[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Green Party leaders: US in Copenhagen summit helped kill necessary steps against global warming

[Green Party of California Updates]

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, December 22, 2009



Green Party leaders: US negotiators at the Copenhagen summit helped
kill necessary measures against global warming, replacing them with
vague vows on greenhouse gas emissions

• Green Party Speakers Bureau: US Greens available to speak on
ecological sustainability and global warming
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-ecological.php


WASHINGTON, DC -- US Green Party leaders expressed their dismay with
the failure of the UN summit in Copenhagen to reach an agreement on
international action to curb climate change.

Greens have been especially critical of the grossly inadequate
emissions reduction proposals that the US and other rich countries
brought to Copenhagen, the lockout of NGOs from the Bella Center while
oil company executives were welcomed, the brutal treatment of
protesters in Copenhagen, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's
announcement by that concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions would be replaced by vows of transparency and good
intentions.

• Cynthia McKinney, 2008 Green Party nominee for President of the
United States: "The 'Copenhagen Accord' announced on the final day of
the summit is a sham.  It was not adopted by UN delegates and carries
no force.  The US is trying to invalidate the UN's efforts by
pressuring developing countries to sign on to the Copenhagen Accord,
threatening to withhold their share of the $100 billion in wealthy
countries' compensation from developing countries that refuse to sign.
  The compensation money is meant to help offset the economic effects
of measures against climate change and the dire consequences of
climate change that many developing nations will suffer.  This is
blackmail of the worst kind, placing billions of lives in danger.
Unless a real and binding accord can be reached during next year's
meeting in Mexico, the Copenhagen failure risks a breakdown in global
security, when the increasing effects of global warming lead to global
conflicts over dwindling resources."

• Mike Feinstein, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States,
former mayor of Santa Monica, California, and participant in the
December 2007 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali
(http://unfccc.int/2860.php):  "What is the legacy of the Copenhagen
meeting?  No emissions reduction targets. No requirement for
verification of progress from nations on emission reductions.  No
acknowledgement that developed industrial countries have created most
of the problem and therefore must carry most of the burden of the
solution.  No firm commitment on mitigation and adaptation aid from
developed countries to developing countries, especially in light of
decades of exploitation and taking of resources from poorer nations
and skyrocketing consumption rates in countries like the US.  The US
and its Canadian and European allies must be held responsible, as
should growing large-scale greenhouse gas emitters like China and
India, for placing the freedom of nation-states to continue polluting
and growing in a cancerous, unsustainable manner ahead of the future
of people and the earth.  Failing to deal with climate change is a
crime against our planet.  Dividing the global community by pitting
large emitters against the poorest and most vulnerable is a crime
against humanity.."

• Audrey Clement, co-chair of the Green Party's EcoAction Committee:
"The two most important causes of climate change -- excess consumption
and excess population growth -- were apparently never raised in or
around Copenhagen.  The solution to the former is the adoption of
energy conservation as the lynchpin of national energy policies in the
industrialized world. The solution to the latter is the promotion of
family planning, sex education, and contraception, which require
securing rights and equality for women throughout the world.  If we
don't take our own steps to check population growth, global warming
will do it for us."

• Martin Zehr, co-chair of the EcoAction Committee: "International
diplomacy has proven inadequate in addressing the most fundamental
issue confronting humanity. The hedged bet will be paid by future
generations.  With or without an agreement in Copenhagen, Greens will
continue to include the voices of scientists and environmentalists in
policy development and work to reduce the dominance of corporations in
decisions about climate policy.  It is clear that states, such as
California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsyvania,
and Texas need special attention in the national effort to reduce
emissions (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/state_energyco2inv.html).
  We've made water a top priority, since access to fresh water faces a
particular threat from global climate change
(http://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=380).  The EcoAction
Committee of the Green Party is increasing its role in public
education, providing policy support to Green candidates and working
with others towards a sharp reduction of GHG emisions at the federal
and state levels no later than 2015.  The failure of the Copenhagen
conference to establish real targets for energy transition makes our
work that much more important if we are to see any change in
direction."


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections
• Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Committees of the Green Party of the United States:
• EcoAction Committee http://www.gp.org/committees/ecoaction/index.php
• International Committee http://www.gp.org/committees/intl

"Copenhagen collapse shows the power of polluters over politicians"
By Bob Brown (Australian Green leader), The Herald Sun (Melbourne),
December 21, 2009
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/copenhagen-collapse-shows-the-power-of-polluters-over-politicians/story-e6frfhqf-1225812237302

"Climate Betrayal in Copenhagen"
The Green Party of Canada, December 18, 2009
http://www.greenparty.ca/media-release/2009-12-18/climate-betrayal-copenhagen

"Global Greens call for honest, scientifically sound climate agreement"
Global Greens, December 13, 2009
http://www.globalgreens.org/statements/copenhagen_cop15

"Global Greens forum on December 13 to address global warming during
UN Copenhagen Climate Conference"
Green Party of the United States, December 9, 2009
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=271
Live streaming of the event: http://greens-efa-service.eu/live/scc/live.html

"Global Greens Second Congress 2008 -- Climate Change -- Time for
Transformation Declaration"
http://www.globalgreens.org/brazil2008/declarations/climate_change_time_for_transformation

United Nations Copenhagen Climate Conference http://en.cop15.dk

"Global Economic Apartheid Is Obstacle to Fair Climate Deal"
By Claudia Ciobanu, Inter Press Service / TerraViva, December 17, 2009
http://www.truthout.org/topstories/121709sg06

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of
the United States
Fall 2009 issue now online
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog


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