It was cold this week in Northern Europe. The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, December 7th to 19th 2009 (COP15 for short) took place. 15,000 delegates debated the heating of the atmosphere, while several thousand chanted outside. The conclusion of the discussion being something only a little more than existed on December 6th. Some vague statements were issued, including limiting climate change to within 2degC, limits to deforestation and it is said a quantity of money is available but not who is providing it.
It was lost on the climate concerned delegates that one of them travelled 8000 miles in a special Boeing 747 and only stayed a few hours. Then after 15,000 delegates had sat for 14 days, the final statement was agreed by a handful of delegates representing only themselves in a short meeting. To temper this I’ve always been a supporter of Parkinson’s Laws relating to the number of people needed to make a decision and the time allowed to make a decision. So to have 15,000 involved in making a decision for 2 weeks sounds a recipe for disaster.
It seems Europe will reduce carbon output although the main emitting countries, the US and China, are not committed to reduce and not in absolute terms.
There is always a nagging fear that climate change measures suit the socially cossetting and spending governments of Europe who in general don’t take too much notice of the opinions of their populations. Whereas in libertarian countries like the USA the population don’t want cossetting and if the tide washes up over their houses they just move and build elsewhere. I do admire that, although I like my social insurance.
Also is there any truth in the Chinese stance that Europe and the USA created all the carbon and therefore they should reduce first. At least this might be an acknowledgement that carbon is man-made and therefore if that is the case then those named are guilty. On the other side is whether having seen someone going down the wrong path would you follow them. Of all the countries China would appear to be in a good position to significantly increase it’s clean power output as it is so good at manufacturing and has cheap labour costs.
Most systems have a natural limitation and at some point break down and stop the cycle. Although sometimes the cycle stops and is irrepairably broken. How the planet reacts to increases in warming gases, population growth and the stripping of resources is to be seen. Will the system slow down naturally or will there be a dramatic event. COP15 didn’t do as much as it might but there is no dramatic instance yet. It seems those who might help are further away from being impacted so don’t see a need.