paulbaer’s Recent Comments

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  How full is the glass?

  With limited exception, I think the events were fairly predictable. The US held its breath until it turned blue and then allowed something innocuous to be put in the document. But they are under no obligation to negotiate in good faith going forward, and no reason for anyone to assume they will.

  The biggest surprise was China's forward-looking attitude, but again, talk is cheap.

  The work is just beginning.

  --pbOn Countries strike climate deal in Bali posted 1 year, 11 months ago 20 Responses

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  tempered enthusiasm

  My first reaction was, "wow." I was particularly impressed by the ratcheting up of the reductions objective and the steep mileage and renewables goals, and (at first) by the reference to financing incremental costs. Then I read it again, and I thought about the World Bank "financing" the incremental costs of clean energy in the South, and I lost a little of my enthusiasm. Then I thought about the idea of a multi-lateral force "protecting" the gulf -- clearly considering us to be part of the "protection" rather than the threat -- and I lost a little more of my enthusiasm.

  So, one and a half cheers!

  --Paul Baer
      Research Director, EcoEquityOn The boldest plan on the table posted 2 years, 5 months ago 25 Responses

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  Bush and the US

  it's really quite an interesting situation -- there are certainly plenty of situations where the "party" that rules a country clearly does not represent its population, but the civil-society dynamics of the US are rather unusual. The parties which other countries might usefully deal with are not an opposition party (hah!), but a dispersed group of local and regional politicians.

  It creates both an interesting practical problem, and an interesting theoretical situation for those so inclined.

  --PaulOn Montreal in a nutshell posted 3 years, 11 months ago 1 Response