EU Summit Dallying Copenhagen Heads for a Crash

From Spiegel, by Christian Schwägerl

Angela Merkel is blocking aid commitments for climate protection and risking the failure of a global deal in Copenhagen. The chancellor is squandering an opportunity to demonstrate European leadership and show Barack Obama what it really means to be a "citizen of the world."

She was once celebrated as the "Climate Chancellor" and seen as an important campaigner for the environment on the international political stage. Now it appears that it is Angela Merkel, of all people, who is dealing a death blow to international climate deals -- by navigating a shortsighted course within the European Union.

On the first day of the EU summit meeting, with bloc leaders gathered in Brussels, Merkel adopted a stance which enraged environmentalists. The EU, Merkel was quoted as saying, should not be overly hasty in offering financial aid to developing countries for climate-related projects and should wait on China and the US. Concrete pledges should not be made, she said.

What does this mean? A big dispute about money is looming at December's climate summit in Copenhagen. The poorer countries, led by China, are demanding sizable CO2 reductions from Western states. They base their demand on the fact that the West is historically to blame for pumping the largest proportion of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But the richer countries, led by the US, reply that the CO2 emissions from highly populated countries like China and India are rising dramatically -- meaning that it is they are responsible for future emissions.

Environmental strategists like Yvo de Boer, who heads the UN Climate Convention and Achim Steiner, head of the UN's Environment Program, see only one way to overcome this impasse: Extensive financial aid from the West.

Such funds should help to cover the additional costs of setting up renewable energy forms, more efficient technologies and green infrastructures in developing countries. Only in that way can it be guaranteed that the most environmentally nondestructive technologies are implemented globally, to put a halt on catastrophic climate change, its advocates say. The talk is of €20 billion ($30 billion) starting immediately, then €50 billion from 2016 and €100 billion annually from 2020. This extra burden should be covered by the US, the EU and Japan.

'Sorry, Kids, We've Spent all our Money on the Banks'

Merkel's decision to block a concrete financial pledge will not exactly boost enthusiasm in other parts of the world -- rather it will dampen it. When delays are created by the Europeans, who always pride themselves on being frontrunners in climate protection, then the US and China can get away with not making any progress.

The Copenhagen summit in December, on which scientists and environmental activists are placing their hopes, is at risk of collapse due to mutual blocking on the part of both rich and poorer countries. A failure could set global climate protection efforts back by years.

Should the EU now follow Merkel's lead, then she will have played a prominent role in that setback. If the EU refuses to agree on concrete financial pledges, it will strengthen the impression that the West isn't prepared to seriously address climate protection.

The chancellor may be exhausted from negotiations in Berlin over her new coalition government, in which every single euro has been haggled over. She may also be scratching her head over where to find the billions of euros that she needs to finance the tax-cut programs insisted on by her junior coalition partner, the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP). And she may still be dizzy from the enormous economic aid packages she had to finance in the past year to save banks and major businesses. But now there is no money left to save the planet? Does she really want to wait until this perfidious poker match gets to the very last second before naming a figure for climate aid in order to save as much as she can -- saving at the cost of keeping the planet inhabitable?

Sorry kids, we've plunged all of our money into the banks and you can now sweat to pay the debt back -- is that Merkel's message for the next generation?

The new coalition government of the conservatives and the FDP has just presented its policy plan for the next four years -- and it certainly contains some good news for the planet. The government wants to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050, it wants to expand subsidy programs for renewable energies -- but none of that will help if we are unable to come to a global agreement to stop the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Merkel Has Opportunity to Trump Obama as a 'Citizen of the World'

Merkel is presented with the unique opportunity of demonstrating to US President Barack Obama just how political eminence works. She could demonstrate to her trans-Atlantic colleague just how one transcends domestic sensibilities to make decisions that may not be immediately popular back home. Merkel has the chance to do something that would be beneficial for all humankind -- but which would especially help those in poor countries which will suffer considerably from global warming in the future.

When Obama visited Berlin in 2008 during his campaign, he said he was a "citizen of the world." But the issue of global warming has so far been largely absent from his foreign policy. Under pressure from domestic oil, coal and automobile lobbies, America's already moderate CO2 emissions reductions goal have been further watered down. In the ongoing international debate about climate change, the US still is not playing a productive role. To be sure, Obama has put together the environmental dream team with a Nobel laureate as energy secretary and one of the co-discoverers of global warming as an advisor. He also included billions in aid to renewable energies as part of his country's economic stimulus package. But as a citizen of the world, he has to do his part to ensure that the rest of the world begins charting a greener course. The world needs the US to take a leading role in combating global warming. So far, though, America has failed to do so.

Next week, Chancellor Merkel will be in Washington. She has been granted the rare honor of speaking to a joint session of Congress. It would be the ideal moment to say: "President Obama, Europe is making €40 billion available to finance climate projects in the developing world. We in Europe are going to reduce our CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2020 relative to 1990 levels."

"Are you Americans citizens of the world as we are? Or are you going to leave this planet's children in the lurch?"

Maldives cabinet to go underwater

From BBC NEWS

The government of the Maldives is to hold a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the threat of global warming.

President Mohamed Nasheed and his cabinet will sign a document during the 17 October dive, calling for global cuts in carbon emissions.

An adviser to the president told the BBC the dive was "a bit of fun" but the cabinet intended to send a serious message about rising sea levels.

The low-lying island nation says it faces being wiped out if oceans rise.

The adviser, who asked not to be named, said ministers would communicate during the meeting using hand signals and waterproof boards and pens.

"Obviously the hand signals that divers can use are limited, so the amount of work the cabinet are going to get done will be limited," he said.

"But they will call on all nations - rich and poor, developed and developing - to take climate change seriously."

All cabinet members bar one - who has a medical condition that rules out diving - have been in training at a military base on one of the country's many islands.

Mr Nasheed, who is already a qualified diver, will also hold a press conference in the water.

While underwater, the government will sign a document ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, calling on all nations to cut down their carbon emissions.

World leaders at the summit are aiming to create a new agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

'Friendly' sharks

The dive is being held to mark the 350 International Day of Climate Change Action on 24 October.

The day's organisers say they want to highlight the risks of rising carbon in the atmosphere and encourage world leaders to commit to reducing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million.

That is the amount some scientists say is the safe upper limit to avoid irreparable damage to the environment.

Some 80% of the Maldives archipelago is less than a metre above sea level and is extremely vulnerable to any rise in sea levels as a result of global warming melting the polar ice caps.

Officials say that by the time the Maldives feels the full effect of climate change, it will be too late to save other countries.

Mr Nasheed has warned that the entire nation may have to find a new home if the oceans rise as predicted by the UN.

The president's adviser told the BBC that although the country's government was almost all going to be underwater at the same time, there was no real danger.

Each minister will be accompanied by a diving instructor and a military minder and the local sharks were "friendly", he said.

and

by Olivia Lang

Maldives leader in climate change stunt

With fish darting amongst them in a blue lagoon, the Maldivian president and his top team have staged an elaborate stunt to publicise climate change.

Billed as the world's first underwater cabinet meeting, President Mohamed Nasheed and 11 ministers, decked in scuba gear, held a meeting 4m (13ft) underwater.

While officials said the event itself was light-hearted, the idea is to focus on the plight of the Maldives, where rising sea levels threaten to make the nation uninhabitable by the end of the century.

Mr Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president, has become an important global voice for climate change since he won in polls last October.

"We have to get the message across through a course of action which resonates with ordinary people," the president said, as the boat neared our destination."What we are trying to tell the people is that we hope there is a better deal at Copenhagen."

The presidential speedboat took 20 minutes to arrive in the turquoise lagoon off Girifushi, in North Male atoll.

The cabinet then zipped themselves into diving suits and donned goggles and tanks of compressed air before jumping in the water.

Major Ahmed Ghiyaz, the co-ordinator from the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), said all measures had been taken to protect the president, which included checking the coral for dangerous creatures.

"I am 99.9% sure there will be no harmful creatures," he told the BBC before the dive.

"I'm sure there won't be any sharks. The nastiest thing would be a moray eel, but we have checked the reef".

A horseshoe-shaped table was set up around a dark green coral reef with blue tips and home to an array of sea creatures in one of the world's most famed diving spots.

The president and his team took their seats at 1000 at the bottom of the lagoon, sitting at desks with name tags while colourful parrot fish and black and white damsel fish darted around them.

Using hand signals to gesture that they were OK, ministers then passed round an "SOS" to be signed - an agreement calling for carbon emission cuts.

"We must unite in a global effort to halt further temperature rises," the message reads.

"Climate change is happening and it threatens the rights and security of everyone on Earth."

Meanwhile, a handful of journalists kitted out in snorkel gear and swimming around on the surface tried to get a glimpse of the action below.

Emerging out of the water, a dripping President Nasheed removed his mask to answer questions from reporters and photographers crowded around on the shore.

"We are trying to send a message to the world about what is happening and what would happen to the Maldives if climate change isn't checked," he said, bobbing around in the water with his team of ministers.

"If the Maldives is not saved, today we do not feel there is much chance for the rest of the world."

Curry and coconuts

After the dive, the president told the BBC he had seen a stingray swim nearby during the meeting.

"There was a sergeant fish that was particularly interested in what was going on," he said during a typically Maldivian lunch of fish curry and coconut juice.

"I've never been worried about reef sharks and I've been diving for a long time," the 42-year-old added.

He says other Maldivians had heard about the event and wanted to get involved in some way.

On the island of Kuda Huvadhoo, some islanders reportedly created a sealed box and put their TV in it so they could watch the footage of the meeting underwater.

"They told me, 'if the president is under water, then they want to be too'," Mr Nasheed said.

But he was keen to push the need for action.

The 1192-island chain is at severe threat from rising sea levels, with 80% of its islands less than a metre above sea level.

"What do we hope to achieve? We hope not to die. I hope I can live in the Maldives and raise my grandchildren here," says Mr Nasheed.

Intermón Oxfam - Campaña Tck Tck Tck con Gael García Bernal

GREENPEACE Y LOS GLACIARES

Hace unos dias, el 25 agosto, GreenPeace Argentina ha lanzado una convocatoria para que los gobiernos de las principales economias del mundo asuman en Copenhague, en diciembre, su responsabilidad en relación al cambio climatico y para proteger los glaciares.

Para informarse sobre el futuro de los glaciares, se puede descargar el documento que GREENPEACE Argentina ha publicado en ocasión de esta convocatoria.

Para sumarse a la cyberacción, basta registrarse ::aqui::

EUA veem avanço do Brasil no debate sobre clima

Por Todd Benson

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - O Brasil tem poder e credibilidade para assumir liderança nas discussões internacionais sobre mudanças climáticas e ajudar a garantir o sucesso de um novo tratado para a redução do aquecimento global, disse nesta quinta-feira o principal diplomata dos EUA na área de meio ambiente.

Pioneiro em energia limpa e no uso de biocombustíveis como o etanol, o Brasil pode consolidar suas credenciais para a preservação ambiental se conseguir frear o desmate na Amazônia, afirmou o enviado norte-americano para mudanças climáticas, Todd Stern, após uma visita de três ao país.

"Eles têm um grande desafio, mas também uma enorme oportunidade em relação à Amazônia", disse Stern a um pequeno grupo de jornalistas em São Paulo, antes de retornar aos EUA.

"O desmatamento evitado contará como redução de emissões no acordo que estamos negociando", afirmou o diplomata, acrescentando que reconhece a dificuldade de proteger uma área tão extensa quanto a floresta amazônica.

No ano passado, o Brasil abandonou a antiga oposição a metas em relação ao desmate e prometeu reduzir o corte da floresta em 50 por cento em dez anos.

Dados oficiais divulgados nesta semana mostraram que o Brasil obteve algum progresso na redução da destruição da maior floresta tropical do mundo, levando o ministro do Meio Ambiente, Carlos Minc, a prever que o desmate poderia chegar ao menor nível dos últimos 20 anos.

Enquanto o Brasil avança na preservação da Amazônia, o país tem sido relutante a adotar metas rígidas para a emissão de gases do efeito estufa, sob o argumento de que os países ricos precisariam fazer mais para diminuir o aquecimento global.

Stern, que foi o negociador sênior da Casa Branca nas negociações do Protocolo de Kyoto em 1997, reconheceu que os países desenvolvidos têm maior responsabilidade na redução das emissões. Mas também sugeriu que grandes economias emergentes como o Brasil terão de fazer a sua parte para haver um novo acordo internacional na cúpula sobre a mudança climática, marcada para dezembro, em Copenhague.

"Acho que o Brasil está em um estágio de seu desenvolvimento em que, do meu ponto de vista, é muito legítimo buscar lançar-se no cenário global", ele disse.

"E acho que um assunto como esse, de enorme importância para o mundo..., é uma oportunidade ideal para o Brasil demonstrar liderança no cenário mundial. E, se você quer ser um ator global, é isso que tem de fazer".

Stern, que, além de Minc, reuniu-se com o ministro das Relações Exteriores, Celso Amorim, e com a ministra da Casa Civil, Dilma Roussef, afirmou que volta aos EUA com a sensação de que o governo brasileiro está pronto para aproveitar a oportunidade de assumir a liderança no debate sobre mudanças climáticas.

"Realmente acho que o Brasil vai fazer isso", afirmou.

Em entrevista à Reuters em 10 de junho, Lula sinalizou nessa direção ao dizer que o Brasil estava disposto a adotar metas de emissão de gases se os países ricos comprometerem-se a fazer mais para diminuir as mudanças climáticas.

Segundo o Painel Intergovernamental de Mudanças Climáticas da ONU, o mundo precisa reduzir as emissões de gases do efeito estufa de 25 a 40 por cento abaixo dos níveis registrados em 1990 até 2020 para conseguir evitar os impactos das alterações no clima.

Países em desenvolvimento, liderados por emergentes como China e Brasil, têm pressionado as nações ricas para reduzir as emissões em 40 por cento -- ou até mais. Os paises desenvolvidos, no entanto, rejeitam a proposta, com receio do impacto econômico.

A visita de Stern ao Brasil ocorre após uma viagem de igual propósito à Índia, outro grande e influente país emergente nas negociações sobre o clima. As discussões com as autoridades indianas apresentaram avançaram um pouco em temas como corte de emissões e transferência de tecnologia limpa.

MINERIA CONTAMINANTE EN ARGENTINA

Gracias a Ale, reportamos aqui una noticia de Conciencia Solidaria:

Pascua Lama, el dolor de los pueblos

Hace pocos días, la Barrick anunció el comienzo de las actividades de la mina Pascua Lama, proyecto binacional argentino-chileno. Pascua Lama es el segundo proyecto minero de la empresa canadiense en la provincia de San Juan. El nefasto anuncio nos enfrenta a la dolorosa verdad sobre la desprotección de nuestro pueblo por parte de quienes nos gobiernan.

Al momento que la Barrick anunciaba el comienzo de la explotación de Pascua Lama en Argentina, representantes de varios países presentaban cientos de denuncias al congreso canadiense. El partido liberal de Canadá impulsa una ley de regulación de sus mineras en el exterior, debido a la gran cantidad de reclamos recibidos, siendo la Barrick la primera en esa lista. Argentina se explayó sobre Veladero y el Tratado Binacional Argentino-Chileno de Implementación Conjunta (Pascua Lama).

A esta altura, Argentina tiene probados motivos para saber a que nos enfrentamos con la minería a gran escala con uso de tóxicos. El ejemplo de minera La Alumbrera en Catamarca, con 13 años de explotación y 4 provincias contaminadas sería suficiente ejemplo para rechazar cualquier emprendimiento semejante. El fiscal de ambiente Gustavo A. Gómez, señala con gran tino que “Si existe contaminación, existe un funcionario corrupto”.

¿A qué tribunal cabe realizar la denuncia por intento de contaminación de los más de 300 proyectos mineros que existen en nuestra cordillera?

Las mafias de los saqueadores están libres en el planeta, operan con facilidad en territorios como los nuestros, donde quienes deben velar por nuestro bien hablan el mismo idioma de compra venta y son cómplices de la devastación.

Quienes estuvimos hace pocos días participando en la provincia de San Juan del “Foro sobre protección de los glaciares y del ecosistema andino” y del encuentro de la” 9na uac” (unión de asambleas ciudadanas) pudimos vivenciar lo que acontece en esta provincia. El plan minero a gran escala de se desarrolla sin miramientos en San Juan impulsado por el gobernador Gioja y sus acuerdos sombríos con las transnacionales mineras. El futuro de devastación del ambiente y de su economía regional, la contaminación, la perdida de la salud, la falta de agua potable en Jáchal, la violación de los derechos humanos de los pobladores (amenaza y persecución de quienes denuncian los atropellos de las empresas mimadas por el gobernador), son la marca del accionar de la irracionalidad de hombre y su cara más bestial.

Las mineras en Argentina no tienen licencia social, es decir que no hay consenso, ni consulta a los habitantes, ni aprobación ciudadana a la minería contaminante. Hay ocultamiento y manipulación de la información. En San Juan los medios de comunicación son sistemáticamente censurados al extremo que, una radio Fm local fue clausurada el día 25 de abril por transmitir en directo las disertaciones del foro y los testimonios de los representantes de las 200 asambleas del país. También fue cortada la transmisión del programa televisivo nacional, dedicado a la Barrick “Después de Todo” de Jorge Lanata, el 13 de mayo.

El proyecto Pascua Lama requiere de libertad de acción por parte de la Barrick y ningún miramiento de protección al ambiente y al ecosistema glaciar. El gobernador Gioja está dispuesto a sostener los negocios mineros por medio de presiones y acuerdos políticos sobre el gobierno central. De allí se comprende claramente el veto del ejecutivo nacional a la Ley de Protección a los Glaciares 26.418. Por otro lado esta ley, de sostenerse, se enfrentaría claramente al código de minería que sustenta este método extractivo saqueante. La farsa impulsada por la presidencia del senado en consensuar una ley superadora no daría otro resultado que, aprobar una ley de glaciares que legalice el accionar minero.

Naturaleza asesinada, pueblos sometidos y acallados, seres perseguidos y criminalizados por defender sus derechos, esperan la respuesta de los millones de seres que duermen un sueño soporífero de falso bienestar.
Es imprescindible, en estos tiempos de urgencia, que los oídos se abran y se conscientice la necesidad de acciones correctas. Los hechos nos invitan a unirnos y trabajar en el sentido evolutivo que olvidó la humanidad y propender al equilibrio global perdido.
Es nuestro deber vencer la inercia, la sola indignación por los hechos no cambia el destino. Debemos comenzar a realizar aquello para lo cual estamos en el planeta y prestar servicio a la Vida.

Conciencia Solidaria
ONG Interprovincial

Amazônia em perigo/ Amazonia en peligro

Ayer fue el Dia Mundial del Medio Ambiente pero no tenemos buena noticia para contar hoy.

Gracias a Toque Social, nos enteremos que el destino del pulmon del mundo está en las manos de Lula. Necesario estar atentos!
Esta notica fue emitida por GreenPeace Brasil el 4 de junio.

Futuro da floresta está nas mãos de Lula

Após uma longa e acirrada disputa de mais de cinco horas, a bancada ruralista do Senado conseguiu impor ao país, por uma apertada maioria de 23 votos a favor a 21 contra e uma abstenção, a Medida Provisória 458, a MP da Grilagem. A MP apresentada pela presidência da República com a justificativa de legalizar terras ocupadas na Amazônia Legal havia sido aprovada na Câmara dos Deputados com a inclusão de emendas que beneficiam grileiros de terras públicas e empresas. A medida possibilita que 80% das terras públicas apropriadas irregularmente, o equivalente a 67 milhões de hectares, sejam privatizadas.

Agora, a MP 458 segue para aprovação do presidente Lula. “O congresso privatizou escandalosamente a Amazônia, o que vai aumentar o desmatamento e acelerar as mudanças climáticas. Os ruralistas insultaram a memória de tantos brasileiros que, como Chico Mendes, morreram na defesa do maior patrimônio ambiental do país”, disse Paulo Adario, diretor da campanha da Amazônia do Greenpeace. “Agora a responsabilidade para evitar esse desastre está nas mãos daquele que o criou, o presidente Lula, que precisa seguir o conselho de Marina e vetar os parágrafos da medida que ameaçam o meio ambiente.”

Em um discurso emocionante que, certamente, entrará para a história, a senadora Marina Silva (PT/AC) falou da violência causada pela grilagem na Amazônia. Entre 1999 e 2008 5.380 conflitos envolveram 2,7 milhões de pessoas, provocando 253 mortes por assassinado. “Os defensores dessa medida dizem que ela não vai legalizar a grilagem, mas não é o que pensam os especialistas. A MP 458 vai jogar por terra 15 anos de trabalho de promotores sérios contra a grilagem. Aqueles que grilaram vão ganhar o título de cidadão de bem”, disse Marina.

Juntamente com o senador Aloizio Mercadante (PT/SP), Marina até tentou uma negociação. A proposta foi manter o texto dois aspectos do texto proposto inicialmente pelo governo: prazo de 10 anos para que as terras regularizadas sejam vendidas (na Câmara dos Deputados, esse período foi reduzido para três anos) e possibilidade de empresas sejam donas de terras amazônicas. Ironicamente, esse último item possibilita a internacionalização da Amazônia por empresas transnacionais, exatamente o que o falso argumento usado pelos ruralistas para tentar desqualificar o trabalho do Greenpeace .

Outro aspecto negativo é que os imóveis de ate 400 hectares não precisam passar por vistorias para serem regularizados. Pela MP 458, o governo aceitará uma declaração do próprio beneficiado descrevendo a situação em que suas terras se encontra para regularizar a aterra, o que abre brecha para fraudes.

Agora, cabe ao presidente Lula não deixar que a bancada ruralista, liderada pela senadora Kátia Abreu (DEM/TO) empurre goela abaixo da sociedade brasileiras a regularização da grilagem.