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DELEGATES AND LEADERS SHOW THEIR DISREGARD FOR THE ISSUE OF LIMITING EMISSIONS BY ARRIVING BY PLANE
Most of the 11,000 delegates, 3,000 journalists and 22,000 observers attending the conference arrived by plane, and the leaders and ministers arriving over the next few days for the end of the conference are almost certain to arrive by plane as well, many of them will be on private planes rather than commercial flights making the emissions even higher. There was a symbolic climate express that carried about 400 people, but that is a drop in the ocean. However our delegates and leaders are busy people who cant afford to take the time out to travel by other less damaging means.
Delegates and leaders show their disregard for the issue of limiting emissions by arriving by plane
Yes, because... A symbol of a lack of commitment
Many of the delegates attending the conference are scientists and people who passionately believe that global warming is happening and is man made. Yet they demonstrate precicely what the problem is when they arrive by plane, they may be converts but they obviously have not changed their lifestyles to reflect this - most certainly many offset their emissions, but not everyone can offset their emissions or else we would have no problem.
Delegates and leaders show their disregard for the issue of limiting emissions by arriving by plane
Yes, because... We need leaders
The population at large need leaders to persuade them to go green, take less flights, turn TVs off standby etc. Those leaders have to include those who are most involved in climate change and know the consequences so have most reason to themselves be green. They also have to include our national leaders who preach the need to go green in our own lives but who are so far showing they are unwilling to themselves. If they cant go green then why should the rest of us follow?
Leaders should not be necessary, people should go green of their own initiative once they know the evidence and have made up their mind. There is no need for these leaders to be our national leaders, they themselves may not have decided, and they should decide like everyone else when it comes to their personal lives and their travel arrangements.
Vote on this point: We need leaders
See history of changes to this point
Delegates and leaders show their disregard for the issue of limiting emissions by arriving by plane
No, because... Many come from too far away
Many nations are sending large amounts of delegates. Australia for example is sending 95 delegates[1], Australian delegates undoubtedly need to fly to get to Copenhagen but does it really need all of them? could they not have a few negotiators - say 10 and then have most things handled back in Australia?
Delegates from Asia, Africa, Oceana and the Americas can't be expected to find greener means of travelling, they have come too far for there to be other realistic options. For a big meeting such as this there is no way they could be connected in by videolink and still keep abreast of all developments that affect their delegation.
Vote on this point: Many come from too far away
See history of changes to this point
Delegates and leaders show their disregard for the issue of limiting emissions by arriving by plane
No, because... We cant expect our leaders to use a slower means of transport
Time spent on alternative means of transport is not necessarily wasted. A large portion of the people attending from Europe could reach Copenhagen within a day by train, from capitals as diverse as London, Rome, Budapest and Villnus. Leaders can work on the train, Gordon Brown regularly travels by day to his constituency in Kirkaldy. Leaders of the past were happy to take their time travelling to big international conferences. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson for example came by liner to the Paris conference at the end of the first world war, and went back home in the middle returning a few months later.
Our leaders are very busy people. Time is very important to them so they need to take the fastest route possible both to and from the conference. This allows them to make best use of the time they spend away from home.
Vote on this point: We cant expect our leaders to use a slower means of transport
See history of changes to this point
Delegates and leaders show their disregard for the issue of limiting emissions by arriving by plane
No, because... Copenhagen Emissions are being offset
Offsetting by funding Bangladesh is all very well but it misses the point. Not everyone can offset all the time we need to cut back on the emissions we create not constantly pass the buck to someone else - almost always in the developing world who already has a tiny CO2 footprint.
The conference will generate greenhouse gas emissions, primarily as participants from the entire world travel to Copenhagen by plane, but these emissions will be offset[1]. In its budget for the conference, Denmark allocated roughly one million US dollars (5.3 million DKK) for offsetting emissions related to the conference.
This funding is being sent to Bangladesh's capital Dhaka where old, heavily polluting brick factories are to be replaced by 20 modern, efficient ones.
Besides saving the climate from more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually the project will also improve air quality in Dhaka. This agreement between Denmark, the World Bank and Bangladesh will ensure that December’s UN conference on climate change – COP15 – becomes effectively climate neutral.
Vote on this point: Copenhagen Emissions are being offset
See history of changes to this point
Modified:
06 Apr 2010
Point 1. A symbol of a lack of commitment
Many of the delegates attending the conference are scientists and people who passionately believe that global warming is happening and is man made. Yet they demonstrate precicely what the problem is when they arrive by plane, they may be converts but they obviously have not changed their lifestyles to reflect this - most certainly many offset their emissions, but not everyone can offset their emissions or else we would have no problem.
Point 2. We need leaders
The population at large need leaders to persuade them to go green, take less flights, turn TVs off standby etc. Those leaders have to include those who are most involved in climate change and know the consequences so have most reason to themselves be green. They also have to include our national leaders who preach the need to go green in our own lives but who are so far showing they are unwilling to themselves. If they cant go green then why should the rest of us follow?
Leaders should not be necessary, people should go green of their own initiative once they know the evidence and have made up their mind. There is no need for these leaders to be our national leaders, they themselves may not have decided, and they should decide like everyone else when it comes to their personal lives and their travel arrangements.
Point 1. Many come from too far away
Delegates from Asia, Africa, Oceana and the Americas can't be expected to find greener means of travelling, they have come too far for there to be other realistic options. For a big meeting such as this there is no way they could be connected in by videolink and still keep abreast of all developments that affect their delegation.
Many nations are sending large amounts of delegates. Australia for example is sending 95 delegates[1], Australian delegates undoubtedly need to fly to get to Copenhagen but does it really need all of them? could they not have a few negotiators - say 10 and then have most things handled back in Australia?
Point 2. We cant expect our leaders to use a slower means of transport
Our leaders are very busy people. Time is very important to them so they need to take the fastest route possible both to and from the conference. This allows them to make best use of the time they spend away from home.
Time spent on alternative means of transport is not necessarily wasted. A large portion of the people attending from Europe could reach Copenhagen within a day by train, from capitals as diverse as London, Rome, Budapest and Villnus. Leaders can work on the train, Gordon Brown regularly travels by day to his constituency in Kirkaldy. Leaders of the past were happy to take their time travelling to big international conferences. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson for example came by liner to the Paris conference at the end of the first world war, and went back home in the middle returning a few months later.
Point 3. Copenhagen Emissions are being offset
The conference will generate greenhouse gas emissions, primarily as participants from the entire world travel to Copenhagen by plane, but these emissions will be offset[1]. In its budget for the conference, Denmark allocated roughly one million US dollars (5.3 million DKK) for offsetting emissions related to the conference.
This funding is being sent to Bangladesh's capital Dhaka where old, heavily polluting brick factories are to be replaced by 20 modern, efficient ones.
Besides saving the climate from more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually the project will also improve air quality in Dhaka. This agreement between Denmark, the World Bank and Bangladesh will ensure that December’s UN conference on climate change – COP15 – becomes effectively climate neutral.
Offsetting by funding Bangladesh is all very well but it misses the point. Not everyone can offset all the time we need to cut back on the emissions we create not constantly pass the buck to someone else - almost always in the developing world who already has a tiny CO2 footprint.