FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Climate Solutions' response to President Obama's announcement on Copenhagen climate agreement
Statement by Climate Solutions’ Policy Director KC Golden, from Copenhagen
Copenhagen catalyzed historic commitments from the 2 largest emitters, the U.S. and China…“Historic” not because they are remotely adequate, but because they finally happened at all.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World leaders failed to deliver the necessary global commitment to climate solutions tonight. But the underlying conditions for success grew stronger in, and because of, Copenhagen.
World leaders failed to deliver the necessary global commitment to climate solutions tonight. But the underlying conditions for success grew stronger in, and because of, Copenhagen.
The huge, diverse, connected mobilization of global civil society,
and particularly young people, is growing into an irresistible force.
Copenhagen catalyzed historic commitments from the 2 largest
emitters, the U.S. and China…“Historic” not because they are remotely
adequate, but because they finally happened at all.
Businesses, cities, states, investors came forward and declared to
the world: "We are ready for solutions. We are implementing them
now." Governor Chris Gregoire and Mayor Greg Nickels did the Northwest
proud, and positioned us to reap the benefits of
leadership in the clean energy economy.
112 countries -- the least powerful ones, and therefore the ones
least able to afford intellectual dishonesty about the climate crisis
-- made a valiant stand for science and justice. Their moral authority
grew. I hope that what they did here will stir
humanity's conscience as deeply as it did mine.
Copenhagen galvanized Americans ’growing commitment to solutions,
while it laid bare the failure of our broken politics to honor that
commitment. It is a measure of how deep a hole we are climbing out of
that both these statements are true: The U.S.
offered much more than ever before. And it must deliver an order of
magnitude more if we are to have a real shot at averting catastrophic
climate disruption.
The President wouldn’t go further because he’s already at the
ceiling of the Senate’s appetite. He needs to puncture that ceiling
with stronger leadership, not fly under it. And the Senate needs to
MOVE.
People are riled and
connected, a new, clean economy is emerging, the costs of fossil fuel
dependence are growing, and the climate disaster bears down on us. The
drivers will only grow stronger until we do something much, much
different. On we go.
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Contacts:
Andy Grow: andy@climatesolutions.org
Desk: 206-443-9570
Cell: 206-713-1792; Skype: andy.grow
Cell: 206-713-1792; Skype: andy.grow
KC Golden: kcgolden@climatesolutions.org
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