President-elect Barack Obama offers bright prospects for a fairly reasonable international deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Lord Stern, a leading British expert has said.
President-elect Barack Obama offers bright prospects for a fairly reasonable international deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a leading British expert has said.
Lord Stern, author of the government's 2006 report on the economic impact of climate change, said that Obama could revolutionise Washington's approach to the subject.
Bali Roadmap? US Already Skeptical, Future Uncertain
The White House is trying to distance itself from the Bali roadmap on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. For all the hype the future is indeed uncertain.
The White House is trying to distance itself from the Bali roadmap on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. For all the hype the future is indeed uncertain.
"He's night and day on this issue relative to his prehistoric predecessor George Bush," Lord Stern told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "That is a very big change and, while people saw the United States as a obstacle, now people are saying well perhaps the United States could really lead on this.
"And it is going to have to - because the two big ones on this are the United States and China."
Poland Climate Change Meet Yields Little, but European Union Agrees on Drastic Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
While the UN-sponsored climate change meet concluded Saturday with a very modest agreement, European Union had Friday agreed on some drastic reduction in emission of greenhouse gases.
While the UN-sponsored climate change meet concluded Saturday with a very modest agreement, European Union had Friday agreed on some drastic reduction in emission of greenhouse gases.
He said: "The first [lesson] is that the longer you let risks fester, the bigger the impact and the bigger the crash and consequences.
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Global Warming Disaster Closer Than Thought, Says NASA
A new study released by the NASA warns that disasters arising from global warming could be nearer than anticipated.
A new study released by the NASA warns that disasters arising from global warming could be nearer than anticipated.
"The second lesson is that we're really going to have to collaborate on this one."
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Global Emission of CO2 Rising Three Fold Than Anticipated
Global emissions of carbon dioxide are increasing three times faster than previously thought, and the bulk of the rise coming from developing countries.
Global emissions of carbon dioxide are increasing three times faster than previously thought, and the bulk of the rise coming from developing countries.
Nitrous oxide emissions occur during various agricultural and industrial processes, and when solid waste or fossil fuels are burned.
Methane is emitted when organic waste decomposes, whether in landfills or in connection with livestock farming.
Methane emissions also occur during the production and transport of fossil fuels.
When sunlight strikes the Earth’s surface, some of it is reflected back towards space as infrared radiation (heat). The greenhouse gases mentioned above absorb this infrared radiation, trap the heat in the atmosphere and reemit the waves downward causing the temperature of the earth to go up.
And this is called the "greenhouse effect," because of a similar effect produced by the glass panes of a greenhouse, where plants are grown under controlled conditions.
Emissions of two greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide have reached record high, says World Meteorological Organization, an agency of the United Nations.
While Bush kept balking on any commitment by his country on reducing greenhouse gases, fearing any such move would affect the profits of the manufacturing sector, Barack Obama could be said to have a more open mind on the issue.
Stern himself could be reading too much into the incoming President’s grandstanding. Still some progress could be expected, observers say.
Source-Medindia
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