UN Climate Summit ‘Headed For Collapse’ - Again

Annual Green Theatrics

Guest Column Dr. Benny Peiser
Monday, December 3, 2012

A stand-off over how many billions of dollars wealthy countries should stump up to help poorer nations cope with climate change over the next three years is prompting concern that fresh UN climate negotiations may be headed for collapse.

The talks in the Qatari capital of Doha are entering their final five days.

But they risk collapse, according to some negotiators, unless developed countries formally agree to commit to as much as $60bn in fresh funding by 2015.—Pilita Clark, Financial Times, 3 December 2012

Climate change talks have been rescued from the brink of collapse by a last minute “huddle” between the EU and India to create an “historic deal to save the planet”.—Louise Gray, The Daily Telegraph, 11 December 2011

Less than a day after the international summit in Cancun hit deadlock, a breakthrough agreement was reached amid scenes of tearful jubilation.—Geoffrey Lean, The Daily Telegraph, 13 December 2010

The United Nations climate talks that seemed headed for sure disaster were saved from utter collapse late Friday night in Copenhagen, after leaders from the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa and China came to an agreement to combat global warming.—Bryan Walsh, TIME Magazine, 18 December 2009

Deadlock threatens Copenhagen climate deal… but down worry, the planet will be saved by brave politicians at the last minute of the last day.—The Global Warming Policy Foundation, 14 December 2009

High drama characterized the final days of the UN climate summit. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon returned to Bali to try and broker an agreement. ... Just five minutes later, when it appeared the conference was on the brink of collapse, Dobriansky took to the floor again to announce the United States was willing to accept the arrangement.

Applause erupted in the hall and a relative level of success for the conference appeared certain. –- World Council of Churches, 2005

US climate change negotiator Jonathan Pershing says there is no chance of the USA signing up to a climate deal that requires the country to make substantial cuts in its emissions. “If we can’t take it home and sell it at home, in whatever political economy we are living in, we won’t do it,” he said.—Ed King, RTCC News, 30 November 2012

The annual theatrics of the climate change conference has entered the second half of its intense but, by all accounts, futile negotiation process in Doha. If the world, especially the developing world, didn’t get anything out of the Copenhagen climate conference in 2009, which was supposed to finalize a binding agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, it cannot expect anything from Doha either. –Op Rana, China Daily, 3 December 2012

The pattern of climate talks is pretty clear. An alliance of bureaucrats wanting the conference and position paper gravy train to keep rolling with greens who think a futile process is better than nothing keep the charade alive. Many rich country politicians are fine with that; a “process” that allows them to appease greens without having to impose unpopular measures is not a bad thing.—Walter Russell Mead, Via Meadia, 30 November 2012

The 18th UN Conference on climate change negotiations has just started in Doha. The probability of success is a mere 2.3%. Recently, over $100 million per year was spent on fruitless negotiations. Having flogged, ever harder for 18 years, the dead horse of legally binding emission targets, the UN should close that chapter and try something new.—Richard Tol, Vox, 27 November 2012

Annual Green Theatrics