46 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 4 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Climate change mitigation: A dire necessity for Latin America and the Caribbean

By Guyana's Ambassador to Venezuela, Dr. Odeen Ishmael  Posted by Roy S. Carson (about the submitter)       (Page 1 of 4 pages)   No comments
Message Roy S. Carson

The recently concluded UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen has generated widespread disappointment since it did not deliver tangible results to effectively combat the rapidly encroaching problems generated by global warming.

The conference spent a considerable amount of time to reach a nonbinding "Copenhagen Accord" which took shaky steps against global warming even though it pointed to a new start for rich-poor cooperation on climate change.

The accord was accepted by consensus after delegates arrived at a compromise decision to "take note," instead of formally approving it. Overall, the agreement has been spurned by numerous developing countries because it failed to set specific emissions targets for the industrialized countries.

  • But in general terms, countries agreed to cooperate in reducing emissions, with a view to keep temperatures from rising more than 2 Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

Further, the developing nations will report every two years, subject to "international consultations and analysis," on their voluntary actions to reduce emissions. And the developed nations will finance a $10 billion-a-year program for three years to fund poorer nations' projects to deal with drought and other climate-change impacts, and to develop clean energy.

The United States along with other rich countries also proposed "mobilizing $100 billion-a-year by 2020" to assist with this purpose. However, none of them made any announcement as to their specific financial contribution to this enterprise.

But even these amounts will be grossly insufficient.

Significantly, a World Bank report released in The Hague in September revealed that developing countries will need up to $100 billion (80 billion euros) a year for 40 years -- beginning from the present time -- to combat the effects of global warning.

On the other hand, what could be regarded as a positive achievement for the rain forest countries is that the accord allows for a widened "REDD Plus" fund -- the mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation -- which would enable them to obtain incentives for keeping standing forests.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Roy S. Carson Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Roy S. Carson is veteran foreign correspondent (45+ years in the business) currently editor & publisher of VHeadline Venezuela reporting on news & views from and about Venezuela in South America -- available for interviews -- call Houston (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact EditorContact Editor
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

NOT your stereotypical James-Bond type Russian ... Andres Agapov denies being an ex-KGB (SSB) spook!

I think Izarra was referring to UK Channel 4's Sandra Jordan ... although it could quite as easily have Corina Machado!

North American investor says he will NEVER, ever, invest in Venezuela again!

Fears that the corrupt mastermind of Maria Clelia Spinas' slaughter may be able to buy his way out of detention...

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend