The COP15 balloon appears to have lost all it’s air. Nobody’s signing up.
Excerpts from reports in the Guardian and the Financial Times
From the Guardian
The UN has dropped the 31 January deadline by which time all countries were expected to officially state their emission reduction targets or list the actions they planned to take to counter climate change.
Yvo de Boer, UN climate change chief, today changed the original date set at last month’s fractious Copenhagen climate summit, saying that it was now a “soft” deadline, which countries could sign up to when they chose. “I do not expect everyone to meet the deadline. Countries are not being asked if they want to adhere… but to indicate if they want to be associated [with the Copenhagen accord].
The timetable to reach a global deal to tackle climate change lay in tatters on Wednesday after the UN waived the first deadline of the process laid out at last month’s fractious Copenhagen summit.
From the Financial Times:
UN abandons climate change deadline
Nations agreed then to declare their emissions reduction targets by the end of this month. Developed countries would state their intended cuts by 2020: developing countries would outline how they would curb emissions growth.
…
Countries pushing for a new legally binding treaty on climate change will be disappointed, as The waiving of the deadline sets a bad precedent for efforts to finalise a deal this year. The next scheduled meeting is not until late May, in Germany, with another in late November, in Mexico but many officials say more will be needed.
…
The result of Tuesday’s Massachusetts senatorial election, which took away Barack Obama’s super-majority in the Senate, is likely to push climate change further down the US agenda. It was the latest in a series of setbacks that have caused efforts to push a cap-and-trade bill through the Senate to grind to a halt, making it harder for the White House to participate meaningfully in global climate negotiations.
Instead, the administration has been pressing ahead with steps to limit the US’s carbon emissions through regulation. The Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled new draft rules that would sharply tighten regulations on smog-building pollutants, or ground-level ozone, and has cracked down on greenhouse gas emissions by ruling that carbon dioxide and five other gases pose a danger to health.
h/t’s to WUWT readers Thomas Chisolm and Bruce Foutch
“AlanG (01:28:25) :
OT, but comes under the heading of ‘amateur scientist beats professionals at their own game’. Here are some really beautiful astronomical pictures taken by an amateur with an 8 inch telescope from his garden shed. Worth a look: http://www.astropix.co.uk/”
Two Italian amatuers during the US space programs successfully determined the transmitter frequency based on the length of the antena on recovery capsules in media pictures. They tuned in, listened and recorded. They have (Still have, I am not sure.) hours and hours of radio communications. I think they had NASA fooled for a while (But that doesn’t appear to be too difficult these days).
I thought the ‘accord’ was non-binding anyway. Besides, nobody met their Kyoto obligations and I don’t remember anything happening from that.
So what does happen if you don’t obey a UN document that you’ve signed? Assuming you’re a ‘western’ nation and not a tin pot economy. It’s not like they’re going to send the troops in.
I think I’d like to live in Norway or Switzerland. I know they are a bit crazy but they also have that two-fingers-to-the-rest-of-you attitude.
Les Francis (01:55:26) :
Some of those democratic countries that have allegedly signed the accord might find that a change of government might ” unsign it” with the excuse that the signing was never ratified by a referendum of their people.
Heh….if only!
We kicked out our previous administration a year ago….(our Prime Minister is now third in command at the UN….please accept my apologies for that!).
Guess what…….nothing changed!!
We are one of those stupid countries that signed that ridiculous agreement at Copenhagen, they started taxing us months ago and at the end of last year, raised them a bit for some people and told some others that they were exempt.
My house is now full of CFL’s and I very nearly had to change my shower head and hot water system….in the last year Fuel has had about 15cp/l more tax added to it….CO2, it’s a scary problem. Haven’t you heard?
Apparently, we have to pay some people somewhere some money for some air we used in order to keep good with our Kyoto obligations….AWESOME!!
As Borat would say: ‘Great Success USandA!! Hi Five!!’
UK people have this to look forward to:
http://www.andybarefoot.com/politics/cameron.php
“brc (02:24:43) :
I thought the ‘accord’ was non-binding anyway. Besides, nobody met their Kyoto obligations and I don’t remember anything happening from that.”
It laid the framework for “carbon trading systems” to be implemented, like the EU ETS deployed since about 2003 (I think) etc etc which vast sums of money has been raised (And massive fraud with it too), but that’s OK ‘coz it will save the planet our politicians have said so.
In Australia, we met our “obligations” by preventing people from managing their land.
Les Francis (01:55:26) :
Some of those democratic countries that have allegedly signed the accord might find that a change of government might ” unsign it” with the excuse that the signing was never ratified by a referendum of their people.
Why should they bother? The accord was just non-binding fluff, something to take home to justify the expense reports.
Now the fight shifts back home, specifically with the “evil rich polluters” that are the “developed” nations. Now we see whether the legislation back home will stand or be repealed, in those countries who were willing to join the first charge and sacrifice anything to fight Climate Change, and are just now breaking through the smoke and fog to see the cliff edge…
Who’s going to sign the end of the industrial revolution. This is worse then the people that tried to burn all the books in the library of Alexandra!
“They can’t attack the science so they attack the chairman. But they won’t sink me. I am the unsinkable Molly Brown. In fact, I will float much higher”
Comment by Rajendra Pachauri from here http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/20/ipcc-himalayan-glaciers-mistake.
Via Tim Worstall. Whose headline says it all.
Isn’t the USA the world’s only country where CO2 is offically declared a danger to health?
I stand by my prediction that by the end of this year it will be a political liability to even mention climate change.
“Had a really good laugh last night, Channel 4 screened “Sunshine” even with a foreword by Danny Boyle. Unbelievable! Not the film, but that people actually thought the script was credible in the first instance.”
I was going to mention Sunshine this week but kept forgetting to. The premise of the movie was basically our skeptic position, hence the movie got almost no distribution even though it was a mainstream slasher fest. Imagine if State of Fear was adapted.
View from the Solent (03:26:24) :
“They can’t attack the science so they attack the chairman. But they won’t sink me. I am the unsinkable Molly Brown. In fact, I will float much higher”
Comment by Rajendra Pachauri
********************************
Well, non-fully digested food also floats. That is probably a more apt description of Pachauri
“brc (02:24:43) :
I thought the ‘accord’ was non-binding anyway. Besides, nobody met their Kyoto obligations and I don’t remember anything happening from that.”
Kyoto laid the framework for carbon trading systems. The EU ETS is about the only one of any significance, along with all the fraud. It’s raised shedloads of cash, of which is being used to fund corporarte welfare, Govn’t revenue streams, or stealing in other words. But I guess it offsets the guilt of people in Europe. Shame it’s so cold up there right now, everyone guzzling all that power just to keep warm.
The UN is the temple of the Cult of Global Warming with outreach programs called Copenhagen 15 and Mexico City 16, which have been similar to past hysterical venues. Adherents include East Anglia, NASA, the NOAA, and even smaller organizations like Scripps.
This cult teaches its AGW religion in the majority of university and grade schools across the world; it utilizes the Lame Stream Media to bolster its message and uses business leaders and politicians as pawns in the massive deception foisted on an unsuspecting and gullible world in their pursuit of power and money.
Truly they embody the definition of a cult, which is: “an extreme or excessive admiration for a person, philosophy of life, or activity”, to the detriment of the occupants of this earth.
Yet theirs is a cult doomed to failure as they embrace “beliefs regarded by others as misguided, unorthodox, extremist, or FALSE.”
The truth shall prevail; Mother Nature will demonstrate it, honest researchers will report on it, and Denialists/Realists/Dissidents shall point it out. The masses will open their eyes and leave this cult in droves.
Not to worry, the UK has already taken the lead and will be a beacon the the world. After nodding into law the 2009 climate change bill, one of the main planks of the legislation becomes operative this year – Carbon Reduction Commitment.
All organisations with an annual energy usage of at least 6,000 MWhrs are required to participate. They must hand in an annual CO2 emission statement to the government and in April 2011 must buy certificates from the government at £12 for each ton of CO2. The income from this will be redistributed back to the participants based on how much CO2 they have saved the following year.
By 2013 phase 2 kicks in. Whereas in phase 1, unlimited certificates will be available for £12/ton, in phase 2 the quantity will be capped at whatever level the government decides, and the certificates will be auctioned.
The penalties for non compliance will be similar to that for non completion of company accounts and/or late payment or under payment of tax. Of course, a number of companies are standing to make a lot of money helping the bigger companies comply – you can see their ads on the internet. And all this extra cost will be in addition to the quadrupling of energy prices the OfGen report has now predicted for 2020.
Isn’t it great that Britain is leading the way?
Zis is all ze more reason vhy ve need GLOBAL GOVERNANCE.
Mmmmhmmmhmmwha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Daniel H (00:46:41) :
“Translation: Of the 110 countries that crafted the Copenhagen Accord, less than 24 have actually agreed to be associated with it.
I suspect that the majority of signatory nations are despotic banana republics…”
You got that right. Australia has signed apparantly.
Climategate and ‘Glaciergate’ at least give a fig leaf to cover any government’s embarrassment if they want to back away from Copenhagen.
And also to back away from AGW in general : once a political party, usually in opposition, adopts an anti-AGW stance they can point to the destructive policies adopted by governments in power. As the majority of people seem to be generally skeptical it could be a vote winner : why harm the country for no real gain?
AGW can only survive in a credulous and uncritical environment, but it also seems like the mainstream media is starting to grow in its’ opposition to AGW.
I personally feel that we have passed a tipping point, and that AGW could crash to the ground quite rapidly, there is nothing holding it up.
Unfortunately, my Congressman is none other than ‘Fast Eddie’ Markey (as WRKO’s Howie Carr calls him). I actually wasted time emailing him last month, suggesting he take another look at the myths surrounding CAGW, but of course never got a response.
I don’t expect there is much chance of curtailing the renegade EPA in this Congress, but come November. . .
/Mr Lynn
mkurbo (22:51:40) :
…
“More important, the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts is just the tip of a much larger iceberg. The tide is turning towards fiscal responsibility by government (because there is no more money)”…
I wish you were correct about that but unfortunately it looks like congress plans to “solve” the problem by going deeper into debt:
“Democrats seek to up debt ceiling by $1.9 trillion.
Upping the ante just a day after losing their 60th Senate seat, Democrats moved Wednesday to seek a $1.9 trillion increase in the federal debt ceiling and give the Treasury adequate borrowing authority past November’s elections and into next year. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31759.html#ixzz0dFpBaSvQ ”
The moral to this story is; never underestimate the ability of government to be incompetent, fiscally irresponsible, and totally clueless.
Flooding in California. They said devastating drought. This goes against the climate promise. What is convicted felon George Soros investing in? Does Joe Romm his sock puppet make a commission?
I suspect Pachauri will approach several countries and use this as a mandate for them to acquuier consulting services from him.
Our country can’t make the deadline. America hasn’t authorized the treaty in congress.
Vincent (04:30:49) : said: “Isn’t it great that Britain is leading the way?” – Yes, further down the pan, again!
It’s time to remove the word “Great” from Great Britain….
@ur momisugly Patrick Davis:
“Two Italian amatuers during the US space programs successfully determined the transmitter frequency based on the length of the antena on recovery capsules in media pictures. They tuned in, listened and recorded. They have (Still have, I am not sure.) hours and hours of radio communications. I think they had NASA fooled for a while (But that doesn’t appear to be too difficult these days)”
Sorry if still OT, but the 2 amateurs (here in Turin) were also able to listen hours & hours of secret radio communications between Soviet cosmonauts and their bases in the USSR. In fact, they were able to hear the desperate calling for help from soviet cosmonauts trapped in their ships unable to return to the Earth…
Just about eco-taxes, be aware of them! Once you’ve got a new tax, it will be really difficult to get free of it!
Here in Italy, we are still paying a fuel tax lasting from the Ethiopian war in 1935 (1-9-3-5 !!!) and antoher one after a 1951 catastrophic flooding, as well as a 1968 earthquake in Sicily and so on….
Just my 2 cents
Mr Lynn
” I actually wasted time emailing him last month, suggesting he take another look at the myths surrounding CAGW, but of course never got a response.”
Get on the phone. Don’t allow yourself to be fobbed off by an assistant. Demand you speak to your representative personally. Phone him every day – twice a day, and three times at weekends. Phone him when he’s in a meeting; phone him when he’s on the crapper; phone him at home. Never give up.
The Irony! Pachauri describes himself as a floater? That is absolutely the most outrageously funny thing I have heard during this entire sordid AGW mess!!!! This entire thing has been a joke and he is the punch line!
Does anyone have a list of what countries are on board with this travesty?