Environment

Obama's Interim Copenhagen Accord To Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

by amyellensoden | December 21, 2009 at 09:33 am

305 views | 52 Recommendations | 5 comments

Now that the Copenhagen Climate Summit has come to a close, the main topic of discussion seems to be US President Barrack Obama's formation of an interim international agreement known as the Copenhagen Accord. The accord begins the process for both rich and poor countries alike to start cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions. Although a deal was made by the end of the climate summit, many people are already taking issue with the agreement's flaws, believing it is not a proper solution. To many involved in the Copenhagen Summit, this interim accord leaves many questions unanswered and prominent issues unaddressed.

Leaders from up to 20 countries such as India, Brazil, China, and South Africa joined forces with Obama to form the Copenhagen Accord on Saturday. The accord commits to greenhouse gas emission cuts for each country, but it's clear that there is still a long road ahead on the journey to effective climate change. The Copenhagen Accord is not yet a legally binding treaty, and failure to achieve emission reductions will not be penalized. Many leaders and people involved are already concerned about the accord, specifically with the fact that this was a side deal made by only a few nations. Others believe it was a last effort to form some kind of deal that left many divided and was only accepted grudgingly.

In the end, all that was produced was an interim accord barely worth the name. It was bitterly attacked by many environmentalists, and even its chief architect, President Barack Obama, admitted the pact was "not enough" and that "we have a long way to go."

Many believe that the Copenhagen Accord has little merit and validity as it has not yet formally been passed as climate legislation. The temporary interim Copenhagen Accord is the result of the two-week process of climate discussions, however, it does not offer any binding kind of limit on greenhouse gas emissions. The deal instead is more of a bid to take action against greenhouse gas emissions, but does not offer any strategic action plan.

Although the interim Copenhagen Accord is still in its formative stages, there is already reason to hope that it will bring positive change for our global climate. Developing countries such as India and China evidently expressed a willingness to participate and be involved on the same level as richer countries, which suggests that every nation can make a difference. It remains to be seen what will become of the interim Copenhagen Accord and how it will take effect in both rich and poor countries throughout the World.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 17:43 on December 21st, 2009

You bet Sara, yet he arrived in the snow storm and had to leave Marine 1 at Andrews AFB. Gimme a break.

Uwe Paschen

at 16:01 on December 21st, 2009

"Many believe that the Copenhagen Accord has little merit and validity as it has not yet formally been passed as climate legislation. " I would be one of the many to concur that nothing or next to nothing has been achieved in Copenhagen.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 17:56 on December 21st, 2009

What the so-called Copenhagen Agreement did, and that is what it is, it effectively voided the Kyoto Accord.

I have to agree with Paschen and Sara on this issue. Most developing nations called it "Something to Hold on To". That says it all.

The White House can spin it any way they want and spin it they did. A clue to what the deal is worth can be seen by the happy reaction of the Harper government. Jim Prentice, Canada's Energy Minister calls it a perfect deal. What exactly did they all sign on to? They signed on to do as they please and no one can check on them. Wow some deal.

Chinese Premier snubs Obama twice

UK’s The Independent reports China’s Premier Wen Jiabao twice avoided meeting with President Obama at the Copenhagen climate change summit:

“At an emergency meeting convened at the Bella Center this morning, Barack Obama and Gordon Brown assembled 26 heads of state in an attempt to revive a deal. But China’s Premier Wen Jiabao did not attend and was replaced by vice foreign minister He Yafei.

This afternoon, the US president and his secretary of state Hillary Clinton called another meeting with China, but were snubbed again when only three low-level Chinese delegates arrived.”

China has expressed alarmed at the rate the United States — under the Obama Administration — is printing and spending money. Apparently this hasn’t gotten President Obama’s attention, at least not if his recent efforts to mobilize more spending for climate change are any indication. Perhaps this is the Premier’s way of getting Obama’s attention.

t k kidwai

at 17:56 on December 21st, 2009

Copenhagen summit was almost like a jamboree,with more promises from rich countries to poor countries,former bahaving like masters,later like modern slaves.

Whatever was agreed upon to evolve a face saving formula,a mask for thick-skinned and shameless world leaders,agreement is likely to conceive more agreements with face saving formulae,nothing legally binding.Let us await one more jamboree after Kyoto protocol,Copenhagen Accord.