Global warming obstructionism

Word from participants who shall remain nameless is that China has taken the lead in global warming obstructionism in 2007.

“China is being very difficult,” says one, who asked not to be named. “[They are] the only country who opposes sentence: “most observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.”” Though they dropped the objection eventually, they did hold up proceedings for an hour today on this one sentence.



Perhaps this is due to the fact that U.S. participation–led by Harlan Watson–has been characterized by several participants as “constructive” and “very discreet.” With the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases slowing or halting its objections to climate change science and action, the pressure is on China, a country whose emissions are on pace to eclipse the U.S. shortly.

Of course, U.S. per capita emissions dwarf China’s but that country’s vaunted economic miracle is powered largely by coal. From home heating to industry, this dirty black rock is choking Chinese cities in a yellow haze and adding to the global atmospheric burden of carbon dioxide. With the U.S. acceding that the time may have come to act, the pressure will be on China to clean up–a difficult feat for a country that only has access to one fossil fuel in abundance indigenously: you guessed it, coal.

Energy Bulletin