COP15 (MOP5 – AWG KP10) / AWG LCA8 = <+2 degrees

or

AWG LCA8 + AWG KP10 – (COP15 x MOP5) = 350 ppm CO2

???

It came late in the year but the much-anticipated climate change roundtable at least demonstrated that our governments are not ready yet to commit to the CO2 reduction that are required to save us from a major humanitarian catastrophe. For those who believe that the only way to save our world is to implement drastic measures to curb CO2 emissions worldwide NOW, the event was a failure. For those who believe the only realistic way to achieve global CO2 emissions reduction is to get everyone to agree on some voluntary policies, this was a major leap to nowhere.

Having multiple negotiations taking place at the same time was a receipt for failure. Despite rounds of talks and negotiations, there were too much to discuss (rather complain about) and not enough leadership to take action. Perhaps “our” leaders did feel pressured enough.

What was the purpose of organizing an event like this one in Copenhagen during one of the coldest month in Denmark? Keep the NGOs and responsible citizens at bay? It failed, despite the overzealous Danish police – that makes the choice of Mexico a little bit frightening. One thing for sure, concerned scientists and responsible citizens along with NGOs were better prepared and more numerous than ever before.

A last note from Copenhagen: Has the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change lost its credibility? Climate skeptics have felt re-energized and have reviewed and attacked every fact not thoroughly supported and have questioned the reality of global warming. These attacks and critics have had a mesmerizing effect, taking our attention away from the big picture. Take the Himalayan glaciers: the IPCC claimed they would have disappeared by 2035. The truth is the original research underlying the report predicted the mountain ice would last until 2350. Wow! Does it mean we got a break of 15 years to agree on solutions to curb CO2 emissions? Does it mean we can pollute a bit longer before we face the consequences of our irresponsible behavior?

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