As Poor Countries Walk Out of Climate Talks, Venezuela Calls on Industrial Nations to Take Action

[polly7]

By Claudia Salerno and Amy Goodman

Source: Democracy Now

Friday, November 22, 2013

A group of 133 developing nations have walked out of a key part of the climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, amidst a conflict over how countries who have historically emitted the most greenhouse gases should be held financially responsible for some of the damage caused by extreme weather in nations with low carbon emissions. The United States, Australia, Canada and other industrialized countries are pushing for the issue — known as loss and damage — to be put off until after the 2015 climate talks in Paris. "When you see developed countries being so bold to tell you that they are not even considering reducing their emissions, that they are not even considering paying for the costs that those inactions have on the life of others, that is really rude and hard to handle it politically," says Claudia Salerno, the lead climate negotiator for Venezuela, which is a member of the G77+China group that walked out. "We are heading to a point in which countries are not ready to take responsibility for their acts, and in this case, even more pathetic, they are not wanting to be." Salerno became famous at the 2009 U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen when she banged her hand against the table in an attempt to be heard, hitting it so vigorously that it began to bleed. Her country is set to host a ministerial meeting next year ahead of the 2014 U.N. climate summit in Peru, where it will welcome the input of civil society.

AMY GOODMAN: We are broadcasting from Warsaw, Poland, at the U.N. climate summit, known as COP 19. A group of 133 developing nations and China walked out of a key part of the climate talks here in Warsaw early this morning over a dispute with industrialized nations. The conflict centers on how countries who have historically emitted the most greenhouse gases should be held financially responsible for damages caused by extreme weather. The United States, Australia, Canada and other industrialized countries are pushing for the issue, known as loss and damage, to be put off until after the 2015 climate talks in Paris.

The walkout occurred just hours after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed his plan to hold a special climate summit of world leaders in New York next September. He urged governments to put forth more ambitious plans to cut carbon emissions, saying, quote, "current pledges are simply inadequate."

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON: The latest IPCC report confirms that our planet is continuing to warm. Sea levels are rising, and ice caps are melting. Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. We are the first humans ever to breathe air with 400 ppm of carbon dioxide. Warmer ocean surface temperatures and higher sea levels contributed to the strength of Typhoon Haiyan and the devastation it caused the Philippines. This disaster is more than a wake-up call. It is a very serious alarm. Typhoon Haiyan puts an anguished human face on our struggle to combat the extreme weather and other consequences of climate change.

Full article: http://www.zcommunications.org/as-poor-countries-walk-out-of-climate-talks-venezuela-calls-on-industrial-nations-to-take-action-by-claudia-salerno.html

Democracy Now: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/11/20/as_poor_countries_walk_out_of

[Cleita]

1. I've been watching Democracy Now! all week.

From what I can determine, it seems the coal and other energy polluters have taken over the talks. I think the grass roots activists and environmentalists are going to have to hold their own talks to brainstorm solutions and actions. Maybe they can organize over the internet because it would be costly to do so otherwise. It will have to be a global effort though.

[polly7]

2. I agree with you Cleita.

I've been just sick watching these talks and seeing the same old by the top polluters - who are never going to take responsibility and do what's best for the planet as long as there's profit to be made in destroying it.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Kick, rec. n/t