Canwest News reporting, followed by my comments.
Canwest begins - - -
PARIS - There is both growing public reluctance to make personal sacrifices and a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the major international efforts now underway to battle climate change, according to findings of a poll of 12,000 citizens in 11 countries, including Canada.
Results of the poll were released this week in advance of the start of a major international conference in Poland where delegates are considering steps toward a new international climate-change treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
There already are reports emerging that some countries, such as coal-dependent Poland, are pushing for special treatment to avoid making major commitments to slash carbon emissions during a global economic downturn.
Less than half of those surveyed, or 47 per cent, said they were prepared to make personal lifestyle changes to reduce carbon emissions, down from 58 per cent last year.
Only 37 per cent said they were willing to spend "extra time" on the effort, an eight-point drop.
And only one in five respondents - or 20 per cent - said they'd spend extra money to reduce climate change. That's down from 28 per cent a year ago.
The Canadian results, from a poll of 1,000 respondents conducted in September, were virtually identical to the overall figures. ….
The entire article’s here.
Comments:
My reaction to this story: Is anyone surprised?
If there had been any real interest in implementing Kyoto’s provisions and standards, nations could have gone ahead and implemented them.
The real Kyoto “implementation” these past eight years has been to beat President Bush and the U. S. over the head for “not agreeing to the treaty and taking the lead in implementing its provision.”
Foreign countries and most of the international and domestic MSM have had a jolly time playing Green Goodies while hammering President Bush and America.
But folks, did you hear much mention of Kyoto during the recent presidential election campaign?
Any NYT or WaPo editorial demanding Sen. Obama promise to begin the process of implementing Kyoto during his “first hundred days?”
And now we learn they’ll soon be a “major international conference” to consider “steps toward a new international climate-change treaty.”
World’s easiest predictions: 1) The conference will result in a new, “stronger” commitment to address climate change; 2) It will be as effective as Kyoto.
BTW - If some of you recall reading over the last eight years how some European nations were “making progress toward meeting reduced emissions” and the like, just about all those “reductions” happened at the time the nations were suffering severe economic growth problems – unemployment at 10% or higher; GDP at 1% or lower, etc.
3 comments:
The "Chicken Little Lobby" has been chanting the global warming mantra until recently when it dawned on even the brilliant Al Gore that global warming might no longer be an issue. Thus, the newly-minted slogan is "climate change." I mean, how can they go wrong with that??
Of course there's climate change. And global warming. And global cooling. Hello? Climate is cyclical. Always has been.
How do those simpletons think we had periods of global warming and cooling back in the medieval period? Maybe those sneaky rascals had gas-burning engines but never told us!
Look. Anyone who thinks that mankind is responsible for climate change had better have their head candled to see if there's anything in there but air.
The Kyoto protocols, as John points out, are nothing more than a club to beat up on America and George W. Bush.
I hear even the Weather Channel has wised up and is going to replace the global warming clique that has been beating the Al Gore rhythm of late.
Tarheel Hawkeye
I didn't believe global warming, I didn't believe when they changed it to climate change after they realized that the globe was no longer warming and was in fact cooling.
This all reminds me of the great scams of the past, the magical disappearing Amazon forest, the ozone layer that was all but gone that was going to give everyone cancer.
I also remember them promising that by the year 2000 we would have a paper less office, flying cars and thinking computers.
These people make this stuff up in the hope of getting grants. Climate change is just the newest one out there.
Scott S.
I do not believe in man made climate change. But I am a reasonable sort who is willing to be convinced. So, I offer to those who do believe two simple challenges. If you can perform either one, I will accept that you have a good argument and should be taken seriously. If you can do both, I will change my mind and support you totally.
1. Much of the predicted change is based on computer models. Challenge: produce a computer model that will predict today's climate with data from 50 or more years ago. I agree to let you cheat by factoring in science, technology and political events which cannot be predicted from this point.
2. The Kyoto Protocols are estimated to reduce global warming by less than 5%. They do this by ignoring developing counties and ignoring economic penalties involved for industrialized countries. Challenge: produce a program that will be acceptable to developing countries without wreaking the economies of developed countries.
I do not think either challenge can be met. Until an attempt is made to address either issue, I must conclude that the climate change movement is a giant power grab by a group of elitists, less concerned with saving the planet that saving their status.
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