African anger at betrayal over climate change

Jane says:

10:56am | 09/12/09

No mention here of Comrade Kevin’s key role in this ‘secret’ draft.

A truer analysis is found here -
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/secret-deal-leak-exposes-divisions-at-copenhagen-climate-talks/comments-e6frg6xf-1225808471132

“UNDERLYING tensions between rich and poor nations at the Copenhagen climate negotiations have boiled to the surface with the leaking of a “secret” draft agreement prepared by the Danish host government and a select “circle of commitment” including Kevin Rudd…...”

Peter Hatsworthy says:

11:14am | 09/12/09

Except Kevin Rudd is up to his ears in drafting this secret text and knowing his penchant for big noting his own importance on the world stage, probably had a hand in leaking it as well.

Instead of expecting Kevin Rudd to save the day, I think he has some serious questions to answer for causing such damage to Australia’s international reputation.

Bruce says:

11:21am | 09/12/09

Does anyone really think this “conference” is about ‘good will’ and the future benefit to the planet? It will always be about the “corporate dollar”. Unless “big Business” makes a “buck” out of it, the “conference” will serve tocken benefit. Tragically !!

Johno says:

11:38am | 09/12/09

Your comment:
Maybe someone should tell the Africans it would be a good idea for them to look at their population size and do something about it. They are breeding themselves out of existence.

AdamC says:

11:40am | 09/12/09

It is difficult to believe that a 2 degree rise in temperature will negatively affect Africa more than the myriad problems – poor governance, HIV/AIDS, internal and external conflicts – it already has. This is an example of climate hysteria in action.

And, what is the ‘evidence’ that shows that many Pacific islands will sink under the waves in the same warming scenario? Sea level rises seem to be the most hotly disputed of the proposed impacts in the climate change canon. And that is without taking into account the effects of coastal erosion on many islands.

This post is the sort of stuff that practically forces people like me to become climate change ‘sceptics’.

Angela says:

11:57am | 09/12/09

A few hours ago the Guardian revealed a leaked the “Danish text” a secret alternative text thought to be created by the Danes, Americans and British
You have left out AUSTRALIA. Mr Rudd didn’t tell us about this one.

Charles says:

12:11pm | 09/12/09

I think what the writer has misinterpreted with her post is the Africans chagrin at the imminent thought of their rent-seeking being foiled. 

Doesn’t she know not to stand in the way of a gravy train?

Nathan H says:

12:13pm | 09/12/09

Oh, the horror. How utterly outrageous it might be to suggest that africans will just have to knuckle under and work for a living. How absurd it is to suggest that money should not just rain down from the skies to prop-up brutal and corrupt dictatorships. For shame. Don’t they realise this was never about climate change, but actually global socialism? If these ammendements get through, the socialist coup will have failed!

Neil says:

12:28pm | 09/12/09

I hope Abbott asks the PM what his secret little draft is and how long have we been part of the “secret circle of commitment” What was the Kyoto Protocol all about then? He signs us up and then abandons it. Anything else Mr Rudd you need to tell us?

Kimberley says:

01:06pm | 09/12/09

I would have thought seeing you are writting for an Australian audience you wouldn’t have left Australia off the list?

Alicia says:

01:30pm | 09/12/09

How do you think Kevin Rudd can reaffirm Australia’s comittment to the “Kyoto Protocol and it’s principles” when Australia has been named as one of the countries who are apart of the “secret circle of comittment” which as you have siad “is a significant departure from the Kyoto Protocols and principles”? Or aren’t we supposed to know that Kevin is involved in this?

jo says:

01:31pm | 09/12/09

What about the lack of consideration for us tax payers? I don’t recall giving Rudd the mandate to take his cheque book to fund the UN at his will.  I don’t recall him asking for this privilege either. The so called “settled” science is now totally falling apart and to be fraudulent. You’ll have to try much harder to remotely scare us from now on.

Razor says:

01:43pm | 09/12/09

. . because that Africans have sucha good record on democracy, governance, compliance, human rights . . .

How is that Band Aid thing going for you . . . “We are the world . . .”

Glen says:

02:16pm | 09/12/09

The reason the africans are angry is that they can see their free meal ticket being lost.  Nothjing would change except that the despots and greey fingers would get richer and the Australians would become far poorer. But KRudd would not care about Australia as Australia is simply a stepping stone to his cushy UN job.

Andrew says:

02:20pm | 09/12/09

KRudd was up to his eyeballs in this.  He tells nothing to Australia.  His silence is deafening.  RKudd, you have no mandate to sign Australia up o any treaty of this magnitude without fist consulting Australia through a referendum.  But then you do not believe in democracy do you.

Ian F says:

03:15pm | 09/12/09

It is genuinely touching to see the naïveté of such youthful faith in the United Nations.  Presumably the secret circle treaty being negotiated by Australia with a few other countries is an attempt to bypass the predictable rent-seeking UN circus.

Carl Palmer says:

03:26pm | 09/12/09

Can’t help but feel that our PM made himself very scarce when it turned pear shape – nowhere to been seen. However if was heralded as ground breaking I’m sure his face would have been plastered around the globe.  Sorry but that’s how I unfortunately see him

“…..Pacific, Caribbean and African nations to call for an agreement to be referable to the latest science…” – what latest science? The one relating to the organisation that is under investigation and whose leader has stepped down? Haven’t they done any homework….

I think they should go to the Phil Jones site - http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/people/pjones/  where you get the following message –

“Due to the present high volume of visitors to this page, you will shortly be directed to the latest news about CRU on the main University of East Anglia website, or you can go there immediately by clicking on this link.”

….”high volume of users”….. someone in very interested on what’s going on.

I genuinely hope that I’m proven wrong and that the scientists at the CRU University of East Anglia have got it 100% right. If they haven’t then they have caused the world a whole lot of grief and wasted a lot of time and big bucks.  If they have misled the UN then my guess is that they should get on the next shuttle so that they can permanently relocate to the moon or Mars. It will be the only safe place for them.

Jack from Perth says:

04:06pm | 09/12/09

Where’s Krudd’s comment on this? Or was something outrageous on television to comment on? No, that’s right, Westpac sent out an email about banana smoothies to their clients…

James Dagher says:

04:38pm | 09/12/09

I’d invite all of the sceptics on this blog to travel to the Pacific Island Nations whose land is already being lost to the rising sea level. Their homes are already being lost to climate change. They do not want to lose their homes. They do not want to lose their culture. And they most definitely do not want to become refugees. And as I’m sure it will irk those fans of the extremist right, you know on whose door they will be knocking. AUSTRALIA has a moral obligation to all shared citizens of the globe to reduce our emissions drastically. With the highest emissions per capita in the world our ignorance and lack of education regarding the clear and definitive evidence that climate change is real and happening at a rate unprecedented will only further hinder our own existence, our children’s existence and the survival of the most vulnerable yet least responsible people on our planet.

Matt 2.0 says:

04:59pm | 09/12/09

@James Dagher

Ever heard of climate change? The climate always changes. Don’t b/s us into thinking we had anything to do with a natural occurrence which is unfortunate to say the least.

“With the highest emissions per capita in the world”.

But you neglect to say the whole truth…1.5% of GLOBAL emissions and that’s if you see Co2 as a pollutant which it’s not.

Jane says:

05:00pm | 09/12/09

Absolute RUBBISH James….the seas aren’t rising…the tectonic plates are shifting though….Samoan earthquake ring a bell?..recent tsunami’s?...As some Islands sink, others are being created..no mention of them though…
Stop perpetuating this alarmist crap. This deceitful sideshow has nothing to do with climate change, the environment or anything altruistic…it’s just Global Socialism by stealth and guilt…and Ruddy Kev’s right in there lining up for his slice of the action at Australia’s expense.

pc says:

05:37pm | 09/12/09

Hi Amanda

Oh, I wish Steve Fielding was here, if he was he’d say “Boy. some people have some really strong opinions about this.” And there needs to be passion, just as there needs to be science, arguments and politics.

Bernaditas de Castro Muller (you can read more about her in the guardian) is officially an environment advisor to the Filipino government and lead negotiator and co ordinator of the 130 developing nations in the umbrella group known as the G77 plus China. So unofficially she represents the interests of nearly two thirds of the poorest people in the world. They need representation at these talks. Unlike Australia and the US they do not have the rescources to translate, disseminate, fabricate, bully, steal, cheat and lie the way we do. They need effective, cool and determined representation.

Thank goodness Amanda is doing the passion side for them. That is real leadership. There are a lot of old men - and frankly thats who they are - that complain they are being left behind. They say the debate is moving forward without them. They arent complaining for themselves of course. No, they arent that mean spiritied or selfish. They know that whoever pays for climate change it probably wont be them. It will be the people that always pay. The weak, the poor, the brown, whatever you want to call them, always pay, and its likely they will always pay. The other group that will pay are young people. All young people. Whether they are indigenous or not, whether they are christians or not, whether they go to a private school or not. They WILL pay.

So if you complain that you are being left behind and if you have nothing but spite and derision for real leadership, dont be surprised if people dont follow you. You arent a leader.

D'oh says:

06:10pm | 09/12/09

@ James, obvioulsy you are a AGW believer (too bad we can’t call it that now, better stick with ACC) why don’t you go there?

I can’t bear to repeat myself so just go google “climategate”.

Diamantina Dick says:

06:12pm | 09/12/09

I thought Kevin Rudd was a “Friend of the Chair”, turns out it was the Naughty Chair!

@James Dagher, I invite you to visit Bamaga on Cape York and ask them why thier people had to come there two generations ago.

Jane says:

06:22pm | 09/12/09

Absolute RUBBISH James….the seas aren’t rising…the tectonic plates are shifting though….Samoan earthquake ring a bell?..recent tsunami’s?...As some Islands sink, others are being created..no mention of them though…
Stop perpetuating this alarmist crap. This deceitful sideshow has nothing to do with climate change, the environment or anything altruistic…it’s just Global Socialism by stealth and guilt…and Ruddy Kev’s right in there lining up for his slice of the action at Australia’s expence.

iansand says:

06:33pm | 09/12/09

The response to this piece from the Rabid Right is fascinating.  Notwithstanding that Rudd may be doing exactly what they want - helping to torpedo an agreement - he is STILL incapable of doing the right thing.  It is highly instructive about the true motives of the “sceptics”.  They don’t know care they are against, as long as it is against the Labor government.

Greg says:

06:45pm | 09/12/09

Dear James Dagher, I see people like you are continuing this garbage rhetoric about Pacific Islands disappearing into the sea all due to man made climate change. Wake up to yourself. Islands have been appearing and disappearing beneath the sea for millions of years and I don’t think man has had much to do with it in the past. When the last ice age came to an end humans must have been seriously churning out the carbon. Damn neanderthals and farting mammoths I would say. Your arguments are ridiculous and your science fraudulent. But still, I can’t wait for that apocalyptic movie that made up the introduction to the Copenhagen Conference to be released at the movies, it will be my favorite right up there with the day after tomorrow. It wasn’t directed by Al Gore was it?

wake up sheeple says:

07:21pm | 09/12/09

To James Dagher comment above:

The planet has been warming and cooling for decades. There is NO.
I repeat NO conclusive evidence that man’s current 3% CO2 contribution is causing any more warming or cooling than would occur during natural climatic change.

The African anger stems for the fact that the WORLD BANK in partnership with private companies ie Goldman Sachs will be managing this global tax slush fund and not the UN.

The draft treaty is online and available to read.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703574604574500580285679074.html

Watch this interview for a more thorough overview of what Australia and developed countries are signing up to. I warn you it’s not pretty especially considering the science is NOT settled and Rudd does NOT have a mandate to sign this treaty which commits billions of dollars annually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZW-BF70TsI&feature=related

Eric says:

08:04pm | 09/12/09

James, I’d invite all the Climategate deniers to examine the information that has been revealed about the faking of “global warming”.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/ is a good place to start. No need to waste carbon flying around the world; you can read it from home!

D'oh says:

12:47am | 10/12/09

@ iansand: actually, if our PM has been party to this back door agreement to protect Australia’s wealth, that could quite possibly be his most intelligent contribution to this entire debate.  Shame that the “Rabid Right” were more keen to protect Australia than Labor.  They are too scared to voice their objections and (dare I say it) individual thoughts (can’t have that now can we)!!!

As for telling people that action is required on ACC, that we must all play our part and pay $1k a year extra to do it, then get scared and compensate a select few (wealth distribution much??) in a paltry attempt to save votes (hang on, didn’t he pay out huge sums to a select few in the electorate before???).......

I hate to do it, but…....

[face palm]

Wayne Hutchins says:

06:02am | 10/12/09

Good links Eric but I think we are wasting our time. Blind sheep can’t read…or don’t want to!

Knightyme says:

05:49am | 12/12/09

It gets better.  I recently watched a documentary about world population, and part of it dealt with food.

If what was presented was true, richer countries are buying parts of Africa, to grow food, with the backing of the resources they can irrigate and grow crops. Once a crop is ready, its harvested, to be sent back to the parent country.

So literally, food would be grown in Ethiopia, and shipped away to people that don’t really need it, if they ate a little less.

while the above has nothing to do with the topic as such, if you thought they are angry now, just wait.