Will the next two days shake the world?

There is now just today and tomorrow left in the COP 15 climate talks in Copenhagen. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to arrive here soon. Not that he will be of any help. If anything, he will continue to be a detriment to achieving the meaningful climate justice agreement that is so vitally needed.

Please take this moment to respond to our 'ACTION ALERT: Denounce the emissions targets in leaked Harper document' at http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=2551 [1].

The CBC reports that, "The draft texts being debated hinge on four key issues:

1. Emissions cuts: Industrialized nations are being pressured to cut back on emissions, while major developing nations like China and India are being asked to curb emission growth.

2. Financing: Richer nations are being asked to finance initiatives to help fight climate change in developing nations, but there is disagreement over how much climate aid should be given, and how it should be distributed.

3. Monitoring: The U.S. and developed nations are pushing for international verification of emissions actions by developing nations, but China, India and others are resisting any verification program.

4. Legal Form: Some nations want to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, while others - including the U.S. -would like a separate agreement that includes major developing nations."

Harper has the consistency of being on the wrong side of all these issues.

The Globe and Mail adds that, "Delegates and observers from 193 countries complained about near fruitless negotiations that went almost round the clock as Friday's deadline draws near."

"Negotiating documents published on the website of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change show entire paragraphs, even pages, of text bracketed, the term used by negotiators to determine areas where no consensus exists."

"They include the maximum temperature-increase goal (1 C, 1.5 C and 2 C were the options), the rich countries' emissions-reduction target by 2050 (the range was 75 to 95 per cent) and, crucially, almost all areas of funding to fight climate change."

The National Post rather devastatingly lists the dozen or so areas where there is still no agreement.

The news reports are at http://www.nationalpost.com/m/story.html?id=2349699&s=Today [2]'s%20Newspaper, http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change/as-climate-deadline-nears-much-left-up-in-the-air/article1403227/?service=mobile [3], and http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/12/16/climate-conference-protest.html [4].

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