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Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 05:18 PM
Original message
Western nations 'used bullying tactics' at climate talks
Source: Guardian

Western nations 'used bullying tactics' at climate talks
World Development Movement report accuses developed countries of threatening behaviour at climate change summits
John Vidal guardian.co.uk, Saturday 26 November 2011 16.20 EST

http://static.guim.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/sys-images/guardian/About/General/2011/11/26/1322313840729/Connie-Hedegaard-007.jpg

EU commissioner Connie Hedegaard apparently suggested island states would be
good allies because they were desperate for money.
Photograph: Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images


Leading figures in western governments have been accused of using bullying tactics with developing countries during climate change summits.

The criticisms will cast a shadow over the climate conference in Durban, South Africa, which begins tomorrow, in the latest attempt to stabilise greenhouse gas levels around the world.

A new report, published by the World Development Movement, contains previously unpublished testimonies from insiders at both the Copenhagen and Cancún climate summits in 2009 and 2010. Officials of developing countries complain of divide-and-rule tactics and threats to withhold vital funds unless agreements are signed.

In one section the report criticises threats by richer countries to withdraw funds to help poorer nations cope with climate change if they failed to sign up to the accord. It says: "The US and the UK openly stated that climate finance would be limited to those that signed up to (it). Ed Miliband, the UK minister, was blunt about linking the funding of developing countries with accepting the accord. The concerns he raised must be duly noted, he said, 'otherwise we won't operationalise the funds'."



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/26/climate-change-talks-durban
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dipsydoodle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 05:26 PM
Response to Original message
1. Well that is a surprise
NOT.
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SoapBox Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 05:32 PM
Response to Original message
2. Ditto to the NOT even a surprise.
...big money...big power...big oil...

Lots to protect for the Self-Centered folks...it's all about "me" today and now...f*ck the future.
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jwirr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 08:10 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. And unfortunately the people who do not want to change are US.
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_eh Donating Member (161 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 01:17 PM
Response to Reply #4
14. Us isn't just U.S.
As a Canadian, I've been very disappointed with my government's obstructionist tactics on this issue, favoring money from filthy tar sands oil over the long-term health of the environment.
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ProgressiveProfessor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 05:33 PM
Response to Original message
3. Hyperbole and pejoratives are going to help things?
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 10:14 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Well, the truth might... /nt
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saras Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 10:49 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. They're worth a try, given how bad denialism and systemic dishonesty has failed.
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ProgressiveProfessor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Nov-26-11 11:33 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. Pejoratives and hyperbole are forms of dishonesty
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 12:42 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. The article rings of truth, not hyperbole.
It's a given that these conferences are rigged against the developing nations - they're the only ones who want real action. The first world is desperately fighting to retain the status quo. I'm glad the small nations are finally speaking their truth to a global audience. I'm surprised by how measured and deliberate their language was.
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ProgressiveProfessor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 03:11 PM
Response to Reply #8
15. All sides are pushing their own self interest
To hold China or India to a lesser standard is a bad joke.
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 07:22 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. You know what? It may not actually matter any more.
Humans are vomiting 30 billion tonnes of CO2 into the planet's air supply every year. It's already too late to avoid fucking up our own species' future and the future of tens or hundreds of thousands of other species into the bargain. We're well past the point where parochial niceties like economic fairness might have mattered. These climate negotiations have degenerated into a sick, macabre joke. It's abundantly clear that nothing will be done. Sauve qui peut, and we hope you have enjoyed your short flight on Spaceship Earth.

Is that hyperbolic enough for you?
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bitchkitty Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #3
11. You're kidding, right? n/t
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bemildred Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 11:07 AM
Response to Original message
9. Hey, it used to work.
:sarcasm:
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FarCenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 11:33 AM
Response to Original message
10. To be fair, each country should have the right to emit the same amount of carbon per person
Then countries which are using less than their fair share should be able to sell some of their rights to countries that are over-emitting.

(Of course, this would immediately bankrupt the US and most of the developed countries, but that's the problem, isn't it.)
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Islandlife Donating Member (135 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 01:06 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. There would still be great profits to be made on the commissions and futures
A lucky few who are able to coordinate the trade would become the next wave of multi-billionares(trillionaires?).
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Islandlife Donating Member (135 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 01:06 PM
Response to Reply #10
13. There would still be great profits to be made on the commissions and futures
A lucky few who are able to coordinate the trade would become the next wave of multi-billionares(trillionaires?).
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pampango Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-28-11 06:28 AM
Response to Reply #10
18. Fairness? What a concept! But everyone will ask how "fairness" works for ME.
One might think a mechanism for punishing polluters is admirable in principle. But if the costs of implementing that mechanism fall on ME, many will find that the mechanism suddenly looks a lot less "admirable". ;)
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-27-11 11:27 PM
Response to Original message
17. Kick for a problem that people think is political and economic, but in fact isn't.
The political/economic framing is just being used to keep us from noticing that the problem is one of physics, chemistry and the evolved human desire to be the last animal standing.

Rich? Poor? Developed? Underdeveloped? 1%? 99%? Whatever, carbon dioxide doesn't give a shit. It just keeps on warming up the planet. While we just pretend that we have a "political" problem so we can keep on pretending that tomorrow will look pretty much like yesterday with more beachfront.

This is a truly sick macabre shadow-play we're watching...
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