Eco5 Nov29 Eng
Eco5 Nov29 Eng
Eco5 Nov29 Eng
29
N o ve m b e r
Fogging
Issue
ECO has been published by Non-Governmental Environmental Groups at major international conferences since the Stockholm Environment
Conference in 1972. ECO is produced co-operatively by the Climate Action Network at the UNFCCC meetings in Doha, November-December 2012.
ECO email: [email protected] - ECO website: http://climatenetwork.org/eco-newsletters - Editorial/Production: Kyle Gracey
Dear Canada,
Do you remember last year? We do. ECO desperately hoped the hallway rumours of a Kyoto withdrawal weren’t
true, but the second your Minister left the fine city of Durban, he confirmed your reckless abandonment of the only
legally binding climate treaty we have. Little birds from around the world are telling ECO that this promise-breaking
probably has something to do with those vast pits of tar sands you are so hooked on, the same ones that are under-
mining all of your domestic climate goals.
ECO knows you are still technically allowed in the Kyoto room, but please don’t touch that microphone. When you
jumped ship on the first KP term as it hit the home stretch, you drowned what little credibility you had left. As a matter
of principle you should sit silently in the back like the bad kid in the class who has been told to be quiet until they
learn how to behave. There are well-intentioned Parties in the room that are trying to move forward to solve the cli-
mate crisis, so please just back off. You don’t want Kyoto and we suspect, as a result, it doesn’t want you either.
Love(?),
ECO
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The world is now watching whether the aviation sector, came up against Obama's signing expresses "a
the freshly re-elected Obama admin- "15 years of intransigence and dou- steadfast commitment to the right
istration will take renewed interest in blespeak," as one informed observer way — a global sectoral approach at
tackling climate change, and put put it. the international level". That would
some effort into bringing Congress But the signing of the bill could be indeed be good news, as a global
along with him. This week he signed water under the bridge if the US now agreement on strong measures to
a bill from Congress aimed at block- throws its weight behind a strong control aviation emissions, including
ing US airlines from complying with agreement under ICAO to control putting a price on carbon emissions
EU emissions regulations for flights emissions from the global aviation from the sector, is exactly what is
into and out of the EU. The bill sector. There are some signs this needed. Such a measure can be de-
amounts to chest thumping as it could happen. The EU has agreed to signed to generate climate finance
provides no new authority to the Ad- suspend its regulations for one year, for developing countries, while ad-
ministration to take any meaningful which should create a more con- dressing equity concerns and re-
steps. In fact, if they did anything structive negotiating climate. Upon specting the principles of the
with the law it would likely lead to a signing the bill the White House is- UNFCCC. Will the US announce
trade war, a taxpayer funded bailout, sued a statement that it: “remains fo- support for such a proposal when Mr.
or a screeching halt to efforts to se- cused on making progress in Stern arrives? Will the US declare
cure a global agreement. The EU reducing aviation emissions their intention here in Doha, and then
created the regulations only after its through…the International Civil Avi- fight for such an agreement at ICAO
efforts to pursue emissions in ICAO, ation Organization (ICAO)." An avi- next year?
the UN organization responsible for ation industry body said that ECO certainly hopes so.
The First Place Fossil is awarded The Second Place Fossil of the The United States gets the Third
to Canada, who has capped sup- Day goes to New Zealand, again, Place Fossil for once again reject-
port rather than emissions. News- because not only did Wellington de- ing strong measures to reduce
flash! This just in from the Canadian liberately decide not to put its target greenhouse gas emissions. Yester-
Environment Minister! Developing into the second commitment period day President Obama signed a mis-
countries need to just take a deep of the Kyoto Protocol, but today pro- guided Bill coming from Congress
breath and wait until we have an all- posed that access to the CDM aimed at preventing compliance of
in global deal before they should ex- should be open to all and should not US airlines with EU regulations, for
pect any support from Canada to depend on whether a country is flights into and out of the EU. If Con-
move towards a clean energy future signing up to a second commitment gress doesn't like the EU approach,
through the Green Climate Fund. In period. To make it clear, New Zeal- we hope they realize the only altern-
talking to reporters yesterday, ative is a strong multilateral agree-
Canada’s environment minister ment. We urge Obama to reject
took a moment to tell journalists any approach based on isolation-
that he would ‘make it clear’ at the ism, and take this bill as an green
meetings in Doha that developing light to pursue a strong multilateral
countries shouldn’t expect more agreement for the global aviation
money towards climate financing sector, including putting a price on
from Canada, because after all, carbon, and to lead the way a
Doha “isn’t a pledging conference.” strong and binding global climate
Thanks for clearing that up, Minis- agreement under the UNFCCC.
ter! We are sure that that will do
wonders for your stellar credibility
and reputation at these talks.
Thankfully the Minister IS coming
to Doha with at least one commit-
ment: Canada is still firmly commit-
ted that tar sands emissions will
rise far beyond the 2 degree climate and pointed out that otherwise the
limit. Adaptation Fund will not have
enough money to keep functioning.
World to Canada: You are sup- Come on Kiwis, forget about the
posed to be ramping finance up and hobbits and think about your neigh-
emissions down; not the other way bours! You have to be serious… if
around!” you want to feast on carbon markets
you have to work up your targets
first!