No Day at the Beach in Bali

High drama leads to compromise at climate conference

Posted at 12:11 PM on 15 Dec 2007

After days of bitter fighting and an overtime stretch filled with twists and turns and even tears, world leaders on Saturday came to agreement on a rough roadmap for developing a new global climate treaty by 2009. The European Union had pushed for industrialized countries to commit to cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions of 25 to 40 percent by 2020, but the U.S., Canada, and Japan, among others, said no way. The final, agreed-upon text lacks specific numbers, but says that "deep cuts" in emissions are needed.

The U.S. also refused to back compromise language that called on rich nations to provide more technological help to poorer ones; that move elicited boos and an impassioned plea from a Papua New Guinea representative to the U.S.: "We seek your leadership. But if for some reason you are not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us. Please, get out of the way." Believe it or not, the U.S. then did get out of the way, changing its position and saying it would support the agreement.

The agreement also calls for developing nations to get credit for protecting their tropical forests, and for a special fund to help developing nations cope with the effects of climate change.

The "Bali roadmap" will now guide a two-year process of finding a new set of emission-reduction targets to replace those in the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. But the road is sure to be bumpy. Just hours after the deal was reached, the White House expressed "serious concerns" about it.

sources: BBC, Associated Press, The New York Times, The Telegraph, Reuters, Reuters

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Comments: (18 comments)

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Small ray of hope

So, at the 11th hour, the United States delegation decided to 'get out of the way' and reluctantly signed on to this agreement.

I'll admit that doesn't exactly qualify as news worthy of dancing in the streets. However it does cheer me a bit as a reminder that enough pressure put on the U.S. government (by Gore, by other governments, by environmental organizations, by regular people), even on a U.S. government "led" (cough) by a bunch of thieving, self-aggrandizing swine like Bush & Cheney, can be forced to budge a little when they are pushed against the wall hard enough.

Am I grasping at optimistic straws here? Probably. But there is so little good news coming out these days regarding the likely fate of our biosphere I'll take whatever optimistic news I can get.

Which actually leads me to a question, my dear fellow Grist readers: Is there a good Web site out there that intentionally focuses on positive news about the environment and the successful actions that people and communities have taken to effect sustainable progress?

I have no intention of sticking my head in the sand regarding all the alarming environmental news out there -- frankly, it would be impossible for one to do so if I wanted to. I just need, badly, a little more positive-news balance in my life. The flood of negative news out there threatens to throw me into a perpetual blue funk, potentially immobilizing me in my own depression.

Therefore any recommedations regarding news sites that focus on the breakthroughs, the happy endings, and the David-vs-Goliath successes would be welcome. Append them below, if you please ...

by GonzoDon at 4:19 PM on 15 Dec 2007

Cheerier news

I think the best I've felt in months was the day my design history students (having recently seen McDonough & Braungart's "Next Industrial Revolution") presented their research projects, including repurposed bicycle furniture, cardboard disaster housing, and recycle-in-place garden benches. A wonderful young woman soldiered through an explanation of purified waste water and the role of worm compost in that process. I'm not sure she had it quite right, but the subject is definitely on the table!
As for good news, I try to make my own by remaking my own life support systems along green lines, keeping climate change and direct action part of most of my relationships, calling my Senators... I'd like to do more. Some days I just read and learn, some days I pick up garbage, and I never miss a chance to vote. Over time, I'm hoping to refocus my professional life along more activist lines as well. One foot, then the next foot.

by Martha Hagood at 5:27 PM on 15 Dec 2007

Alternative Inspiration

Though at times Grist is laugh-out-loud funny, I agree that we also need to hear the uplifting stories of success. My suggestion shares more social successes than environmental (but it does make sure to share those often, too!)

Check out: http://www.yesmagazine.org

Here's hoping to brighter days ahead!

by dayla2000 at 2:32 AM on 16 Dec 2007

There's always something you can do

I'm optimistic. I think the next best place to invest is in land that is 10 feet to 80 meters above ocean level. That's going to be the new coast line. Build the houses so they are able to move up the hill when needed as the coast moves.

by trock at 4:29 AM on 16 Dec 2007

Ray of hope?

I subscribe to the consistently informative (though usually not too cheerful) podcast "Radio Ecoshock", and a recent episode featured the speaker Paul Hawken at the Long Now conference earlier this year. I can't remember his exact words, but he said something to the effect that looking at the science and the news, he cannot help feeling pessimistic, but at the same time, looking at the immense taxonomy of volunteer groups working for social justice, he cannot but feel optimistic.

This was a very uplifting presentation - he outlined what he sees as the greatest movement in history - millions and millions of people all working for essentially the same goal: to stop conditions where "the future is stolen and sold to the present", e.g. in the form of short-term profits at the expense of environmental degradation.

Hawken explores what he sees as a gradual awakening taking place, where this movement is gaining self-awareness. He likens this to the human immune system, which is strengthened by improved communication among its components (not that I have any science background with which to assess the aptness of his analogy...). As we gradually come to realize the myriad ways in which human rights, poverty, environmental issues, fairness and equity are interconnected, we begin to coordinate our efforts and pull in the same directions. Hawken doesn't claim to know what will happen, he's only reporting what he's seeing, but in doing so, he manages to inspire and give hope.

Hmm... I'm not really doing justice to his talk, so I'll just stop here and instead point you to his actual talk. Hawken is part of the team that developed and runs the site WiserEarth, which is a portal for all the various organizations he talks about. Do check it out!

by Staale at 5:24 AM on 16 Dec 2007

A mixed week.

The energy bill that came out of the Senate, set the bar for mediocrity at a new low level, and I have heard of no one in our camp that is just jumping up and down going goody goody about it.

Bali is a tribute to the fact that you can bludgeon your enemies into submission, sooner or later. A whole bunch of things - many of them behind the scene - came together to make the deal. (1) The climate movement in the US is largely winning outside of the beltway. When one of our posters cannot find a denier in Texas who will debate him, you know things have changed. This is not to say that the enemy isn't still powerful. But david was right that the arc of history seems to bending our way. (2) Bush did not want to face an EU boycott of his dog and pony climate show later this year.
(3) Bush was undercut by the prominent Americans who came to Bali to diss him and his obstructionism. (4) Bush's influence is melting faster than the glaciers, and I think you are not going to hear much more from him on the topic before that holy day arrives when the pr*ck leaves DC.

But this will only work out if we make sure the GOP gets clobbered in 2008.

The GOP must fall. 1-20-09.

Randy Cunningham

Randy Cunningham

by randino at 7:47 AM on 16 Dec 2007

I hear you GonzoDon

Here's a couple...

Paul Hawken at GreenBuild this year...you have to fastforward a bit:

http://www.greenbuild365.org/videos/video_gb06_2.html

And on the science, this won't reassure your inner Thoreau or even McKibben, but the Resilience Alliance is doing fantastic things:

http://www.resalliance.org/1.php

by JoshS at 7:52 AM on 16 Dec 2007

Hey Gonzo Don -- Big Ideas for A Small Planet

Gonzo Don, here is a web site for a TV show (in High Def, no less) that does smart stories about positive green projects that are happening now.

Big Ideas for a Small Planet

http://www.sundancechannel.com/series/thegreen_bigideas

Clever little show. You can view full episodes!! The HD version runs on the Universal HD channel. The SD version runs on Sundance Channel and the website has webisodes.

by christophersj at 9:14 AM on 16 Dec 2007

Thanks Gristers

for all your helpful suggestions above! I promise to check them out.

In the meantime, soldier on. I'll sign off with these words from the late Ed Abbey:

"Do not burn yourself out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast... a part time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it is still there.

"So get out there and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, encounter the grizz, climb the mountains. Run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, that lovely, mysterious and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to your body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much: I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those deskbound people with their hearts in a safe deposit box and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this: you will outlive the bastards."

by GonzoDon at 2:03 PM on 16 Dec 2007

Pascal's Wager & Global Warming

Scientists believe the earth is 4.5 billion years old, and the universe is much older.....but global warming data is only a slice from a couple thousand years, much less depending on which data one looks at. So we're supposed to radically transform our existence based on extrapolating this snapshot of data? Sounds very suspicious to me....however....

I believe in global warming/climate change like many choose to believe in God via Pascal's Wager. It's a better "bet" to believe in it and do something about it because if it turns out to be true, you win. If it's false, and you still do something about it, you lose nothing (or not much). If you don't do anything about it, and it's true, you obviously lose. If you do nothing and it's false, you lose nothing - but this is the least desireable option/approach.

Check it out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_Wager

by derek walters at 3:46 PM on 16 Dec 2007

good news for gonzo don

Geography of Hope by Chris Turner, Random House, Canada, 2007, ISBN 978-0-679-31465-3, will give you a lift. All the technology is in place, political will is what is needed. It's an entertaining read at the same time.
I think the glass is half full and momentum is filling the glass. I heard the talk by Paul Hawken and I think he's right about the many, many people and groups beavering away for the good the planet.
Bali was only one stop of a planetary journey which will see the human species rise to the occasion.

by earlysnows at 5:00 AM on 17 Dec 2007

Websites about solutions

Hey-check out the Bioneers's blog at connect.bioneers.org for stories of what ordinary people are doing and can do to contribute to social change. You can also ask questions, talk about your own work and challenges and join or start a forum. More info on Bioneers at www.bioneers.org.

For an international perspective, check out Ode Magazine at www.odemagazine.com.

(Full disclosure: I write for Bioneers and Ode and have been writing about social change for 15 years).

Other books: The Impossible Will Take A Little While, by Paul Rogat Loeb and The Great Turning by David Korten and Unbowed by Wangari Mathaai.

Yes to everything above about Paul Hawken--Blessed Unrest is an amazing book.

by kimri at 8:25 AM on 17 Dec 2007

Change

Its pathetic that the US, which should be on the vanguard of change, now drags its feet and engages in the unreasonable simply to maintain the profits of its largest corporations.

The american people will have to change their attitudes and values also. They cannot think they have an innate right to overconsume and waste resources.

Materialism and consumption as a way of life will have to go ...... too bad for for all the advertising companies who daily tell you things you can buy will change who and what you are.

"We Have Found the Enemy and It Is Us" ... Pogo

by rrecroc at 11:55 AM on 17 Dec 2007

go rrecroc! go pogo!

right on! power to the people!

the antiestablishment to the rescue!

by mat at 12:40 PM on 17 Dec 2007

Victory for Bush

I am surprised by the way many greens are interpreting the events at Bali. I guess people have forgotten Rio and Kyoto, or are too young to know what happened there.

The US strategy at Rio, Kyoto, and Bali (and elsewhere) has been to go in very tough, and stay tough. Eventually the other countries cave in and the agreement gets weakened.

And then the US fails to ratify/comply with the weakened agreement in any event. On this point, please note the warning shot reported at the end of the article: "Just hours after the deal was reached, the White House expressed "serious concerns" about it."

Upshot: the agreement gets weakened (thus protecting the international financial interests of Big Oil, the GOP's only true constituency) and the US doesn't feel any need to comply in any event.

How Avaaz and others can claim this is a victory is beyond me.

The only victory we will ever get with GOP in the white house - and perhaps with the Dems - is if the rest of the world creates a strong climate treaty and enforces it (againt countries who refuse to sign, ratify and comply) by using trade sanctions. These were the teeth behind the CFC treaties, which are by far the most successful (only successful?) environmental treaties.

by DaveGreenAndRed at 1:06 PM on 17 Dec 2007

Bali Was An Absolute Failure

To characterize the lack of any substantial agreement at Bali as anything other than an abject failure is just plain wrong. According to Friends of the Earth, a mainstream environmental group, the agreement reached could actually lead to an INCREASE in greenhouse gas emissions. Bali was a complete failure due to U.S. intransigence.

Despite the U.S. refusal to lower its own emissions, the other countries have no excuse for not agreeing to lower theirs. Yes, the U.S. emits more than anyone else except China so without the U.S. lowering its emissions there would still be a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, but any lowering of emissions would be a good thing, and the rest of the world had a good chance to really isolate the U.S. and failed to use it.

by Wolverine at 2:33 PM on 17 Dec 2007

I'll Believe It When ....

People stop driving monstrous size vehicles with one person in the vehicle ..... stop wandering the roads with no purpose like a bunch of gypsies, stop taking unnecessary flights, stop living to consume, can't get enough of anything, etc, etc

"We Have Found the Enemy and It Is Us" ... Pogo

by rrecroc at 4:18 PM on 17 Dec 2007
[ Parent ]

We need more outrage

I have to agree with wolverine that U.S. performance in Bali was dismal. And while it will feel good to medicate with bits and pieces of good news about pockets of good deeds, we must unfortunately focus on eradicating the bad deeds. When you're in battle, under fire, turning one's back on the attackers is not generally a successful strategy.

Our successful survival, our compassion for our descendents, our responsibility to other life forms on Earth, all require drastic efforts on multiple fronts. These include conservation, movement to non-carbon-based fuels, reduced consumption, and eschewing our addictions to economic and population growth.

Dave Gardner Producer/Director Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity www.growthbusters.com

by Growthbuster at 7:12 AM on 18 Dec 2007

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