Early Days, Late Days
These issues are generally understood and accepted by the parties. What is not agreed upon yet is where the money is going to come from to make them work. The developing nations, especially those in the global South, believe that the wealthier nations should not only reduce their emissions dramatically but also pony up a significant share of the costs of adaptation, since they are the architects — albeit unwittingly — of much of what others are now suffering. They have, on their path to wealth, overloaded the atmosphere. (Tonight there was a demonstration on the main hall at COP 15 by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, which demanded that the developed countries take the steps necessary to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to the point where temperature increases do not reach the level of 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.)
Above all this fray, though, when you look more closely at the people themselves on the opening days of COP 15 and the Klimaforum something large and positive begins to take shape. Here are individuals from every far-flung corner of the world (193 countries) quietly at work, business-like, intent on solving this shared puzzle. Seeing all of these people gathered together working to assure our future, the future of our children and grandchildren, has been impressive. The stages of disagreement, partisan divide and rancor are still ahead — the long hours of tedium, the wading-through of disagreement and self-interest. During the hopeful opening days of the summit, it seemed like these obstacles could be overcome with enough effort. The big question is whether they can be overcome in time.
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Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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THREE Comments
Comment / By Chris Lester / Dec. 10, 2009, 8:50 a.m.
Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you? We stare in silent awe as the Superfriends assemble in the Hall of Justice at this late hour…Climategate happened. It was a fraud all along. Yet the Journal goes for the full court press. So many households in Humboldt County would have been crushed by the new burden of taxes extracted by this scam. That was a close one.
Comment / By Thirdeye / Dec. 11, 2009, 2:44 p.m.
There’s certainly room for debate regarding the relative significance of natural and anthropogenic climate change during the agricultural and industrial eras, and room for valid criticism of the IPCC’s processes, but the conspiracy theories being spun by cable news shouters and such are beyond stupidity.
Comment / By unanonymous / Dec. 15, 2009, 10:09 a.m.
From the emails I have read, it seems pretty clear the CRU scientists were actively trying use the scientific journal peer review process to stifle dissent and playing games with public data sets to sabotage peer-review articles by dissenters. Nothing really unbelievable, science funding is a very competitive business and PhD’s are notoriously cut-throat. It just points to an nonobjective view point that is at odds with the scientific method.
I would think an objective investigation of this should cause a few at the top of CRU’s team to lose their jobs.