The Unwillingness of Giant Emitters to strike a deal at COP 17 Durban Talks

From the last two talks i.e is COP 15( Copenhagen) COP 16(Cancun, Mexico) its evident that the giant emitters of the destructive gases are either not convinced or they are displaying utter unwillingness to strike a deal on how to cut the emissions. This is how the world captured the talks

Washington Post

The mandatory targets of the Kyoto Protocol cover less than a third of the world’s carbon output. Major emitters are not bound by it. And, increasingly, the world is relying on a patchwork of measures rather than a universal treaty to lessen the impacts of global warming.

“The formal positions are pretty hard on this,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the World Resources Institute’s climate and energy program. If negotiators walk away from Durban without forging a clear path forward, she said, “it sends a signal that countries aren’t as serious as they need to be about solving the problem of climate change.”

For more on washington post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/as-un-climate-talks-get-underway-in-south-africa-local-strategies-are-replacing-the-kyoto-global-pact/2011/11/23/gIQAG6Gw2N_story_1.html

New York Times

The United States is not a party to the protocol, having refused to even consider ratifying it because of those asymmetrical obligations. Some major countries, including Canada, Japan and Russia, have said they will not agree to an extension of the protocol next year unless the unbalanced requirements of developing and developed countries are changed. That is similar to the United States’ position, which is that any successor treaty must apply equally to all major economies.

But the European Union, the major developing countries, and most African and Pacific island nations would like to see the Kyoto process extended as a prelude to a binding international agreement after 2020 to reduce emissions so as to keep the average global temperature from ever rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, or about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above its current level.

United States emissions are down about 6 percent over the past five years, largely because of the drop in industrial and electricity production caused by the recession.   

For more on new york times

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/science/earth/nations-meet-to-address-problems-of-climate-change.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

The african govts themselves seem not to put enough pressure on these environmental offenders(China, US, India, Brazil) yet its said its the developing that will be worst hit by climate change effects. 

As we continue to raise our environmental consciousness lets take upon ourselves to protect the environment in the our own small ways as we can and pressure our govt to put its feet foward on enviromental issues.

Lets use bio degradable materials and reduce consumption of fuel reduce/reuse  fuel products such as plastics.

Wandai Gitonga

A Tree Hugger