US former Vice-president and Nobel laureate Al Gore received a warm reception in Congress when he told the US politicians the world is nearing a critical point of irreversible climate change and it has become urgent for the US to join talks on an international climate treaty. CNN
European leaders meeting in Poland hailed their agreement on limiting CO2 emissions and other climate change measures as “historic,” with French President Nicolas Sarkozy saying no other continent has agreed to such measures, according to the International Herald Tribune. The paper emphasizes, however, that the governments gave in to pressure from East European countries’ (it includes Poland and Hungary in this area) electric utilities and heavy industry sectors such as chemicals and steel, who argued that they cannot afford the changes in the current economic climate. So while Europe has now agreed to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, it has also given several industries far longer to adapt than originally planned. Related articles: Financial Times
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao opened a conference on climate change in Beijing by insisting that rich nations must reduce pollution, sparking anew a debate over who should pay how much to reduce carbon emissions. Wen called for rich countries to end their unsustainable lifestyle and to help poorer nations obtain pollution reduction technology. While China now has the highest level of carbon emissions it lags far behind the US and other countries in the per person level of CO2 emissions. Reuters
Swiss forest, Valais: improved forest management and greater use of wood for buildings and heating fuel are helping reduce CO2.
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland will likely meet its 2012 obligations for reducing CO2 that are part of the Kyoto Protocol, which it ratified in 2012. It should also be able to meet the country’s stricter CO2 Act obligations.
