US Rejects Watered-Down Proposal To Even Discuss Post-Kyoto Plan

[hatrack]

MONTREAL—The climate change conference hit a major roadblock yesterday when the United States rejected even a watered-down proposal for future talks on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The impasse came on the same day as news that a small community in the Pacific island chain of Vanuatu has been moved to avoid rising seawater attributed to the warming of the atmosphere by those gases.

The proposal, introduced by Environment Minister Stéphane Dion as president of the United Nations conference, calls only for two years of discussions on "long-term co-operative action to address climate change." It was designed to be vague enough to appeal to the U.S., which adamantly rejects any hint of a move that might require it to accept mandatory targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It makes no reference to targets and carefully refers only to discussions, with no mention of negotiations.

Even so, the United States said it was inappropriate, because discussions could lead to negotiations. "Formalized processes ... (such as Dion proposes) are, in fact, negotiations," Harlan Watson, alternate head of the U.S. delegation, said earlier in the two-week conference. That "remains consistent with our position," an American official said yesterday.

EDIT

In his only public appearance — kicking off a day devoted to culture, celebrations and speeches by aboriginal peoples from across the Arctic — Dion brushed by reporters. Other delegations refused comment. Dion's plan would help a little in the battle to curb climate change, said John Drexhage, executive director of the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development. But it can't be weakened further, he said. "This is the rock bottom for it to have any significance at all." "It's an unending seminar on climate change," Clapp said. "We're past the point at which unending seminars are appropriate. It's time to abandon efforts to win co-operation from the Bush administration and get on with the real job of reducing emissions."

EDIT

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1133910614434&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

[Double T]

1. the bush administration rejects any change that might be.......

good and positive for All people and the future of the planet. If it doesn't benefit wall street's earnings out it goes without any consideration. Please give us sane politicians, these idiots are killing me and everyone else.

[phantom power]

2. LOL! "Discussions could lead to negotiations"

:rofl:

Good God! We can't have discussions, because they might lead to negotiations! And then where would we be???

:rofl:

[Dead_Parrot]

3. What the...

That has got to be the all-time dumbest position on any sort of meeting in the whole of human history. What an total and utter wanker.

"It's time to abandon efforts to win co-operation from the Bush administration and get on with the real job of reducing emissions."
Have a cigar, Phil.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. USA, international pariah

When the US government's position has moved from "la-la-la, I'm not listening, I can't hear you" to "LA-LA-LA, I DON'T WANT YOU TO HEAR EACH OTHER", it's time for anyone associated with Bush to be shunned by human society.