From the "it was bound to happen" file, Agence France-Presse reports the White House is already expressing "strong concerns" about the minimalist climate change deal reached at Bali.
As negotiators headed home after two weeks of intense haggling, the White House complained that the agreement did not do enough to commit major emerging economies such as China and India to big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
It underlined lingering division over how to confront the perils of global warming, which scientists warn will put millions of people at risk of hunger, homelessness and disease by the end of the century if temperatures keep rising at current rates.
An isolated US delegation had backed down during an unplanned 13th day of talks and said it would finally accept the deal, but hours later US President George W. Bush's administration counter-attacked.
The White House said any Kyoto successor treaty must acknowledge a nation's sovereign right to pursue economic growth and energy security.
While there were several positive aspects to the Bali deal, it added, the "United States does have serious concerns about other aspects of the decision as we begin the negotiations."
The drama of Bali will be minor compared to the poker game when talks on a new treaty reach crunch point, said Fernando Tudela, Mexico's under-secretary for environmental policy.
"The mother of all battles will be in 2009," he cautioned. "This is just a warm-up."
As negotiators headed home after two weeks of intense haggling, the White House complained that the agreement did not do enough to commit major emerging economies such as China and India to big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
It underlined lingering division over how to confront the perils of global warming, which scientists warn will put millions of people at risk of hunger, homelessness and disease by the end of the century if temperatures keep rising at current rates.
An isolated US delegation had backed down during an unplanned 13th day of talks and said it would finally accept the deal, but hours later US President George W. Bush's administration counter-attacked.
The White House said any Kyoto successor treaty must acknowledge a nation's sovereign right to pursue economic growth and energy security.
While there were several positive aspects to the Bali deal, it added, the "United States does have serious concerns about other aspects of the decision as we begin the negotiations."
The drama of Bali will be minor compared to the poker game when talks on a new treaty reach crunch point, said Fernando Tudela, Mexico's under-secretary for environmental policy.
"The mother of all battles will be in 2009," he cautioned. "This is just a warm-up."
Good catch.
ReplyDeleteWatch Canada follow.
Hi KNB. Not sure that Canada's isn't actually leading instead of following. Unless and until you hear Baird abandon "intensity based" emission cuts, we're faking it anyway. You can't have the accord Bali contemplates and the Tar Sands, there's just no way. Talk, however, is cheap and a great way to muddle and delay. The sad part of it is that these jackasses could be responsible for the deaths of far more innocents than any terrorist, or even all of them put together, could ever cause. What do you think would happen if they were put on notice that they might just be help personally responsible for these deaths ten or twenty years down the road? I'll bet you loud mouth thugs like Baird would vanish back into their holes very quickly.
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