Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bush sets September climate conference
Terra Daily ^ | 08/03/2007 | AFP

Posted on 08/03/2007 7:51:12 AM PDT by cogitator

US President George W. Bush has invited major world economies to a multinational climate change conference in Washington on September 27-28, the White House announced Friday.

Bush has invited representatives from Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, the European Commission and United Nations, it said.

The conference, which the US president previewed on May 31, will aim to set the stage for setting a long-term goal to cut emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

"The United States is committed to collaborating with other major economies to agree on a detailed contribution for a new global framework by the end of 2008, which would contribute to a global agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change by 2009," Bush said in his invitation.

The US president, frequently accused in Europe of dragging his feet on efforts to curb climate change, said he would address the conference, which will be hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

While the European Union sets climate policy for its members, Bush has asked British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi to send representatives, said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

The president has invited the European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso but also "wanted to make sure that these leaders, who have shown great leadership and great interest on the issue of climate change, are represented as well," she explained.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: agw; climate; climatechange; conference; economy; environment; geopolitics; global; madness; summit
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last
September 27-28: Just about the right time for a 100-year hurricane to cruise up the Potomac.

The Chesapeake/Potomac Hurricane of August 23, 1933

One other note: given the most recent investigations of the Asian "brown cloud", it'd be nice if China and India commented on their emissions control policies.

1 posted on 08/03/2007 7:51:16 AM PDT by cogitator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DaveLoneRanger; Tolerance Sucks Rocks

* ping *


2 posted on 08/03/2007 7:51:49 AM PDT by cogitator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

I sure hope they offer Mexican food.


3 posted on 08/03/2007 7:52:49 AM PDT by SolidWood (UN delenda est.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

I’m torn on this. It would be easy to say that President Bush has given in to the environmental whackos.

But if this conference can kill Kyoto once and for all, and put more pressure on the ChiComs to reduce the amount of pollution, that would be a good thing.


4 posted on 08/03/2007 7:54:12 AM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

This conference is set to kill Kyoto and set new regulations according to US standards. That is a good thing.


5 posted on 08/03/2007 7:56:08 AM PDT by jveritas (God bless our brave troops and President Bush.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

The payback to corporate interests who want to participate in the extremely lucrative phony “carbon offsets” trading is all that Global Warming phobia is about.


6 posted on 08/03/2007 8:00:10 AM PDT by traditional1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

I’d be a whole lot happier if the list of invited nations included Denmark, and there was word that the Danish delegation would include Henrik Svensmark.

Next time you’re in a debate with an anthropogenic global warming advocate, be sure to ask him or her about the antarctic temperature anomaly:

Antarctic temperatures fluctuate out of phase with the rest of the globe—it gets colder there when everywhere else is warming up, and warmer there when everywhere else is cooling (at least since the last ice age, and I think much further back on ice core evidence). Svensmark’s theory that global warming is caused by increased shielding of the earth from cosmic rays by increased solar magnetism leading to decreased cloud formation explains it: the antarctic is the only region where the surface albedo is so high that cloud formation is a warming effect, everywhere else it is a cooling effect. (He also has experimental proof that cosmic ray tracks are important in cloud formation.) Neither the (anthropogenic) greenhouse gas theory nor simply attributing global warming to increased solar radiance explains the antarctic anomaly, while Svensmark’s theory does.


7 posted on 08/03/2007 8:04:14 AM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

Proposed Agenda:

— OPENING OF CONFERENCE —

11:00 AM - Climate Changes: Puny man can do NOTHING about it. This remains God’s domain.

12:00 PM - Sack lunch featuring cold tuna fish salad on wheat bread.

— CLOSE OF CONFERENCE —

1:00 PM - Board refurbished school buses for ride to airport.

Air fare home to be paid PERSONALLY by specific attendees. No exceptions.


8 posted on 08/03/2007 8:10:51 AM PDT by EyeGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EyeGuy
From the WashPost article on this:

"In his invitation, Bush said representatives would talk about ways the major world economies would _ by the end of 2008 _ agree upon a post-2012 framework that could include a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He said they also would talk about working with the private sector to promote clean energy technologies."

That MIGHT take longer than an hour.

9 posted on 08/03/2007 8:16:12 AM PDT by cogitator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

Deosn’t he have something important to do that week?

Like defeating Iran or closing the borders?


10 posted on 08/03/2007 8:25:36 AM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

“That MIGHT take longer than an hour.”

Undoubtedly.

Bureaucrats are unmatched in their ability to waste time over things they can do NOTHING about; in this case the global warming mythology.

I think they should tack on a few more days to remedy that nasty “hole” in the ozone layer that no one talks about any more.


11 posted on 08/03/2007 8:30:14 AM PDT by EyeGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: jveritas; All
This conference is set to kill Kyoto and set new regulations according to US standards. That is a good thing.

It's not.

This week's two-day meeting on climate change was a prelude to a high-level gathering on September 24 on the same subject.

[snip]

International agreement on such a tax would take a long time, de Boer said, and it might take even longer to get the tax proceeds to the United Nations to deal with global warming.

Speaking at a news conference during the first full-scale UN meeting dedicated to climate change, de Boer said individual nations, including the Netherlands, have already put environmentally friendly taxes in place.

However, he said national taxes do not offer predictable progress in curbing the human-generated greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, though they may offer predictable revenues.

He favored so-called cap-and-trade laws, which limit carbon emissions and offer a way for those who emit more than the limit to buy carbon credits from those who emit less.

"What the business community is calling for at the moment is long-term certainty, clear emissions caps imposed by governments so that they know what kind of investment decisions they have to make," de Boer said.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said climate-warming emissions must be reduced by 50% by 2050, but without investment to curb climate change, emissions could rise by 50% instead, de Boer said.

$100 billion to make energy 'green'

De Boer said the world would probably invest $20 trillion over the next 20 to 25 years to meet the energy demand that goes with economic growth.

To make these investments "green" would require an additional investment of perhaps $100 billion a year, he said.

De Boer said he was encouraged by comments at this meeting from developing nations that recognize the need to combat climate change - which hits the world's poorest countries disproportionately hard - even as their economies grow.

Typical were comments by Faisal Saleh Hayat, Pakistan's environment minister, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 developing nations and China.

"Climate change poses serious risks and challenges particularly to developing countries and therefore demands urgent global action and response," Hayat said at Wednesday's meeting. "The Group of 77 and China see these discussions as an integral part of the wider sustainable development debate."

This week's two-day meeting on climate change was a prelude to a high-level gathering on September 24 on the same subject.

This will be followed by an international meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in December, meant to begin discussions on the future of the fight against climate change.

The United States did not join the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change and rejects mandatory limits on greenhouse emissions, but President George W Bush has agreed with other industrialized nations to negotiate a new climate pact to extend and broaden the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012.

Washington's UN envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, told Wednesday's gathering that the United States was committed to stabilizing greenhouse gases, and recognizes "the fundamental connections among the issues of energy security, climate change, and sustainable economic development."

Also bear in mind, Bush will just be coming from a conference in Canada, August 20-21.

12 posted on 08/03/2007 8:42:04 AM PDT by processing please hold (Duncan Hunter '08) (ROP and Open Borders-a terrorist marriage and hell's coming with them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: All
$100 billion to make energy 'green'

De Boer said the world would probably invest $20 trillion over the next 20 to 25 years to meet the energy demand that goes with economic growth.

To make these investments "green" would require an additional investment of perhaps $100 billion a year, he said.

Now, imagine the corrupt un with all that money under their control.

13 posted on 08/03/2007 8:47:16 AM PDT by processing please hold (Duncan Hunter '08) (ROP and Open Borders-a terrorist marriage and hell's coming with them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: EyeGuy
I think they should tack on a few more days to remedy that nasty “hole” in the ozone layer that no one talks about any more.

That's probably because what needed to be done was actually done.

14 posted on 08/03/2007 8:47:22 AM PDT by cogitator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: processing please hold

President Bush will not follow Kyoto and he will not impose a tax increase for the environment.


15 posted on 08/03/2007 8:49:32 AM PDT by jveritas (God bless our brave troops and President Bush.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: jveritas
How do you know? Are you one of his advisers that you would have this information?

I bet you also thought he would build a fence and protect our borders from the invaders and not support the immigration shamnesty as well.

16 posted on 08/03/2007 8:53:09 AM PDT by processing please hold (Duncan Hunter '08) (ROP and Open Borders-a terrorist marriage and hell's coming with them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

Here is MoveOn.org’s counter efforts on Bush’s climate conference:


Dear MoveOn member,

President Bush isn’t just blocking progress on climate change here at home—he’s making a full-court press to pull back the rest of the world as well. But if we join with progressives beyond our borders, we can stop him.

Bush has made no secret of his opposition to global climate treaties. But now, our international sister organization, Avaaz.org, is hearing from top officials in foreign governments about a new surge of pressure. Bush is apparently quietly sending envoys to governments around the world—a last-ditch effort to derail the climate movement’s worldwide momentum before treaty negotiations this autumn.

Avaaz.org is launching an emergency drive to mobilize its members around the world—organizing, country by country, to resist Bush and press forward on climate change. And they’ve asked for our help.

A donor has pledged to match contributions from MoveOn members, dollar for dollar, up to $250,000—enough to dramatically broaden Avaaz’s organizing power on every continent. Can you help to fund this emergency global climate campaign? Click here to donate:

::URL edited out::

Normally, as Americans, we focus our energy on changing US policies—in part because they have such a big impact on the rest of the world. But at this moment, one of the most powerful ways to fight climate change is to support progressives in other countries who are fighting to ensure that their governments stand strong against Bush.

This fall, negotiations begin on the next global climate treaty. It’s make-or-break time, and activists around the world are looking for our support.

Here’s what Avaaz is planning:

* In September, 21 world leaders will meet at a major summit in Australia. Bush will try to lobby Russia, China, and Japan on climate change. But Avaaz will preempt him, with a massive media campaign in key capital cities around the world—from full-page newspaper ads to television spots, all demanding progress on global warming

* Weeks later, the United Nations Secretary-General will host an emergency session on climate change in New York—with 100 heads of state invited. In the United States, government leaders are used to receiving thousands of online messages. But most world governments will never have experienced a MoveOn-style campaign—at least, until they are flooded with messages from Avaaz members before the UN session, calling on them to stand up to Bush.

* This December, as governments gather in Bali to begin hammering out the specifics of the global climate treaty, the Avaaz team will monitor the negotiations hour by hour—and send dispatches to people standing by to mobilize instant protests in any country in danger of caving in to Bush on climate change. It’s democracy in action at a worldwide scale.

Avaaz (which means “voice” in many languages) launched just five months ago, co-founded by a small team of campaigners from four continents. The idea: bring MoveOn-style people-powered politics to the whole world. Already this year, it has caught fire—growing by more than 20,000 people a week. THey now have over 1.1 million members. This is their biggest campaign yet. And they need our help.

It is frustrating to hear what Bush is doing overseas, all in our name. But even if our government is on the wrong side, we, as Americans, have a chance to join with folks everywhere to confront climate change. We can block Bush’s plan, help secure the future of our planet—and send a message to the world’s people that Americans stand with them. Thanks to the matching grant, every dollar we give will be doubled. Click here to donate:

::URL edited out::

Thanks for all you do.


President Bush BUMP!


17 posted on 08/03/2007 9:02:28 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator

“That’s probably because what needed to be done was actually done.”

Yes, that is correct.
What “needed to be done” was to begin ignoring a “problem” that never existed in the first place.


18 posted on 08/03/2007 9:03:36 AM PDT by EyeGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: cogitator
>>>>One other note: given the most recent investigations of the Asian "brown cloud", it'd be nice if China and India commented on their emissions control policies.

Here is more on the Asian brown cloud. Note, below India has found viruses in it.

And every year, they pollute the rest of us.

Excerpt:

China - April 6 and 7 - A series of huge sandstorm events called "the worst of the spring season" develop over Mongolia and sweep across western China reducing visibilities to near zero and making ground transportation all but impossible. The resulting huge aerosol cloud mass is picked up by orbiting earth satellites as it forms over China and heads out to sea.

(snip)

This Asian Haze event has been officially confirmed by:

* Jay R. Herman, Principal Investigator for TOMS Aerosol/UV projects, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
* Officials at the Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey, California
* Gene Feldman, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
* Russ Schnell, Director of Observatory Operations, NOAA, Boulder, Co.

(snip)

On April 6 and 7, a series of huge sandstorm events developed over Mongolia and swept across western China and subsequently produced a huge aerosol cloud that was observed by orbiting earth satellites.

(snip)

Dangerous Levels of Metallic Substances detected in latest 'yellow dust' from China
[Mar. 10, 2001]

"The latest seasonal winds from China, known as "yellow dust," which blanketed the nation earlier this week twice, carried 16 times more metallic substances than last year's, a research institute said yesterday, sounding health alarms over the dust mass.

There are no immediate measures to prevent the coming of the so-called "gatecrasher of spring" that causes eye, nose and respiratory illnesses. Experts say that it is best to remain indoors and if one has to go out, to wear a mask.

The yellow dust phenomenon happens after sandstorms are created in the inland deserts in northern China, usually during dry spring weather, by strong convection of currents of warm and cold air that sweeps soil particles up to high altitudes.

They typically rise to a height of 3 km to 5 km before blowing eastward at some 30 meters per second, crossing the West Sea before arriving in South Korea in two to three days.

In addition to potential health problems, the dust in extreme cases can cause visibility problems for pilots, hinder the operation of precision machinery and impair the growth of agricultural products.

There were reports the dust may have carried the viruses that caused a deadly foot-and-mouth epidemic that hit the nation's livestock industry last year.

NASA sets up it's own annual tracking of this mysterious dust cloud event:

From NASA


Background about the China Dust Storm

A Siberian cold front caused large dust storms to be created in northwestern China's Inner Mongolia region and Gansu province. As these storms hovered over northern China, they ushered in the worst period of air pollution in six years. Air quality in the capital city of Beijing reached hazardous levels, and elderly people and children were warned to stay indoors. At this latitude on the globe the air moves from west to east, so the dust storm which originated in China will move towards Japan. However, the storm is expected to weaken as it enters the Bohai Sea and the East China Sea. South Korea, which also lies in the storm's path, was also greatly affected, and the storm was its second-worst this year. The dust is actually a combination of sand from the Gobi Desert and chemicals from Chinese industrial cities that blow to the Korean Peninsula from westerly winds in April and May, reducing visibility and filling the country's skies with a thick blanket.

2007 tracking of the China dust cloud

19 posted on 08/03/2007 9:04:47 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cogitator
Save the environment,
kill an environmentalist.
20 posted on 08/03/2007 9:08:36 AM PDT by TheDon (The DemocRAT party is the party of TREASON! Overthrow the terrorist's congress!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson