Billions wasted on UN climate programme

[CHIMO]

Source: The Guardian

Billions of pounds are being wasted in paying industries in developing countries to reduce climate change emissions, according to two analyses of the UN's carbon offsetting programme.

Leading academics and watchdog groups allege that the UN's main offset fund is being routinely abused by chemical, wind, gas and hydro companies who are claiming emission reduction credits for projects that should not qualify. The result is that no genuine pollution cuts are being made, undermining assurances by the UK government and others that carbon markets are dramatically reducing greenhouse gases, the researchers say.

The criticism centres on the UN's clean development mechanism (CDM), an international system established by the Kyoto process that allows rich countries to meet emissions targets by funding clean energy projects in developing nations.

Credits from the project are being bought by European companies and governments who are unable to meet their carbon reduction targets.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/may/26/climatechange.greenpolitics

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/

[Duke Newcombe]

1. Ignore: everyone knows the US is the problem here, anyway.

Nothing to see here. Move along. :sarcasm:

Duke

[Eagle_Eye]

2. The United Sates is not really the problem.

The United States holds the greatest potential for improvement thought.

If our next elected Democratic President sees fit to promote a massive research and development program in clean energy, we could solve so many of our problems it would be amazing.

A productive R&D effort in clean energy would help the environment, reduce our dependence of foreign oil, slow global climate change, and provide a huge number of jobs for people here at home.

The republicans, with their ties to big business and the oil companies, could never hope to achieve such a R&D program. Only the Democrats can do this.

[ohio2007]

4. We are the stewards of the planet but the UN is a scam for profit dot organization

People everywhere,
and I mean everywhere do need to be responsible for their actions but supporting the UN's global studies is throwing good money at bad down a bottomless pit.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d3d_1211771485

[Ferd Berfle]

3. LLet's worry about the TRILLIONS lost and unaccounted for by the Pentagon first.

Let's get out own house in order - then we can worry about others

[Igel]

5. Every country has problems.

Does that mean nobody can address problems in the UN, even members paying a hefty proportion of its expenses?

Or is there some universally accepted bar that a country has to get over before it can pay attention to problems other than its own?

[Ferd Berfle]

6. not at all. But we need to get our shit together before we can poitn the finger at anyone else