September 22, 2009 12:57 PM

U.N. Climate Summit Leaves Large Carbon Footprint

By
Mark Knoller
Topics
Domestic Issues
(AP)
To hear world leaders and others addressing the United Nations Summit on Climate Change, the threat could not be more real and the need more urgent to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

But in stark contrast to the earnest statements is the carbon footprint associated with their gathering.

It happens every autumn: midtown Manhattan becomes the motorcade capital of the world. Each foreign leader in town has a convoy of vehicles. Some of them, like President Obama's motorcade, are 20-to-30 vehicles in length. It's so long - it seems that when the front of it reaches the U.N., the back end is still back at his hotel.

Exacerbating the annual exercise in diplomatic gridlock are police actions, blocking intersections and closing streets for security to facilitate motorcade movements. It renders countless other vehicles immobile while waiting for motorcades to pass, their engines idling but still blowing exhaust into the midtown air

Does it undermine the goal of the climate change summit and cause the pledges of environmental concern to ring hollow?

Asked about it, White House climate change negotiator Todd Sterns had a suggestion.

"I think the U.N. should make a pledge to electric vehicle motorcades within five years," he said.

Right. As soon as all U.N. diplomats pay their parking tickets.

Obama: It's "New Era" on Climate Change Policy
Obama's U.N. Debut: A Dizzying Agenda

(CBS)
Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.


Add a Comment See all 61 Comments
by parisdakar September 25, 2009 9:28 AM EDT
Another reason not to live in Manhattan.
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by noloyalisti September 23, 2009 6:53 PM EDT
Al Gore spends lots of fuel flying around the world trying to talk sense into the wacko religious freaks (the "free' market corporatists are not much better and may be the same group of nuts).

But someone has to do it to convince the brainless right wingers about science and reality. Check out the RATES of temp change compared to normal geologic time. End of fake "debate"!
Reply to this comment
by noloyalisti September 23, 2009 6:02 PM EDT
Anyone who is still ignorant enough to deny global climate change being inflicted by man need only look at the RATES at which these changes are coming compared to normal climatic changes.

The only real bozos who deny this follow some kind of extreme wacko Christian rhetoric that says God will take care of everything. When the rapture comes can I have your car?
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by noloyalisti September 23, 2009 5:20 PM EDT
This article is so infantile as to be embarrassing. It's like the ridiculous brainless argument against the Sierra Club advocating saving gasoline because they drive cars too.

And these right winger continue to embarrass themselves by denying scientific observations. Must be the religion that beats your head like an empty drum.
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by zyxwvu987654 September 23, 2009 3:51 PM EDT
Self-important, detestable, lying hypocrite thugs. Fraudsters. There are real problems that need addressing -- and real things we can do to improve the earth and promote balance between nature and technology -- and these hack scam-artists are busy selling the "global warming / carbon footprint" scheme. It's all about controlling others' behavior and padding their own wallets. Sick.
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by noloyalisti September 23, 2009 6:44 PM EDT
You could not be more wrong. In fact you are dead wrong, as will our planet if we don't do something fast. As Al Gore says, this problem in the biggest problem human beings have ever faced.
by xt43w8x September 23, 2009 12:34 PM EDT
Haven't these goofballs ever hear of teleconferencing like go to meeting .com .Then they could just stay in their million dollar mansions and have the hired help continue to shine their shoes while they decide what's good for us little people lol
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by benmurphynyc September 23, 2009 11:55 AM EDT
Does it undermine the goal of the climate change summit and cause the pledges of environmental concern to ring hollow?

On the LSAT this is called a source argument and it's deemed invalid. Just because world leaders have security needs that increase their carbon footprint does not invalidate their argument that carbon should be reduced.
Reply to this comment
by democracy1 September 25, 2009 10:11 AM EDT
Thank you for injecting some reason here.
by angushopper September 23, 2009 11:39 AM EDT
The real story here has been entirely missed: Awash in the endless sea of vacuous, brain-dead celebrities attending this lovefest is one Fran Drescher, aka "The Nanny." Now it would be impolite to point out her current employment status but suffice to say she has not been in the limelight since the prior democrat regime. This brings us to Bill Clinton; given his proclivites toward overweight Jewish women, isn't this a bit curious?
Reply to this comment
by lastact September 23, 2009 11:21 AM EDT
I can buy any opinion I want.
Facts are hard to determine but it is a lot of fun to watch the end of the world group.
The UN is not seeking to solve any problem. They are looking to replace G-D, power of life and death over you.
Reply to this comment
by Glubber September 23, 2009 11:21 AM EDT
I'll agree to ANY global warming/change deal IF:

1. China agrees to it,
2. India agrees to it,

We have TWO of the most expanding and up and coming countries that will eventually SURPASS for emissions, OPTING out?

That's like playing a football game and one team agreeing to only play with EIGHT players!!

Don't ANY of you LIBS think it is ironic that China talks about the U.S. global emissions and points the finger at us, but doesn't talk how they are polluting? For GOODNESS sakes, it wasn't that long ago that China had to SHUT down it's industries for the Olympic games to REDUCE smog!
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