China-U.S. Swap Barbs At Copenhagen Summit

(AP)  The U.S. and China exchanged barbs Wednesday at the Copenhagen climate talks, underscoring the abiding suspicion between the world's two largest carbon polluters about the sincerity of their pledges to control emissions.

U.S. chief negotiator Todd Stern urged China to "stand behind'' its promise to slow the growth of the country's carbon output and make the declaration part of an international climate change agreement.

China rejected that demand, and renewed its criticism of the U.S. for failing to meet its 17-year-old commitment to provide financial aid to developing countries and to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases warming the Earth.

"What they should do is some deep soul-searching,'' said Yu Qingtai, China's chief climate negotiator.

The remarks during separate news conferences reflected the heavy lifting that remains in the 10 days before 110 heads of state and government conclude the summit, which aims to create a political framework for a treaty next year to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

President Barack Obama helped break the ice in the troubled negotiations last month, saying he would deliver a pledge at Copenhagen to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by around 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. It will be the first time the U.S. has committed to a reduction target.

China responded a day later, announcing it would voluntarily reduce the carbon intensity of its industry by up to 45 percent, meaning its emissions would continue to grow but at a rate lower than the economy.

Stern said China's announcement boosted optimism before the conference, but didn't go far enough.

"What's important is not just that they announce them domestically but they put them as part of an international agreement,'' Stern said.

Whatever actions the Chinese take to slow emissions growth should be transparent, he said, "it's not just a matter of trust.''

[NBCMichael]

CAP & TRADE ENSURES THE STATUS QUO FOR OPEC AND TERRORISM

Isn?t the timing interesting? With the world in recession and US unemployment figures hovering around 10%. the EPA exceeds its authority and determines CO2 is a pollutant that must be regulated.

But America has natural gas and coal in abundance and could eliminate dependence on foreign oil and stop sending billions to countries that sponsor terrorism.

And it is estimated that every billion in trade deficit equals 13,000 jobs lost. Washington could keep money, technology and jobs in the US by reducing the trade imbalance. FYI: during the decades America enjoyed great prosperity; no concern was expressed for the plight of the uninsured.

The United States agreed to transfer jobs and technology to developing countries under INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT Algiers Declaration Algiers, Algeria, 4-6 March 1975

[Sloughfoot]

Anyone who thinks that this sumit is anything more then a circus on the World's stage is delusional. Until the world addresses the malignant population explosion, we will all have to live with or die in and ever changing environment.

[Turbidite]

Obama promised to take a more moderate stance in telling other nations what they should and shouldn't be doing. I guess Todd Stern never got the message. To scold another nation publicly, in front of the assembled 110 heads of state and their representatives, is not a way engender feelings of cooperation. Every elementary school child knows this. It is one of the earliest lessons that we learn. The statements made by Stern are particularly ironic since the USA built its strength while creating massive industrial pollution. Now that we depend on China for so many of our manufactured goods, we chastise them for polluting the atmosphere. That is truly hypocritical. I have no interest in defending China's position, but I feel strongly about our bully talk to other nations. Unless we are trying to provoke a war, I see no sense in publicly humiliating other political regimes. Offering practical solutions to environmental problems will always trump public criticism.

[thesevenveils]

This is pretty funny hearing this from from China, you know the summer Olympic host whose nations air was so polluted TV cameras couldn't record the buildings across the street, where athletes refused to train there and only showed up at the last minutes for their meet.


Free China
Free Tibet

[rightbehind]

You can't make them mad. Who will make our TV's? Every neocon should be charged with treason! I guessed they figured we would to busy trying to make a living to watch them anyway. 27 years of reaganomics has done a lot of damage.

[OldTimeTruth]

China rejected that demand, and renewed its criticism of the U.S. for failing to meet its 17-year-old commitment to provide financial aid to developing countries and to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases warming the Earth. "What they (US) should do is some deep soul-searching,'' said Yu Qingtai, China's chief climate negotiator.
Oh my .... It is time. America wake up and smell the roses. We need to get China paid off on the National Debt and stop buying their products if they are going to be this way. "Commitment to provide financial aid" they say. Well why don't they ?China? do this as well? Why don't they give your people freedom? Why don't they pay your citizens a descent wage and health care? If I remember right we helped pull China?s butt out of the fire in WWII and then they backed North Korea and they still do today. Something is wrong here folks. I agree every country should clean up their act on clean air but China is doing nothing except the same old run around game. You as American buyers can make a difference by not buying their products when you are at Wal-Mart or were ever. That will get their attention faster then anything. If their factories are not producing then they may have to do some deep soul-searching!

[sunday42]

I agree 100%. It's time you and I stop supporting this communist nation and get ourselves back on our feet. It's time to stop handing out our money and our freedom to other countries that hate us but at the same time look to us for hand outs. Is there no way to reduce carbon emissions, if that really is a problem, without redistributing global wealth? Those who feel global warming is a real threat to mankind take it for granted that we need to give up our freedoms and our jobs to third world countries to reduce CO2 out put. How about this, lets put Americans to work (jobs) reducing our own CO2 emissions right hear in this country first. Let's develpoe a technology that works right here at home and put it ,and us, to work. Then take a second look at global warming. Let's look at something other than global wealth redistribution. It seems to be a foregone conclusion for those that think global warming is a real threat to mankind. Think outside the box that has been dictated to us.

[us_1776]

Stop throwing barbs and start figuring solutions. We have been pouring TRILLIONS OF TONS of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere during a time of relatively low volcanic activity. Should volcanic activity return to a more normal level we will be in huge trouble.