2009 Copenhagen – UN Climate Change Conference

Today I decided to communicate my thoughts about a climate change convention coming up in just a few weeks in Europe. I make my living as a realtor in Toronto, but that doesn’t mean that global problems do not worry me. Climate and its development is one of them.

The beginning of December observes the United Nations Climate Change Conference being run in the town of Copenhagen, Denmark. People turning up at the conference are expecting to reach an agreement on lessening the intensity of climate change from 2012. Even so, we shouldn’t see this conference as a forum of climate change activists. With many differing views it will without doubt be a lively debate.

Major advances in climate change mitigation were wanted when Barack Obama became president. What should this new time of climate change look like is the puzzle on people’s lips? The Kyoto protocol, understood to be a springboard for conferences of this kind, is less and less praised, even by environmentalists themselves.

The minimizing of emission rates accepted back in 1997 (and never achieved) are about to be reevaluated. By the year 2020 its is hoped that GHG emissions will be minimized by 20% based on the 2005 levels. While people call for this reduction they fail to remember that Kyoto didn’t work and that called for a 5% reduction on the 1990 levels. This lax approach toward the minimization schedule is being heavily criticized by some activists – as the mild conditions of Kyoto will effectively be loosened even further.

This is not the only area of conflict and there are other concerns to consider. The North thinks Kyoto and expected environmental actions will have the greatest impact on its economy, while the huge polluters of the South (like China, India, Brazil and South Africa) will remain untouched. When the argument comes about between North and South, the southern countries think the north owes them as they are effected by climate change more. Even though some lobbyists don’t agree, it is accepted that developing countries will make higher emissions to start off with, but countries like Brazil are very unwilling to make sacrifices when there is an economic issue.

The emissions trade is another issue that concerns the anti-climate change organization. Having market rules that offset any negative economic blow of restrictions is also debatable according to opponents, who see this as an option for the black market trade. What they are wanting to see and calling for is the bulk of the power and control to be passed to local communities, which should hopefully stop any climatic disasters.

Important decisions may be agreed at Copenhagen, but it’s almost sure they won’t be radical. Having said all that, perhaps, the most important thing to come out of it all is the lobbyists are now getting together to try and make some improvements. This can only be fantastic news as more voices come together maybe those at the conference in Copenhagen will pay attention.