Comments on: How the Durban Climate Agreement Sidesteps Republican Obstruction

By: Google Makes First Renewable Energy Investment In Africa | CleanTechnica

Google Makes First Renewable Energy Investment In Africa | CleanTechnica — Thu, 30 May 2013 23:36:21 +0000

[…] been positioning itself as a leading proponent of sustainable development (see our post on the 2011 UN Climate Change conference in Durban). This includes shifting its energy base and infrastructure away from coal and fossil fuels toward […]

By: Solar power in India Now Cheaper than Diesel

Solar power in India Now Cheaper than Diesel — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:18:10 +0000

[…] to see more measures like this one from the Indian government, now that it has agreed to discuss signing up to a successor of the Kyoto Protocol by 2020.India, however, was the most determined holdout against agreeing to discuss such a treaty — […]

By: Gygyg

Gygyg — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Why do you come on this site to leave such nasty comments. Stick to oil! Climate change is real, and Im sure a number of people here would agree with me.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Yeah, but before we can act, we had to agree to act.

This is the next step from 1995, when the world did agree to act, but only developed nations had to cut. (Then the US reneged on ratifying it)

This time is significant because ALL nations will be bound by the same rule. That is a first.

As far as slow… think of the DOHA economic talks, also incremental. Getting 191 countries to agree to anything is huge.

As far as too little: think of wind target for Texas (2% or something?) under Gov Bush… now Texas is in top 3 wind powers in world.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:15:00 +0000

Great analogy! I actually think the 2020 deadline is not a problem, either. A lot of writers are thinking it is too late, but our experience in California and in the EU shows that change happens in advance of a deadline.

A deadline with plenty of notice like this injects the certainty that climate policy needs (because it is long term investment that it takes).

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

I’m sorta thinking folks missed this paragraph…

“Every nation will be covered by the new treaty, so now no nation can get out of acting on the basis that “My carbon emissions don’t make a difference, because some other nation is not acting”.”

This is a significant step forward. It brings China and India into the mix. It makes it possible to start the next phase of negotiations.

Remember, the US was holding back because other countries were getting a pass. Now that rat hole/excuse (depending on your point of view) has been closed.

This is going to put more pressure on the US, the truly worst CO2 producer, to make a commitment to cut emissions. We can no longer excuse ourselves because others aren’t agreeing to comply.

—

I label the US as the worst CO2 producer because we are the country of some size that has the highest CO2 emissions per person. We tower over India and China in terms of per capita emission.

We’re the 400 pound guy complaining to the flight crew that the 150 pound guy in the other seat is taking up too much room.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:14:00 +0000

“We’ve agreed to agree to cut emissions!”.
— That is probably the best summary i’ve seen
— On the up note, that first agreement is pretty big. On the down note, it seems we’re submitting an overweight American for a 100-meter Olympic race — in other words, better than not submitting anyone, but far from what experts say is needed to win the race.

By: Lukas Palmer

Lukas Palmer — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:27:00 +0000

Aspirational? Yes. Practical? No. What I mean is, it’s a welcome start, but it’s not even remotely good enough.

To sum up Durban COP17 in a few words: “We’ve agreed to agree to cut emissions!”.

What a day.

By: Ledit

Ledit — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:08:00 +0000

what a complete crock of garbage; they decided only one thing and that is to do NOTHING; making up drivel is for mental midgets; global warming is DEAD but the delusion lives on