"Activists rate Copenhagen pact."

[Clio the Leo]

Activists rate Copenhagen pact.
By MATT NEGRIN | 12/18/09 9:06 PM

Here's how some prominent environmental activists responded to the climate agreement President Barack Obama helped broker in Copenhagen Friday:

— David Doniger, the policy director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's climate center, told POLITICO from Copenhagen: "Basically, this is a very substantial breakthrough, and now we're going to have a real effort that involves all the countries that contribute significantly to the global warming pollution, and making cuts in that pollution."

As Doniger was speaking to POLITICO, Xie Zhenhua, China's top climate negotiator, walked by with "a big smile on his face," Doniger said. "He's reached an agreement. They are members of this agreement."

— Tony Kreindler, a spokesman for the Environmental Defense Fund who said he hadn't slept in 10 days, told POLITICO: "I'll be honest with you -- we've known for a long time that Copenhagen was not going to produce the deal that was going to be where we need to be in the long run. And that's OK, frankly, because as the president said very clearly today, our own particular future when it comes to rebuilding the economy with clean-energy jobs and actually doing something about climate change is not dependent about diplomats and the U.N. process; it's dependent on what we do at home and in the U.S. Senate."

"There was no room for failure, and Obama came through and was able to get an agreement," he added. "The process is a difficult one, but the president took a risk, was bold and walked away with an agreement. I think that's a pretty good thing."

— Bill McKibben, the founder of the climate change group 350.org, e-mailed POLITICO from Copenhagen: "I thought it marked the beginning of the end of the UN. We've never taken it seriously for war and peace, and now carbon and global warming are off the table. And in turn we've got a league of carbon foxes to share guard duty over the henhouse. I think the most depressing part is that it will probably play well politically in the US. Progressives worked their heart out for a guy who has gutted one of the most progressive ideas of the last century."

(Shortly after Obama's speech earlier in the day, McKibben had e-mailed: "Take it or leave it, my way or the highway, history doesn't count. A really disappointing speech.")

— Gene Karpinski, the president of the League of Conservation Voters, released this statement: "While there is still much work to be done, the deal reached in Copenhagen is a breakthrough for international climate cooperation and provides a path forward towards a binding global treaty in 2010. Significantly, the United States and China will -- for the first time -- both be at the table, working to tackle the historic challenge of global climate change."

"Moving forward, it is absolutely critical that the U.S. lead by example and work swiftly to enact comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation next year. We applaud President Obama for his leadership in helping to reach this important step toward a meaningful agreement."

http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1209/about_that_deal_64249a6d-89b7-4b92-8201-67a15506e7e0.html

And a related tidbit...

Obama apparently walked in on a gathering of Chinese, Indian, Brazilian and other leaders, saying he didn't want them meeting in secret. ... Press pool report said Obama entered and called out from the door, “Mr. Premier, are you ready to see me? Are you ready?”

http://twitter.com/abettel

[Cha]

1. Pres Obama is over there doing

gargantuan work and here we are on DU reading what a weakling..I can't wait for the Pendulum to Swing!

[Cha]

2. OT, Clio..Did you get one of these?

Pretty amazing to me being the untech not savvy internet user.:)

http://holiday.barackobama.com/?fname=Cha

[Clio the Leo]

3. Pretty cool!NT

[Cha]

4. I thought so.. Did I feel

special or what!

[Clio the Leo]

5. you are special! NT

[Cha]

7. You're right..we're all special..

but what a way to be reminded!:P

[IndianaGreen]

6. I don't know about Politico, but here what Bill McKibben of 350,org had to say

Bill McKibben, author and founder of 350.org, gave the following statement:

"This is a declaration that small and poor countries don't matter, that international civil society doesn't matter, and that serious limits on carbon don't matter. The president has wrecked the UN and he's wrecked the possibility of a tough plan to control global warming. It may get Obama a reputation as a tough American leader, but it's at the expense of everything progressives have held dear. 189 countries have been left powerless, and the foxes now guard the carbon henhouse without any oversight."

Kumi Naidoo, The Executive Director of Greenpeace, stated:

"Not fair, not ambitious and not legally binding. The job of world leaders is not done. Today they failed to avert catastrophic climate change.
The city of Copenhagen is a climate crime scene tonight, with the guilty men and women fleeing to the airport in shame. World leaders had a once in a generation chance to change the world for good, to avert catastrophic climate change. In the end they produced a poor deal full of loopholes big enough to fly Air Force One through.

We have seen a year of crises, but today it is clear that the biggest one facing humanity is a leadership crisis."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/18/meaningful-agreement-whit_n_397561.html

Extensive analysis of the Copenhagen talks has been put forth by pundits across the political spectrum. In many ways, the scientific bottom line is the most important story here, and it's a story that few are telling.

Which is why we're so grateful to the scientists and statisticians and Climate Interactive, who have presented us with these stark figures about the proposals on the table. Here's the scoreboard right now.



or with a bit more detail:



http://www.350.org/about/blogs/diagnosis-inadequate