Green Seasonal Greetings

As part of the world plunges into religious and holiday celebrations today and the next few days, I entreat each and every one to remember to be kind to mother earth.

Remember to switch off the lights and other electrical appliances as you go to the churches and clubs and beaches. Some more walking and cycling will save us some CO2 emissions.

Instead of the artificial "Christmas Trees" with the twinkling lights, why don't we rather plant some beautiful tree flowers? These will last, not only for the season, but also throughout the next year and beyond, not to mention the CO2 absorption.

Hmmmmm......some food for thought.

Wishing all my readers a wonderful season.

May the good Lord richly bless you all.

Posted via email from dankasa's posterous

Obama Arrives in Copenhagen: Last Day of Climate Talks

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U.S. President Barak Obama this morning arrived at the Copenhagen for the crucial final talks at the climate summit. He will later meet with the Danish Premier and other world leaders at the summit.

With today being the last day of the summit, observers think that the US and China are the most significant nations as far as the talks are concerned.

Sources confirm that the negotiators have been working throughout the night to come to a deal. It is still however not clear whether there can be an agreement by the close of today, though there are some optimistic views. One of the main issues still remaining a debate is how concrete the money deal between the developed and developing nations will be. If the developed are to pay the $100 billion annually to 2020 to developing countries (to fight climate change), one can definitely be sure of how much say the developed would want to have in terms of how the monies would be used, and how much of such influence the developing nations would be willing to allow.

It is however important to note that a deal of any sort today is better than nothing at all.

Deal or No Deal?  We'll find out sooner.

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Copenhagen Police Clash with Climate Protesters

Information from the Danish capital indicate that some angry protesters who were attempting to break into the conference building and disrupt the talks have clashed with the police.

The police had to fire tear gas into the angry protesters to disperse them, a few of whom had broken through the barricades outside the Bella Centre, (the cconference centre).

Acording to Yahoo News, officers also had to use dogs, truncheons and pepper spray to push back the protesters and have arrested at least 230 people.

These protests come amidst divided factions at the conference, where the developed and the developing nations seem to be at two extreme ends of the world on an agreement. While the developing countries are calling for higher sums from their developed counterparts, there is no indication that the developed nations are in such a "money releasing mood".

In a related news, the UN President, Ban Ki-moon, has chided the negotiating countries at the talks for what he describes as "pointing of fingers" by the negotiators. He urged them to resolve their differences and warned of how big a mistake it would be to leave the decision to the world leaders who arrive later this week.

As the clock ticks towards the end of the summit we ask ourselves: Where are these talks going? Can there be a deal? What do the world leaders bring to the table?

Friday the 18th will tell. Related articles by Zemanta

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• 'Seal a deal', climate talks told (news.bbc.co.uk)

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Copenhagen Police Clash with Climate Protesters

Can There Be A Deal?

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Last night, representatives at the Copenhagen Climate Conference had to struggle through the night to salvage the talks, which for sometime now have been thrown into some bit of "chaos". It is reported that a group of African nations walked out of the conference and withdrew their co-operation, accusing the developed countries of bias in their approach to the talks. The group, which received a backing from the G77 countries (comprising 130 developing countries),  staged this walkout yesterday morning to register their displeasure with the lack of progress at the talks and also against what they describe as an attempt by the developed world to "ditch" the Kyoto Protocol. And this was enough to bring the talks into a temporary suspension.

According to Penny Wong, the Australian climate change minister, the walkout was "regrettable", insisting that it was "a walkout over process and form, not a walkout over substance". "This is not the time for people to play procedural games. We need to resolve the process issues and get onto the substance," she added.

Contrary to this, the Algerian chief negotiator for the African group, Mr. Kamel Djemouai,  told reporters that rich nations' opposition to a continuation of Kyoto meant they were willing "to accept the death of the only one legally binding instrument that exists now" to cut emissions.

On the BBC 08:00 GMT today he had two main questions to ask; "If there is a new treaty, when will the treaty be ratified and who will ensure that it is indeed ratified?".

With only a few days to the end of the summit, we ask ourselves whether there can actually be a deal by way of a legally binding outcome, amidst the many major issues that still need to be resolved.

Time will tell.

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 copenhagen climate talks

Where Does Africa Stand?

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Vietnam exports 25% of its rice to Africa. The major importers are Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal.

Due to climate change, hot weather conditions are causing sea levels to rice in Vietnam. Vietnam's rice farms are being affected by salty waters from the sea. What will happen if this trend continues? A possible revenue loss for Vienam? Loss of livelihood for rice farmers? An imminent food shortage in Africa and Vietnam? Hunger? Deaths?

Time is up for a change. Nature is life. The environment is our life. Protect Nature, Protect the Environment, Protect our Lives. Green is the word - The last stop must be Copenhagen!

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Green - The New Global Big Deal

As I listened to the 08:00 BBC news yesterday morning, I was saddened by a comment passed by a man who was being interviewed about what he thinks concerning the Climate Talks in Copenhagen.

He said "I kind of like it when it's hot, so I really think nothing should be done about the environment". Huh, what have I got to say, I just think otherwise, like many of you do, I hope. I believe the time is up – the deadline is Copenhagen and failure is not an option.

To the world leaders, I hope you will put aside all
interests and push for a politically binding agreement on
emission cuts.

Posterity is watching us.