Posted on 12/07/2007 3:50:53 PM PST by Libloather
China says West should deal with warming
By MICHAEL CASEY, AP Environmental Writer
1 hour, 59 minutes ago
Activists representing indigenous peoples from around the globe protest that the U.N. is not allowing them to be recognized to speak at the U.N. climate change meetings Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Delegates from nearly 190 nations are attending the Dec. 3-14 gathering in Bali, which is charged with launching negotiations that will eventually lead to an international accord to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on global warming. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
BALI, Indonesia - China insisted Friday the U.S. and other wealthy nations should bear the burden of curbing global warming, saying the problem was created by their lavish way of life. It rejected mandatory emission cuts for its own developing industries.
Environmental activists, meanwhile, labeled the United States and Saudi Arabia the worst "climate sinners," accusing them of having inadequate polices for climate problems while letting greenhouse gas emissions rise. But the activists also said no country is doing enough.
Su Wei, a top climate expert for China's government attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference, said the job belongs to the wealthy. He said it was unfair to ask developing nations to accept binding emissions cuts and other restrictions being pushed for already industrialized states.
He said the United States and its fellow industrial nations have long spewed greenhouse gases into the atmosphere while newly emerging economies have done so for only a few decades.
"China is in the process of industrialization and there is a need for economic growth to meet the basic needs of the people and fight against poverty," Su said.
While many experts believe China has surpassed the United States as the world's top emitter of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, Su noted the Chinese population is far bigger and said America's emissions per person are six times higher than in China.
"I think there is much room for the United States to think whether it's possible to change (its) lifestyle and consumption patterns in order to contribute to the protection of the global climate," he said.
China is one of nearly 190 nations participating in the Dec. 3-14 conference, which is intended to launch negotiations on a new climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.
The Kyoto pact, which was rejected by the United States, commits three dozen industrial countries that signed on to cut emissions by an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels over the next five years. One of the factors that led President Bush to reject Kyoto was that it didn't require any cuts by fast-developing countries like China, India and Brazil.
Beijing was long accused by environmentalists of evading the issue of global warming, but it is drawing praise for a new attitude at Bali even though China still relies heavily on dirty, outdated coal-burning techniques and is home to 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities.
The environmental watchdog Germanwatch said Friday that China moved up four spots, to No. 40, on the group's annual ranking of the climate performance of 56 industrialized and emerging countries.
Germanwatch said Beijing has enacted policies promoting renewable energy, including mandates that solar, wind and hydroelectric systems provide 10 percent of China's power by 2010. It also ordered key industries to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent, the group said.
Saudi Arabia was listed as last among the 56 nations, right below the United States.
The group said Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, was the biggest "climate sinner" for the second year in a row because its emissions are rising and it has no firm policies to address that.
The United States was ranked No. 55 because it opposes mandatory cuts in emissions and argues that technology, private investment and economic growth will save the planet from global warming.
Australia was listed as third-worst offender, but with a caveat: It could rise to No. 20 on the list if new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd follows through with promises to reduce emissions after signing the Kyoto Protocol this week.
"Australia will have to live up to their talk," said Matthias Duwe of Climate Action Network-Europe, which released the list.
Sweden was ranked as doing the best job, followed by Germany, Iceland and Mexico. A news release from Germanwatch praised Mexico for making progress in reducing emissions and adopting a "constructive international and national climate policy."
Environmentalists said European nations as a group have made the most progress on the climate issue, but complained that is doing enough to address global warming.
"The international community is still failing to comply with their responsibilities regarding climate protection," Duwe said. "They have not set themselves firmly on the path of limiting global warming."
Indonesian police a keep vigil on environmental activists during a demonstration near the venue of the UN Climate Change Conference in Nusa Dua. Indigenous people from around the globe said they were being excluded from key international climate change talks, when it was their homes, livelihoods and culture at risk from global warming.
Activists paint their bodies for campaign against climate change during a demonstration as Indonesian police block a road to keep them from proceeding to the U.N climate conference venue on Friday, Dec. 7, 2007, in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.
Activists dressed in polar bear costumes demonstrate outside the venue of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali island December 6, 2007. A 190-nation climate meeting in Bali took small steps towards a new global deal to fight global warming by 2009 amid disputes about how far China and India should curb rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say.
A dancer performs next to a poster during an anti-deforestration campign at the venue of the UN Climate Change Conference 2007 in Nusa Dua, on Bali island, 05 December 2007. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Thursday denied his government would support deep carbon emission cuts for developing nations by 2020 aimed at curbing global warming.
Like Red China has no wealth?
What more evidence do we need that AGW and the world wide drum beat for "action" and $ is an attempt to bury the west?
My only question is, why are the Rat voters, most of whom are basic hard working class types, in favor of crippling their own economy to the advantage of their Chinese - low income slave labor - competitors?
Perhaps the Chinese are right. We should curb our "lavish way of life" by stopping all imports from China. Of course, then the Chinese would suffer mass unemployment and possibly another revolution.
If you pronounce that phonetically it doesn't sound very nice.
OK, we'll think about it.
(Think. Think. Think.)
Done.
Uh, no. We thought about it and decided not to change.
ML/NJ
China knows the problem is bogus and was invented by Western politicians and other parasites on the oil industry. The West should resolve the problem themselves.
I always enjoy that protest signs anywhere in the world, are always printed in perfect English
Yep, and likewise we should all be able to claim we are African-Americans.
I just turned all the lights on in my house. Screw ‘em.
Maybe Krakatoa will erupt during the conference.
That would be a fitting end to these bozos.
I will stop driving to Wal-Mart
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Atlas Shrugged...
In U.S. News and World Report awhile ago they had a little tiny blurb on coal mine fires in China. (The coal catches fire underground and will burn forever - well tens of years at least). Anyway, the CO2 from coal mine fires in China (no doubt poor mining and fire-fightined techniques) is more than the amount of C02 put out by U.S. vehicle and industrial sources combined!!!
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