Monday May 28, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

U.S.-China showdown looms over climate talks

World Dec. 16, 2009 - 05:17AM JST ( 3 )

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kwattDec. 16, 2009 - 11:55AM JST

Where would be the best and safest place in the world 50 years later? Could I eat enough food and drink clean water at the time? Could I enjoy life everyday?
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TheQuestionDec. 16, 2009 - 12:22PM JST

The U.S. has offered a 17% reduction from 2005 emissions levels by 2020. That amounts to a 3% to 4% cut from 1990 levels—the baseline year used by many other countries. China has pledged to cut “carbon intensity”—a measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production—by 40% to 45% by 2020, compared with 2005 levels.

Sounds like China is taking the high road, however lets think about what was happening in those periods of time. In 2005 the U.S was already becoming quite efficient and to drop 17% from that period while increasing energy output is a respectable, attainable, and reasonable goal. By contrast China was putting out a new coal powerplant at a rapid rate for a long time, to say they are going to cut back 40% from that period would be like me saying that I'm going to cut back on eating using Thanksgiving dinner as a standard.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was among the first heads of state to touch down in Copenhagen, avoiding a travel ban imposed by Western nations because he was attending to a U.N. conference. Mugabe was to address the conference Wednesday.

That may very well have stripped this conference of any sembelance of credibility. I'll just DVR the conference and skip over his part, should only be a couple hours long.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told the conference Monday that new data suggests a 75 percent chance the entire Arctic polar ice cap may disappear in the summer as soon as five to seven years from now.

Now that's just flat out bogus, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/copenhagen/article6956783.ece
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some14someDec. 16, 2009 - 12:44PM JST

G77 vs G7/8(?) - There is strength in numbers, give up Mr. Ban Ki-moon.