The conclusion of the Copenhagen climate conference was pure politics. When something fails completely - announce that failure as a great victory and accept the plaudits of a bemused world.
It might be more correct to detail what it didn't achieve !
There is no agreement on a common denominator of how far C02 will be contained and global warming reduced. Each country will set it's own target level, and there will be no mechanism to chart compliance - or penalty for failure to comply with promises given.
No doubt most countries will make some effort to create newsworthy projects such as solar arrays and wind farms, but these will run in parallel with coal burning power plants and all this will amount to mere tinkering about the edges of the main problem.
What will interest Australians is the degree to which Kevin Rudd intents to apply the ETS to this country. If socialist principles hold sway over common sense we will cripple our own economy to a degree not matched by other parts of the world.
The message delivered by Copenhagen was stark. Efforts to reduce global warming will only be in balance with maintaining a healthy economy.
Get used to a warmer world !
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