Maureen O’Connor on the UN Climate Change Conference

The upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference provides the opportunity for the world to make a stand against global warming. Will a strong, meaningful agreement result from the conference? Doubtful. The problems facing the conference are both complex and many. The world’s economic woes only make the job of cutting fossil fuel emissions and slowing deforestation exponentially harder. Here in America, President Obama, who is slated to attend the conference, is prepared to propose that the U.S. commit to cutting carbon emissions by 17% by 2020. Republican opposition and will ride the recent right wing success in slowing healthcare reform, and stirring up its base to question global warming science and position any U.S. signing of a climate change treaty as an abdication of national sovereignty and a fast track to economic ruin. Expect a nasty fight.

Ratification of an actual treaty will probably be delayed until 2010. If the signing does take place at the upcoming talks, the immediate impact on business and consumers in developed nations will ramp-up over the next decade with an incremental increase in prices for consumers and regulation for businesses as the transition to a “greener” economy takes shape. Long-term cost savings on healthcare, energy and lifestyle will take a while to kick-in, but ultimately may be far-reaching. Developing nations will benefit from a tremendous influx of aid and technology to motivate their embrace of “going green” at the expense (through carbon offset credits and direct financial aid) of major greenhouse gas emitters like the U.S., China and Europe.

The upcoming Climate Treaty that will replace the Kyoto Protocol will probably bear the signature of President Obama and a long list of other major developed and developing nations – but probably not China and India – a major drawback. The treaty can be expected to set targets seeking a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, a number that will not satisfy hardcore global warming reductionists and will enrage global warming naysayers. If the global economy shows improvement in the next twelve months the treaty has a real chance; if the global recession continues or deepens, climate change legislation and treaties may fall victim to more pressing day-to-day economic concerns.

Tags: climate change, conference, Kyoto, legislation, President Obama, United Nations

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 12:42 pm You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Maureen O’Connor on the UN Climate Change Conference”

Self Esteem says:

January 13, 2010 at 4:04 am

Thank you so much, there aren’t enough posts on this… keep up the good work

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Maureen O’Connor on the UN Climate Change Conference

One Response to “Maureen O’Connor on the UN Climate Change Conference”