UN climate talks in China end without breakthrough

[ScienceRocks]

UN climate talks in China end without breakthrough
BBCNews.com, Oct. 10, 2010

UN climate talks in China have ended without a major breakthrough and with angry words about the US from Beijing.

At the talks in Tianjin, China blamed the US for failing to meet its responsibilities to cut emissions and for trying to overturn UN principles.

The US accused China of refusing to have its voluntary energy savings verified internationally.

But there was some progress toward the next round of climate talks in Mexico in November.

There are hopes that the meeting in Cancun could agree details of a fund to transfer $100bn (£63bn) a year from rich countries to help poor nations cope with the projected consequences of climate change.

That sum is described by developing nations as substantial but inadequate.

'Preening pig'

It has been the old deadlock in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin during the week-long talks.

China feels unfairly criticised by the US.

On Saturday, one of the Chinese climate negotiators reportedly accused the US of behaving like a preening pig, complaining about Beijing when Washington had done so little itself.

The head of the US delegation, Jonathan Pershing, was more diplomatic.

But he said that there could be no US signature on any binding deal that did not also bind China - America's superpower rival.

Despite general frustration at the superpower stand-off, there was some progress in Tianjin.

If the $100bn fund can be agreed in Cancun, it will prove that these talks are not dead.

If even this part of the package falls, diplomats in Tianjin are warning it will threaten the future of multilateral action between nations of the world on anything.

BBC News - UN climate talks in China end without breakthrough

 

[Trajan]

tis is great they have no shame and beat the crap ot of us, because at the end of the day who the heck R we or anyone to tell them what to do

At the talks in Tianjin, China blamed the US for failing to meet its responsibilities to cut emissions and for trying to overturn UN principles.

aside from that they are opening a new coal fired power plant every several weeks....and have no desire to hamstring their economy for no gain to please anyone....good for them.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Why can't China be more anti-business, like the USA?

 

[Old Rocks]

As long as China can stall us on an agreement, we will do nothing here in the states to create new energy sources. And that suits China just fine, for they are going full speed ahead on the development of alternative energies.

Renewable Energy Investments - China U.S. Renewable Energy Spending - The Daily Green

Clean Energy Jobs) Race?
U.S. investments in renewable energy lag behind China and even Europe. Why? The answer might surprise you.
March 29, 2010 at 9:19AM by Jim DiPeso | 3 comments

0diggsdigg
Buzz up!
Those who oppose U.S. action to limit carbon pollution often say that it wouldn't do any good because China's emissions growth would overwhelm any emissions reductions that we make.

They say we should not do anything unless and until China acts. We should let China take the lead. It certainly is puzzling to hear self-proclaimed conservatives saying that America should forsake global leadership on a critical issue and defer to the world's largest communist country.

In any event, here's a news flash: China is not waiting for the U.S. to make up its collective mind about reducing carbon emissions. Chinese investments in low-carbon energy technologies are outpacing America's. As Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) told the Bipartisan Policy Center last week (yes, there is such a thing in hyper-polarized Dee Cee), the U.S. is in danger of falling behind. "We are at risk of losing the race to develop alternative energy and new technologies to China," said Collins, who, together with Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell, is backing a cap-and-dividend bill to put a price on carbon, auction emissions allowances, and return 75 percent of the proceeds to the taxpayers.

Critics of carbon curbs might dismiss Collins' statement as a way to hype her bill. Let's look at some numbers. A new Pew study estimates that $162 billion was invested globally in renewable energy and biofuels last year, up 230 percent from 2005, despite the weak economy. Given their financial heft, the G-20 countries dominated clean energy investments. And who was number 1? China, with $34.6 billion invested. The U.S. was second, at only $18.6 billion. If you count the European Union's 27 countries as one bloc, the EU was tops at $41.1 billion, making the U.S. a distant third.



Read more: Renewable Energy Investments - China U.S. Renewable Energy Spending - The Daily Green

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Democrats: the Party of Economic Suicide, too far left even for the ChiComs.