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muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 08:03 PM
Original message
US isolated after climate talks walkout
Others press on with post-Kyoto deal

The US administration was facing condemnation last night after it refused to sign up to a UN statement intended to reopen worldwide talks on how to tackle climate change.

The American move, at a high-level summit in Montreal, after two weeks of talks appeared to renege on a commitment made at the Gleneagles G8 summit, and promised embarrassment for Tony Blair, who has spent 18 months trying to woo George Bush back into the debate on global warming.

Undeterred, more than 150 other countries were poised last night to take the Kyoto protocol into a second phase, extending the international agreement to cut emissions of greenhouse gases when its first phase expires in 2012.

Washington, which has refused to sign up to Kyoto, signalled that it did not want to be drawn into broader negotiations on climate change when, after days of tension, Harlan Watson, the chief US negotiator, walked out of talks early on Friday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1664259,00.html
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lvx35 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 08:08 PM
Response to Original message
1. Another coffin nail in the future of the republican party.
When the greenland ice has melted and everybody is looking back, this kind of thing is just going to be a perfect example of how far up their asses republican's heads were. I mean walking out?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000082&sid=afO_dGsyC64s&refer=canada
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rodeodance Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 08:31 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. polls consistantly say people are concerned but little action gets done.
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mechanical mandible Donating Member (41 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 09:51 PM
Response to Reply #1
8. Economy matter...
In 10 years China will be the most polluting country in the World. Do you think they will slow their economy down to follow Kyoto rules? If bureaucrats force big business to work more inefficiently, more business will be outsourced making China stronger. If we stay the course, America ingenuity will continue to increase so that we will be selling the Chines products to help clean the air in 10 years.
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Imperialism Inc. Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 10:19 PM
Response to Reply #8
11. Yes, that is the right wing talking point about Kyoto.
Edited on Fri Dec-09-05 10:25 PM by WakingLife
So.... why not address it by participating in the talks? After all the talks are about the world after Kyoto. Shouldn't they be putting their money where their mouths are and bring this issue up?
Of course, we all know it is just an empty excuse. They have no intention of doing anything about it no matter who does or does not participate. Besides, they could easily lead the way by making sure companies can't outsource (without penalty) to countries where environmental standards and worker's rights aren't enforced.
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lvx35 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-10-05 02:16 AM
Response to Reply #8
12. This is one of those Nash Equalibrium things
Edited on Sat Dec-10-05 02:27 AM by lvx35
Where if everybody goes for their optimal self interest nobody wins. That's why I think america should join the Kyoto protocol, or something like it, and put some teeth into it. I think you're dead on about China, their a nightmare for pollution AND workers rights. (note those mine explosions) But if we, with global backing, could put some limitations on what they can get away with without economic punishment, I think we could work with China, as long as they are assured that everybody else is following the rules.

edit: clarification, its a Nash Equalibrium because we breath the same air as China. So why would be selling China products to clean the air everybody breathes unless china HAD to clean the air? And why would china have to clean the global air unless something like the Kyoto protocol had passed?
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theHandpuppet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-10-05 04:35 AM
Response to Reply #8
14. "Stay the course" to destruction
Methinks you got lost on your way here.
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flordehinojos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 08:22 PM
Response to Original message
2. it is george bush's way or the highway.
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pinniped Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 08:35 PM
Response to Original message
4. Once again the POS* makes us the laughing stock of the world.
--more than 150 other countries-

These 150 countries must be economically more powerful than the US.

The US's economy would suffer too much. What a pity.
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mechanical mandible Donating Member (41 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 09:53 PM
Response to Reply #4
9. Too bad most those countries stand to gain if American production slows.
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Miss Chybil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 10:16 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. Limiting greenhouse gasses does not mean slowing production.
In case you haven't noticed, we don't produce much of anything anymore BUT pollution. Asking car manufacturers and energy producers to step up to the plate and be responsible citizens really isn't a bad thing. It's actually patriotic - like paying taxes to support the troops.
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pinniped Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-10-05 04:29 AM
Response to Reply #9
13. Oh, so these 150 countries really don't want the US to do its part?
?
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Toots Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-10-05 10:20 AM
Response to Reply #9
16. You obviously did not hear or see what Clinton had to say about that
I would guess that you don't listen to Clinton but if you did you wopuld be aware he has been right 95% of the time and when he was the Republicans were not. Rememeber how the Republicans stood up and in lockstep said passing the Clinton budget of '93 would destroy the US economy. america went on to experience the greatest economic expansion in it's history. Republicans gained complete control in 2001 and said this is how it is supposed to be done. America experienced the greatest economic turn around in it's history. I give clinton a hell of lot more credibility than I do you..
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lonestarnot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 09:37 PM
Response to Original message
5. And we weren't before the walkout? heh heh heh
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bemildred Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 09:46 PM
Response to Original message
6. Mission Accomplished! nt
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truth2power Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-09-05 09:47 PM
Response to Original message
7. * shakes head *
I'm sitting here listening to a John Denver special on PBS. Thinking how the people who have wisdom and who would make the world a better place are taken from us, while Bush, Cheney and that sadist, Rummy, continue to prosper while they bring the planet ever closer to extinction.

Is the universe really ruled by God's evil twin? I'm just trying to make sense of it, somehow. :(
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_dynamicdems Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-10-05 05:59 AM
Response to Original message
15. Can we please just tar and feather this guy and run him out of town
on a rail now? PLEEEAAASSSEEE!

I suppose we will just have to wait until 2006, when we have enough votes in Congress for IMPEACHMENT. But God, how much more damage will he do in the meantime.

This is an outrage. Just a goddamn, bloody outrage.
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