Here are key quotes from leaders, experts and activists on the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) outcome.
Antonio Guterres, UN secretary general
“I am disappointed with the results of COP25. The international community lost an important opportunity to show increased ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the climate crisis.”
Carolina Schmidt, Chilean environment minister and conference president
“The consensus is still not there to increase ambition to the levels that we need. Before finishing I want to make a clear and strong call to the world to strengthen political will and accelerate climate action to the speed that the world needs. The new generations expect more from us.”
Laurence Tubiana, one of the architects of the Paris Agreement
“Major players who needed to deliver in Madrid did not live up to expectations but thanks to a progressive alliance of small island states, European, African and Latin American countries, we obtained the best possible outcome, against the will of big polluters.”
Alden Meyer, strategy chief at the Union of Concerned Scientists
“Never have I seen such a disconnect between what the science requires and what the climate negotiations are delivering in terms of meaningful action. Most of the world’s biggest emitting countries are missing in action and resisting calls to raise their ambition.”
Krista Mikkonen, Finnish environment minister and EU representative at the conference
“It seems that the EU now needs to be the leader and we want to be and we are going to be and that is what we are doing.”
Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil
“I’d like to know: has there been a resolution for Europe to be reforested, or are they just going to keep bothering Brazil?”
Mohamed Nasr, Egyptian delegate speaking on behalf of African countries
“Colleagues and parties who are calling for more ambition, who are saying that environmental integrity is the core, that are calling for the climate emergency, if you are not in line with a discussion on climate finance… please relook at your positions. We are not here to have very nice statements and people start applauding and clapping for nice words. We are here to work and make sure that we deliver the right package, to enhance the ambition and move forward.”
Kera Sherwood O’Regan, Indigenous Peoples Organisations
“We can’t help but feel the irony of your refusal to include human rights and indigenous people’s rights in Article Six [of the Paris agreement] when we know that market approaches have already directly harmed our communities. Our knowledge cannot be upheld if our rights are not upheld. You treat negotiations like a zero sum game where you make deals behind closed doors, trading off our rights for the profits of the very corporations who caused this problem in the first place. But you forget that we cannot negotiate with nature.”
Ian Fry, Tuvalu representative
“There are millions of people all around the world who are already suffering from the impacts of climate change. Denying this fact could be interpreted by some to be a crime against humanity.”
Sir David King, British government representative at the 2015 Paris climate talks
“If the United States is not backing an agreement that is meaningful it is extraordinarily difficult for the rest of the world to come to an agreement. And I’m afraid as long as we have [President Donald] Trump in the United States with President [Jair] Bolsonaro in Brazil it is extraordinarily difficult to get all of those countries to agree.”
Li Shuo, Greenpeace East Asia policy adviser
“COP25 demonstrated the collective ambition fatigue of the world’s largest [greenhouse gas] emitters.”
Adam Currie, youth climate organisation Generation Zero
“We are tired of governments siding with the polluters. We are tired of our lives being negotiated away for money. The people are tired of being ignored while a handful of wreckers and bullies negotiate in bad faith. We know that until we get them out of power they will continue to sabotage our future.”
Alexandria Villasenor, 14, climate activist interviewed by AFP
“The difference between the youth on the streets and the negotiations is that the youth on the streets are acting with urgency. COP25 has failed us and it’s another year of failure.”
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
“and finance”
and there ya have it. They thought they’d rape the productive countries for hundreds of billions more so they could continue with their limousines and private jets while tossing pennies to the poor countries to ‘mitigate’ the non existent threat.
The Maldives in particular are desparate for our cash, they have to pay for their new Airports and Resorts somehow.
“the youth on the streets are acting with urgency”
Yes, you have to give them that, they are very good at hypocritical complaining.
The COP really are lost without the Bank of USA
Lets not forget about the original climate hypester, James Hansen:
He’s even crazier after all these years. Note how he claims his predictions have been *accurate*, lol
Nothing-burger: maybe saying no to climate scroungers is not exactly a big vote loser back home for most of the developed countries.
“There are millions of people all around the world who are already suffering from the impacts of climate change. Denying this fact could be interpreted by some to be a crime against humanity.”
When do I report to the Hague?
The Conference of the Parties met to decide how to divide the U.S.’ money. And the U.S. said, “Nah, we ain’t playing that game.”
Perhaps going into COP26, someone will ask the U.S. if they will pay. Otherwise, no point in having a conference. Many countries wasted a lot of money sending people to COP25. COP##, actually.
I keep thinking of Cartoons by Josh, where the parties keep asking, “Where’s my money?”
Makes one wonder why the U.K. wastes money going to these copout# conferences. After all we are only there to be fleeced by all those begging bowls. Trump has got the right idea.
Meanwhile we voters have no idea how we are being fleeced to pay for it all. That needs to be sorted out.
Reblogged this on Climate- Science.press.
I wonder how much the Jocks will be ponying-up to hold this gabfest next year? I bet the hoteliers & restauranteurs of Glasgow are rubbing their hands with glee.
The police, may be also, all that lovely overtime.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-49650909
“It is expected to pose major security challenges for the Scottish government and police.
Sources have told BBC Scotland that police will seek additional funding from the Scottish and UK governments.”
David King: “I’m afraid as long as we have [President Donald] Trump in the United States with President [Jair] Bolsonaro in Brazil it is extraordinarily difficult to get all of those countries to agree.”
“Wherever I went in Europe I was struck by the persistence of the old original idea that America, and especially the United States, has no reason for existence except as a milch cow for Europe. People there were apparently born with this idea, as they might have been in the days of Columbus and Balboa. I observed it not only in the higher walks of society, but also in the lower. I observed also that Americans do not quite understand this persuasion, which is why I speak of it here. As far as I could see, there was no meanness about it, no spirit of grafting or sponging, or of bilking a rich and easy-going neighbour. It seemed rather to be the simple, natural expression of a sort of proprietary instinct. The general harmony and fitness of things required that America’s resources should at all times be at the disposal of Europe for Europe’s benefit. Especially it was imperative that when Europe got in any kind of scrape, America’s plain duty was to take the brunt of it, and to stand by when the scrape was settled, and clean up the debris at American expense.” p251 The Superfluous Man, Albert Nock
On this score nothing has changed since it appeared on book shelves in 1943, EXCEPT “no meanness about it, no spirit of grafting or sponging, or of bilking a rich and easy-going neighbour…” When you can’t get your own act together, blame it on the party that has, as if they were responsible for the failures of others. A very gynocentric attitude on the world scene, in the 4th stage of a viral cancer.
A C Osborn says: December 16, 2019 at 3:33 pm
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$10 billion from the Saudis should help…
No mention of China or India. Liars all.
Reblogged this on Utopia, you are standing in it!.
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Where’s the
beefvegetable derived protein blended with chemical flavoring, and processed into a facsimile of burger meat, that many find totally unappetizing?Maybe the west has finally realized that although the majority of politicians think the UN-IPCC is a worthy cause to throw a nation’s wealth at, many, many citizens think otherwise.
IMO the UK would be far better-off funding and trading with/through the British Commonwealth.