From GRIST
Let's Give 'Em Something to Not Talk About U.S. negotiators edit climate out of G8 climate draft Here's a comforting thought: your future is being played like a poker hand. Next month, the leaders of the G8 nations will meet in Germany along with the heads of China, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil. With hopes of agreeing on climate-change action, Germany has circulated a draft of a declaration that the U.S. is editing all to hell. According to press reports, U.S. negotiators have suggested cutting a pledge to limit global temperature rise; excising a promise to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050; axing an acknowledgment that the U.N. is the place to negotiate future climate action; and slashing statements that express concern about the latest IPCC report, say action is urgently needed, and say climate change will cause damage. On a brighter note, they did leave the word "the." Said one anonymous source, "There is a very serious game of poker being played, which is very disappointing at this late stage and given the scale of the problem." straight to the source: BBC News, Richard Black, 14 May 2007 straight to the source: The Washington Post, Juliet Eilperin, 13 May 2007 straight to the source: MSNBC.com, Reuters, 11 May 2007 see also, in Gristmill: U.S. pushing to weaken G8 climate declaration U.S. Aims to Weaken G-8 Climate Change Statement By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, May 13, 2007; A09 Negotiators from the United States are trying to weaken the language of a climate change declaration set to be unveiled at next month's G-8 summit of the world's leading industrial powers, according to documents obtained yesterday by The Washington Post. A draft proposal dated April 2007 that is being debated in Bonn, Germany, this weekend by senior officials of the Group of Eight includes a pledge to limit the global temperature rise this century to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as an agreement to reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The United States is seeking to strike that section, the documents show. Many scientists have warned that an increase of more than 3.6 degrees this century could trigger disastrous consequences such as mass extinction of species and accelerated melting of polar ice sheets, which would raise sea levels. The documents show that American officials are also trying to eliminate draft language that says, "We acknowledge that the U.N. climate process is the appropriate forum for negotiating future global action on climate change." Industrial and developing countries have used the United Nations as the forum for crafting climate agreements for years. Neither the White House Council on Environmental Quality nor the State Department could be reached for comment on the matter yesterday. Since taking office in 2001, President Bush has consistently advocated more climate research and voluntary energy-efficiency measures as the way to address global warming. The G-8 leaders are scheduled to sign off on the global warming declaration, titled "Growth and Responsibility in the World Economy," during their June 6-8 summit in Heligendamm, Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has been pushing for a strong statement on climate change as part of the June meeting, and newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in his acceptance speech last week that global warming is his top priority. The U.S. representatives in Bonn, however, are trying to soften the message of the 18-page climate change document by deleting sections that would call on the industrialized world to modify activities linked to recent warming. They also proposed striking one of the document's opening phrases, which says, "We underline that tackling climate change is an imperative, not a choice. We firmly agree that resolute and concerted international action is urgently needed in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and sustain our common basis of living." Philip Clapp, who heads the advocacy group National Environmental Trust and has read the document, said U.S. opposition to the draft declaration could strain the country's relationship with its allies and jeopardize the world's ability to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decade. "The administration is proposing to eliminate any statement that acting on global warming is urgent and all measures that will begin to reduce global warming pollution, including any proposal to improve the energy efficiency of our economy," Clapp said in an telephone interview yesterday. "A continued U.S. refusal to take a lead in combating global warming will set back progress for years." Bush administration officials are also resisting calls for efficiency targets in the declaration, in particular a sentence that reads, "Therefore we will increase the energy efficiency of our economies so that energy consumption by 2020 will be at least 30 percent lower compared to a business-as-usual scenario." Clapp said it is difficult to predict how the negotiations will play out: "The question is, who blinks?" US seeks G8 climate text changes By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News website The US is trying to block sections of a draft agreement on climate change prepared for next month's G8 summit, according to documents seen by the BBC. Washington objects to the draft's targets to keep the global temperature rise below 2C this century and halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The draft, prepared by the German G8 presidency, said action was imperative. With UN talks struggling to extend the current Kyoto targets, the G8 summit is seen as a vital way to regain momentum. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has made climate a priority for the organisation, with backing from other leaders including Tony Blair. But the US's proposed revisions, obtained by BBC News, mark a fundamentally different stance. A clause saying "climate change is speeding up and will seriously damage our common natural environment and severely weaken (the) global economy... resolute action is urgently needed in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions" is struck out. They are trying to lay landmines under a post-Kyoto agreement after they leave office - Philip Clapp So are a statement that "we are deeply concerned about the latest findings confirmed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)", and a commitment to send a "clear message" on international efforts to combat global warming at the next round of UN climate talks in December. US negotiators also want to remove from the draft firm targets for improving energy efficiency in buildings and transport, and a call for the establishment of a global carbon market. Many observers believe that such a market can only be effective if there are binding caps on emissions. A spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality said the administration did not talk about ongoing private discussions, but commented: "There is consensus that the Earth is warming, and we are working with our G8 partners as well as developing nations to identify the promising new technologies that will help the whole world address the long term challenges of climate change. "The US continues to lead the global effort on climate change." Different directions The European Union, which includes half of the G8 members, has already adopted commitments to aim for a global temperature rise of less than 2C, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by 2020. Japanese news organisations recently reported that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government was also planning to push fellow G8 members for tough targets. President Bush's administration has long championed voluntary agreements as an alternative to global pacts such as the Kyoto Protocol which seek binding emissions caps. The US is a key player in the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, a six-nation pact which promises greenhouse gas mitigation without targets. "I think the real objective (of the US negotiators) is not just to keep the lid on and have nothing happen while President Bush is in office, but they are trying to lay landmines under a post-Kyoto agreement after they leave office," commented Philip Clapp, president of the Washington-based National Environmental Trust, who has seen the US's proposed amendments. "It lies in the hands of Prime Minister Blair and Chancellor Merkel, whether it's all sweetness and light or whether they are prepared to stand up and say 'I'm sorry, but the rest of the world is moving in a different direction from you'," he said. Preparations for the 2005 G8 summit in the Scottish resort of Gleneagles also began with a climate change draft which grew weaker as discussions continued. Leaders decided then to agree a weak document rather than leave with no agreement at all. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/6651295.stm Published: 2007/05/14 07:46:40 GMT © BBC MMVII U.S. pushing to weaken G8 climate declaration Posted by David Roberts at 11:36 PM on 12 May 2007 Next month, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene a summit of the G8 countries, which will issue a joint declaration on climate change. Here's how that's going: A draft proposal dated April 2007 that is being debated in Bonn, Germany, this weekend by senior officials of the Group of Eight includes a pledge to limit the global temperature rise this century to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as an agreement to reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The United States is seeking to strike that section, the documents show. Oh, and this: The documents show that American officials are also trying to eliminate draft language that says, "We acknowledge that the U.N. climate process is the appropriate forum for negotiating future global action on climate change." Industrial and developing countries have used the United Nations as the forum for crafting climate agreements for years. And this: The U.S. representatives in Bonn ... are trying to soften the message of the 18-page climate change document by deleting sections that would call on the industrialized world to modify activities linked to recent warming. They also proposed striking one of the document's opening phrases, which says, "We underline that tackling climate change is an imperative, not a choice. We firmly agree that resolute and concerted international action is urgently needed in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and sustain our common basis of living." And this: Bush administration officials are also resisting calls for efficiency targets in the declaration, in particular a sentence that reads, "Therefore we will increase the energy efficiency of our economies so that energy consumption by 2020 will be at least 30 percent lower compared to a business-as-usual scenario." These are such proud days to be American, no? ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
