BBC: US faces climate talks dilemma (rich countries compensating poor ones)

[pampango]

There has been a historic shift in the UN climate talks in Qatar, with the prospect of rich nations having to compensate poor nations for losses due to climate change.

The US has fiercely opposed the measure - it says the cost could be unlimited. But after angry tussles throughout the night the principle of Loss and Damage is now in the final document.

If the US is left alone fighting against the chair's text, its negotiators face a dilemma - either to bow to the majority and accept that the nations which caused climate change bear a moral responsibility to other nations damaged by it, or to refuse to sign.

If the US vetoes the text, President Barack Obama will be accused of hypocrisy and failure after re-committing himself to tackling climate change since his re-election.

If he agrees the text he will face criticism from Republicans, whilst he tries to negotiate his own deal over US government.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20650534

Looks like it is crunch time at the climate talks.

[ReRe]

1. Global Externalities

So, has anyone spoken about figures? How much are they asking for? The USA isn't the only big country in the world that has contributed to the poisoning of our planet. And actually, if you think about it, the real culprits of climate change aren't the countries, necessarily. The culprits are CORPORATIONS, Oil Companies!!! and yeah, USA's MIC and the wars it perpetuates, and all these atmosphere polluting vehicles we've been transporting ourselves around in all over the planet for a hundred years.

Yeah, the USA has been running away from this responsibility a long long time. It's about time we sat down and talked about this at the climate talks. It's a problem, and it's not going away. If you brake it, you pay for it. Why is that so hard for the industrialized nations to understand?

I say, first, arrive at an overall figure. Second, haggle it out with other countries, i.e. how you're going to divvy the cost up between nations. Third, bring the bill home and figure out how much is the government's responsibility (from the MIC) and how much is the responsibility of the Corporations. Fourth, go back to the climate talks and haggle out a payment plan. And fifth, figure out how to reduce emissions back to 350 and how long it's going to take to get there.

Yeah, I know. We're effed. Corporations will never pay their share, fair or not. . They're somehow exempt from the damage they do to Mother Nature and the living organisms that walk and live upon her ground, fly in her air and swim in her oceans.