MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Major environmental groups walk out of UN climate conference in Warsaw
Marcin Korolec, who is chairing the talks, was fired as Polish environment minister in the midst of the conference Several major environmental groups, including Greenpeace and WWF, have walked out of UN climate talks in Warsaw, Poland in protest at what they see as a lack of progress towards an international deal to curb rising global greenhouse gas emissions.
More than 9,000 representatives from about 195 countries are gathered in the Polish capital for a two-week conference working towards a treaty to be signed in 2015 to fight climate change. The pact would enter into force after 2020.
But the talks have stuttered over several issues, particularly whether rich nations should pay developing countries for losses suffered due to the effects of climate change, and a lack of pledges to cut emissions.
“The lack of meaningful leadership from other countries, governments, here has delivered a slap in the face to those suffering as a result of dangerous climate change,” said Kumi Naidoo, executive director of Greenpeace International.
Marcin Korolec, who is chairing the talks, was fired as Polish environment minister on Wednesday.
He remains in charge of the talks but green groups have slammed the timing of the cabinet reshuffle. Poland's decision to host a coal industry summit alongside the climate talks on Monday and Tuesday had already angered environmental groups.
“This is one of the most 'captured' summits ever - by corporations and coal industry with the support of the Polish government,” said Dipti Bhatnagar at Friends of the Earth International.
”We are walking (out) to send a strong message due to the total inaction at the talks, due to lack of ambition and finance, at a time when we need the most action.”
It was the first time green groups had staged such a coordinated walk-out at UN climate talks.
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Read all commentsThey should have seen it coming. Poland is not about to trash its energy industry, unlike the UK and Germany.
Nov 22nd, 2013 - 01:16 pm 0The British government knows best,
Nov 22nd, 2013 - 02:05 pm 0Cold—put a jumper on
Freezing- strike a match
Blocked roads—stay in bed,
The British government knows best.
Still,
Lions led by 20th century donkeys spring to mind..??
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Environmental groups don't live in the real world. We've already seen that the climate change geeks got it wrong. “The Arctic icecap is melting and will soon disappear”! Except that it's growing back. How about “whether rich nations should pay developing countries for losses suffered due to the effects of climate change”? Why the hell should they? Why is it always a race to the bottom? Look at various places in Africa and Asia. They suffer from poor health conditions, malnutrition, famines, poverty. They are provided with hundreds of billions of any currency you like to name and what do they do? They procreate. They make their own situation worse and then expect more aid. Time to be realistic. No more aid. There was no aid when the countries that are now “rich” were making their way. Let's try an example. Ethiopia. Constantly having famines. But, with 93 million inhabitants, it is the most populous land-locked country in the world. Between 1950 and 2010, the population grew by 64.5 million. In a country that suffers from famines? Countries like this should be subject to forcible population control. See China's one-child policy. It would be nice if somewhere like Ethiopia adopted a similar voluntary policy. But it won't. Because somewhere else is paying for it. So it'll have to be done the hard way. Withdraw all aid and then tell them what they HAVE to do. No population increase for 10 years. Live within their means. Now consider how many countries that could be applied to. A planet can only support just so many people. THAT'S what needs to be recognised. Then there would be enough to go around.
Nov 22nd, 2013 - 03:33 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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