Climate reality: Voluntary efforts not enough

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJCA2jlifc0v3BYsH42f7mctse6AD9CMKK7O0

Climate reality: Voluntary efforts not enough

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP)

COPENHAGEN — Around the world, countries and capitalism are already working to curb global warming on their own, with or without a global treaty.

In Brazil more rainforests are being saved, and in Chicago there's a voluntary carbon pollution trading system. People recycle, buy smaller and newer cars, and change lightbulbs.

But the impact of such piecemeal, voluntary efforts is small. Experts say it will never be enough without the kind of strong global agreement that eluded negotiators at the U.N. summit this past week in Copenhagen.

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But analysis by the United Nations and outside management systems experts show that those voluntary reductions will not keep temperatures from increasing by more than 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with now. That's the level that scientists, the United Nations, the European Union and the Obama administration have said the world cannot afford.

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