't match the personal touch. This is one of the main factors in having a good conference."
The Copenhagen summit next week will generate vast quantities of hot air. It will see 16,500 people coming in from 192 countries. That amounts to 41,000 tons of carbon dioxide, roughly the same as the carbon emissions of Morocco in 2006. Also, the organisers will lay 900 kilometres of computer cable and 50,000 square metres of carpet. More than 200,000 meals will be served and visitors will drink 200,000 cups of coffee -- at least that will be organic.
When asked if the carbon footprint might have been reduced by turning Copenhagen into a video conference, a spokesman for the event said: "For such a major agreement, people need to meet together and negotiate face to face. We have delegates from all over the world. Video-conferencing systems are extremely useful, but they don't match the personal touch. This is one of the main factors in having a good conference."
It will see 16,500 people coming in from 192 countries. That amounts to 41,000 tons of carbon dioxide, roughly the same as the carbon emissions of Morocco in 2006.
None of the these numbers are coherent with one another. 2.5 ton per person of emissions, just for one trip? And 41,000 tons being the yearly emissions of Morocco? Don't journalists have any sense of what numbers mean? (I know, silly question) In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
the real reason so many people in Tinseltown drive a Prius is because "it's the only car you can drive which costs under $35,000 which doesn't make everyone think that your career has gone down the toilet".
Does Russia hold hostage the future of a carbon cap-and-trade system that many experts see as a critical tool for curbing global warming gases? Improbable as it may seem, the answer appears to be yes. That is because Russia, as a result of the collapse of much of its heavy industry in the 1990s, owns one of the world's largest stocks of credits to offset carbon emissions. The unearned windfall, a legacy of the Kyoto Protocol that was the world's first attempt to come to grips with the threat of climate change, is worth several billion dollars. If abruptly sold abroad, those credits could send the price of carbon on the world's fragile emissions markets plunging toward zero. Without a predictable and reasonably high price for carbon emissions, most economists say, there is little prospect of setting in motion the many investments needed to shift from a carbon-intensive industrial economy to a more sustainable energy base in developed and developing countries alike.
That is because Russia, as a result of the collapse of much of its heavy industry in the 1990s, owns one of the world's largest stocks of credits to offset carbon emissions.
The unearned windfall, a legacy of the Kyoto Protocol that was the world's first attempt to come to grips with the threat of climate change, is worth several billion dollars. If abruptly sold abroad, those credits could send the price of carbon on the world's fragile emissions markets plunging toward zero.
Without a predictable and reasonably high price for carbon emissions, most economists say, there is little prospect of setting in motion the many investments needed to shift from a carbon-intensive industrial economy to a more sustainable energy base in developed and developing countries alike.
" Copenhagen climate summit: 1,200 limos, 140 private planes and caviar wedges Copenhagen is preparing for the climate change summit that will produce as much carbon dioxide as a town the size of Middlesbrough."
Snark aside: I found this site while looking for real numbers.
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/meth_reg.html
Quite interesting... According to these numbers, per capita CO2 emissions from non-renewable resources peaked in both the US and Britain in the early 70's, and have been relatively stable since then. In France and Germany the peak was 1979.
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/emissions/usa.dat http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/emissions/uki.dat
