Bonn Climate Talks: "It's As Though The US Negotiators Have Been Dipped In Aspic"

[hatrack]

EDIT

Differences may sharpen next week when countries start to discuss financing plans, but so far observers say it has mostly been business as usual. “We are seeing 196 parties trying to move forward and put the Paris accord into effect. They don’t want to let the US impede that progress,” said David Waskow of the World Resources Institute.

But participants from other nations said the change is already apparent. “It’s as though the US negotiators have been dipped in aspic,” said one delegate. “They are scared stiff of upsetting the White House. They try to be constructive, but they don’t want that known.”

Another delegate said: “We have lost the leadership the US used to provide. They have the best negotiating team and they are usually put forward strong arguments, but in talks this year, they have been quiet. You can feel they are a little lost. It must be so hard for them now. I sympathise.”

EDIT

Brian Schatz, a Democratic senator from Hawaii who is attending the Bonn talks, said members of Congress, including Republicans, were concerned over how the withdrawal has hurt America’s standing in the world. "If you show up at a climate conference to talk about coal, you’re likely to be ignored,” he said. “I think the We Are Still In delegation will get more attention than the executive branch. “We’ve gone from the indispensable leader to being the only country not engaged in climate change. Many people in Congress are troubled not only from a climate standpoint but a geopolitical standpoint. China is happy to take that leadership from us.”

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/09/bonn-climate-change-talks-us-two-tribes

[Irish_Dem]

1. China and Russia are thrilled, and ready to be the world's superpowers.

As we sink into third world status.