Except for those who enjoyed their government funded working vacation, of course. They had a great time…..well, eating, since no alcohol is allowed in the Muslim nation of Qatar. As for the talks themselves, really, when you hold them in the world’s 3rd highest “Carbon polluting” nation, it’s no wonder they failed. (Reuters) gives it the old college try in trying to rescue the outcome
Almost 200 nations extended a weakened United Nations plan for combating global warming until 2020 on Saturday with a modest set of measures that would do nothing to halt rising world greenhouse gas emissions.
Many countries and environmentalists said the deal at the end of marathon two-week U.N. talks in OPEC-member Qatar would fail to slow rising temperatures or avert more floods, droughts, heatwaves and rising sea levels. (hey, look, hotcoldwetdry!)
Environment ministers extended until 2020 the Kyoto Protocol, which obliges about 35 industrialised nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions until the end of 2012. That keeps the pact alive as the sole legally binding climate plan.
Problem is, only 37 countries of 194 actually signed on to the extension of Kyoto. Many others offer a non-binding “declaration of intent.” Canada, New Zealand, Russia, and even Japan, the nation for which the original protocol was conceived, opted out. For those who committed, that only covers 15% of mankind’s CO2 output.
They did agree to steal raise around $100 billion dollars in aid for developing nations, but there is no framework nor is there any binding commitment to do so.
Britain was a big force in pushing the extension and binding themselves to hosing their economy even more with “green” targets and spending billions. Um, yeah
More snow is expected to fall in the south east (of Britain) from Monday as bitterly cold north-easterly winds continue to bring temperatures as low as 14F (-10C), icy roads and freezing fog.
My bad, I forgot that now cold weather is caused by heat trapping gases.
Fortunately for climate partiers, this means that there will be more United Nations meetings in luxuries vacations spots in future years, where they can talk to their hearts content about reducing Other People’s carbon footprints before jumping back in their fossil fueled airplanes. For COP19, it will be in an Eastern Europe nation, to be decided by whomever provides the best party atmosphere, and which will be amusing as hell, since Eastern Europe has had 4 straight miserable winters, with very cold temps and lots of winter weather.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Gee Teach it has been real warm here in the Northeast. I guess you have to go 3000 miles or so to find someplace with below normal temps. Any snow in Abu Dhabi ?