UN Climate Change Conference

Today is the last day of negoatiations at the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar. What’s the main topic of discussion you ask? It’s how much money developed countries will pay developing countries to combat the effects of climate change.  After all, it is the developed countries that are the primary contributors to climate change and the developing countries that bare the brunt of the impact.

Over this week, they have decided that $100 billion a year, from 2020 onward, will be distributed among the developing countries. However, these countries are concerned that many of the most powerful interests, including the US, are not clearly defining the specifics or establishing a tangible implementation plan. With negotiations at a standstill, outlooks for a true agreement look bleak.

With the bad news that New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and Russia will not be renewing their involvement in the Kyoto Protocol at the end of the year, news from Qatar is adding up to disappointment. But have hope! Many believe that this stalemate is the geo-political equivalent of ‘bad-timing’.  The financial crisis still weighs heavy on many countries’ coffers; global promises are hard to make amongst more national concerns.

What can we do in response to this discouraging news from Doha? Well, we will support sustainability in our own lives, communities, and political circles. Every dollar, heartfelt appeal, or vote we make reverberates in the global financial and political markets.  This is how we will bring our influence to the decision making table at next year’s climate conference. What will you do to make an impact?  Read more.

Love,

Rhett, Sustainability Coordinator for Loomstate