[aldo_14]

US agrees climate deal with Asia

[q]
The pact will allow signed-up countries to set their goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions individually, with no enforcement mechanism.
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They have also made clear their concern that climate change should only be addressed without harming development or economic growth.
[/q]

I mean, why not just admit you don't give a **** (not that the G8 didn't establish that already for several of those countries) rather than toss out this ineffectual, meaningless pap.    It amounts to nothing; they might cut emissions, if it doesn't cost them anything, but even if it was cheaper in the long run they wouldn't have to because there is no enforcement.

[Roanoke]

I read the system the US preferred over Kyoto (a sort of Credit exchange system) would have allowed them to increase CO2 output by as much as 30%.

[aldo_14]

Kyoto has a credit exchange system; countries under emissions levels (Russia in particular) can sell their excess to countries over levels (i.e. Oz and US).  Sort of a reward system for environmental prudence.

[pyro-manic]

'tis crap, yes, but then what were you expecting? Some actual progress?

[aldo_14]

I'm an idealistic.  Well,  that or an idiot.

Actually, I heard of this upcoming announcement last night, and was expecting something suitably useless like 'capping raises to only 50% in the next 100 years' or something.  But this is even more pathetic.

[pyro-manic]

I think it's all to do with coal. The US, China and the Aussies are the biggest coal exporters in the world, so they want to develop this "clean coal" technology rather than lose their market when people realise what a mess coal makes...

And idealism is all well and good, but it goes out the window when you get people involved...