At the UN climate change conference the richest nation of the world generously pledged 15 million - rest of the world 5 billion! China pledged to cut carbon emissions 40-45% by 2020. Obama kicked the can down the road saying the US will present its plan at the next yearsh conference., ignoring Ban Ki-moon requesting specific pledges at this conference. Record rainfalls, droughts, typhoons, melting ice and a forecast that it is no longer possible to limit temperature charge to 2 degC by centurys end and that we are dangerously close to irreversible calamity, not 400,000 marching in NY and millions of others throughout the world- none of this seems to compel timely action by the US. ............................... Report from Al Jazeera follows Obama said the U.S. and China, as the largest polluters, have a responsibility to lead, adding, “We recognize our role in creating this problem.” But, Obama said, No nation can meet this global threat alone. China, for its part, pledged carbon cuts of 40-45 percent by 2020 based on 2005 levels — more than double what the U.S. announced. About 120 world leaders gathered for the summit, organized on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked representatives to come to New York with specific pledges in hand to mitigate climate change, as a way to show they are serious about ambitious emissions reductions in the treaty. Some of the tools the U.S. intend to offer developing nations as part of efforts to combat climate change have been developed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. They are aimed at helping communities use data modeling, forecasting and science to anticipate the effects of global warming and to make decisions about the best way to lessen its impact. Secretary of State John Kerry also announced that the U.S. would contribute $15 million to a World Bank program designed to stimulate funding for projects that reduce methane pollution. But the pledges were modest compared to what some had hoped the U.S. would commit to. By mid-morning, other nations attending the summit had pledged at least $5 billion.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 04:21:58 +0000
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