Subterfuge at Kyoto talks
Documents obtained by Greenpeace [ger] [eng] reveal a subversive plot to undermine European commitments to the Kyoto protocol. The startling revelation in the UK and other press [1] [2] [3] this week alleges a major plot involving a coalition of over 40 transnational corporations, academics, think-tanks, commentators, journalists and lobbyists. It shows how low some capitalists will go to deprive the world of international cooperation on climate change to suit the neo-con agenda, as they have succeeded in doing in the US. [article here]
The plot was masterminded by Chris Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (who received massive donations from ExxonMobil and has friends in the US adminstration) and the Cool Heads Coalition, a group dedicated to questioning global warming with junk science and a sub-group of the National Consumer Coalition. The "European Sound Climate Policy Coalition" would persuade European leaders that Kyoto was economically disastrous and then back that up with dodgy science and climate change denial. Horner is in Montreal this week continuing his attempt to subvert the democratic process.
The plot, based on privileging economic decisions over ones of justice or environmental sustainability, ignores the already substantial costs that global warming is exacting from corporations. The UN estimates severe weather exacerbated by climate change cost the world US$200 billion in 2005. [1]
Despite his best attempts Horner has said he is surprised it hasn’t worked in Europe as it did in the US. The Montreal meeting members are forging ahead with post Kyoto 2012 plans despite all attempts by the US and Horner to subvert it. [Greenpeace Press Release] [Friends of the Earth Press Release]
LINKS:
Center for Public Integrity – ExxonMobil lobbying and campaign contributions
Competitive Enterprise Institute at SourceWatch, Center for Media and Democracy
Guide to Facts and Fiction about Climate Change – UK Royal Society of science
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The real subterfuge of "Kyoto".
It is very easy to see what the real problem is. The EU community used 'Kyoto' to reform a closed neighborhood, with the demise of the 'Wall' so to went the 'East (~poor) & West (~wealthy)' divide, along with a physical barrier tween a generation or two of mistrust for more than a few.
There was not any evidence that any signatory TO "Kyoto" had any interest in actually doing ANYTHING remotely beyond being able to BUY shares, within a process known to have only dubious environmental benefit, but certainly if the 'other nations' are 'poor' then such would be a possible 'barrier'. So the FISCAL division replaced the POLITICAL ideological divisions.
This now old blame of 'oil' and 'corporate' subterfuge is so lame now that it is shameful to see Greenpeace still attempting to use the 'play'. As to the 'ideologies' of 'sustainability', it needs to produce real and practical remediations for the actual issues at hand, not simply opinion justifications for the 'belief' and provide little displayed comprehension of the realities beneath the situations our society presents.
-General knowledge, commonly known-
For example, fossil oil is not only used for fuel, and apart from eating it, Humanity has become near totally reliant on 'fossil' derivatives for everything from hosiery to carpet, cloths to cars, and furniture to homes. Look for the word 'synthetic' and begin to realise.
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The situation is that ALL the other products derived from fossil oils will STILL be needed, so the diffraction of fossil oils WILL continue, and so there WILL be fossil oil based fuel products, but maybe not in the same volume, which will be supplemented with bio-fuel oil volume and be combustible in present technology engine designs near immediately often with little alteration.
One Humanity realises it is NOT above the 'natural law', stops being worrisome of its future and makes some attempt to notice NATURE, rather than opinions regarding the 'nature of nature', Humanity can dispose of the providers' of rhetoric, masquerading their propaganda as 'climate science research' with it's cavalcade of 'talking head' presenters.
See also http://www.climateimc.org/?q=node/312 (with slides also.)
The mentioned 'leak' was most likely made to stay issues being directed to the 'Governments' & 'Bureaucracies' behind them for not actually doing anything. It is called 'passing the buck', and the 'activists' are still the patsies.
This was always the warning made regarding 'Kyoto'. It was an opinionated Political fix, using an unreasoned 'greenhouse science', that made remediations directed more like a corporate insurance plan than an environmental policy. That is, there is more 'accounting' than SCIENCE in its justifications, and so too is any attention paid to it.
It is that only more 'talks' will follow on from "Kyoto", and more lame pontifications from NGO's with the latest 'whistle to blow'.
Meanwhile the general public look on and mutter more comment (usually muffled with a cough), or perhaps the same amazement one reserves for the observation of 'funniest home videos' (if the reader is aware of the style of program encompassed the in).
Your's, Peter K. Anderson a.k.a. Hartlod(tm)
Member of the Public, NSW, Australia.
From the PC of Peter K Anderson
E-Mail: Hartlod@bigpond.com