Monday
Dec072009
Obama May Disappoint At Copenhagen
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 4:01PM
Travis Martinez-University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
As the climate change summit in Copenhagen looms, analysts believe Obama’s efforts may end in disappointment.
Following Congress’ failure to finalize climate change legislation, it appears that the president will be showing up empty handed.
“My grandmother used to say ‘whenever you visit someone you shouldn’t come empty handed.’ As the American delegation heads to Copenhagen, they don’t have the legislation that they wanted or regulations towards some step of climate regulation,” said Ben Lieberman, Senior Policy Analyst with the Heritage Foundation, during a panel discussion at the National Press Club. “This time, the strategy was to get much more done domestically and then go to Copenhagen to make it international. As we know the bill has stalled in the Senate and it faces an uncertain future.”
Lieberman added that the formation of a significant treaty at the Summit is also unlikely.
“China and other fast developing nations, mainly China, don’t want binding and verifiable targets. The U.S. and other nations from the developed World have already come to the realization that emissions growth from these nations is growing so fast that exempting them would make a treaty almost pointless,” said Lieberman.
Lieberman called an EPA announcement earlier today declaring carbon dioxide a pollutant a “consolation prize” and “first stage of regulation beyond getting legislation.”
As the climate change summit in Copenhagen looms, analysts believe Obama’s efforts may end in disappointment.
Following Congress’ failure to finalize climate change legislation, it appears that the president will be showing up empty handed.
“My grandmother used to say ‘whenever you visit someone you shouldn’t come empty handed.’ As the American delegation heads to Copenhagen, they don’t have the legislation that they wanted or regulations towards some step of climate regulation,” said Ben Lieberman, Senior Policy Analyst with the Heritage Foundation, during a panel discussion at the National Press Club. “This time, the strategy was to get much more done domestically and then go to Copenhagen to make it international. As we know the bill has stalled in the Senate and it faces an uncertain future.”
Lieberman added that the formation of a significant treaty at the Summit is also unlikely.
“China and other fast developing nations, mainly China, don’t want binding and verifiable targets. The U.S. and other nations from the developed World have already come to the realization that emissions growth from these nations is growing so fast that exempting them would make a treaty almost pointless,” said Lieberman.
Lieberman called an EPA announcement earlier today declaring carbon dioxide a pollutant a “consolation prize” and “first stage of regulation beyond getting legislation.”
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