Confusion at Copehagen with a deal a dozen

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One week to Copenhagen and it is chaos complete. Last week the good news started to trickle in heightening expectations of an apparent bonhomie after yet another round of summits by the big talking power houses. First Obama agreed to visit the climate meet at Copenhagen with an unsupported promise of 17 % emission cuts which is probably too little too late . Nonetheless it was the first commitment of an U.S. President that eventually America will seriously consider cutting emissions in future. This was followed up by a even bigger boast of the Chinese strongman Hu promising a reduction in carbon intensity by 40%

On the face of it the offers look like a discount sale offer at a departmental store at Copenhagen for the “Planet at Sale jamboree that starts on December 7th” though the use of the term Carbon intensity by China is a trick out of the proverbial climate technology bag where terminology are coined at the drop of a hat.

The Washington Post was understandbly critical of the Chinese Offer toeing the U.S. Govt line and observing that ultimate drop in emissions may not be achieved if Carbon intensity is considered a benchmark with Chinas double digit growth each year. However the U.S. objections do not carry much weight as its own status has been diluted and relegated to the backbenches in view of its often changing postures.

However there is Confusion at the headquaters of Europe two. it seems apart from the official Seal the deal proposal which will now go to the bin. two more proposals are on way from the EU. The Danish proposal and the French proposal. The Danish proposal is the revised Aussie proposal which was sumararily rejected at the negotiation stage. It will find the same fate of rejection in all probability due to a peak year emissions clause of 2025, which will be possibly used as a pacification tool and will be dropped later in the last days of the summit.

The French proposal is uinilateral proposing a Carbon Tax on imports to the EU , which is being opposed by the British who understand that it will be seen as a protectionist tool and draw retaliatory measures. Thus there is no unanimity even in Europe on the Climate change strategy with a deal a dozen being floated, none of which stand chances of acceptance