Spiegel On Doha Climate Conference: “Little Hope Of A Global Treaty…Negotiations At A Dead-End”

If the science and consensus were solid, then we wouldn’t be having the endless string of failed climate conferences we’ve seen year after year over the last 2 decades. Obviously policymakers have stopped viewing the science as being credible enough on which to base policy.

Clearly policymakers no longer view climate change as threatening. The real threats are indeed economic and financial.

Today Spiegel here writes that there is “little hope of a global worldwide climate treaty” being reached in Doha, Qatar, three weeks from now and that “the chief economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Ottmar Edenhofer, sees negotiations at a dead-end“.

Over the years there have been plenty of non-binding declarations and empty commitments, and Ottmar Edenhofer doesn’t see anything different happening in Doha: “It looks as if not much is going to come out of Doha. The outlook for a climate treaty at the moment is unfortuately not especially good”.

Spiegel adds:

Economics and climate scientists are especially placing their hopes on ‘linking the emissions trading systems’ in the short term between Europe and Australia, and over long term probably also with China.”

That’s it? Only Europe and Australia are willing to “tackle climate change”? Already Doha is dead even before arrival.

According to Spiegel, Edenhofer also adds that “a reform of the German Feed-in Act is necessary”. “The Energy Feed-In Act cost transfer to consumers is not sustainable over the long-term,” said Edenhofer, and that the current system offers “too little competition to lower the prices and to find the best locations.”

In summary, Edenhofer admits that the German Feed-in Act has been a failure. Finally a step in the right direction.

Photo credit: PIK,  GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version

5 responses to “Spiegel On Doha Climate Conference: “Little Hope Of A Global Treaty…Negotiations At A Dead-End””

  1. Bruce of Newcastle

    I wouldn’t be putting many euros on the Australia factor. The current Federal Government is one vote away from losing government. Two of their supporting MP’s are in court cases which could see them exit Parliament, thereby bringing the government down. The Opposition is set on overturning the carbon tax and proposed European ETS linkage if they win the following election as seems very likely.

    And our Greens are so on the nose they recently lost all but one of their MP’s in the ACT local election (a Green heartland) and also in my local city council election.

    The world is turning and Ms Hedegaard should not bank on us Oz types remaining green looneys for much longer.

  2. DirkH

    ““The Energy Feed-In Act cost transfer to consumers is not sustainable over the long-term,” said Edenhofer, and that the current system offers “too little competition to lower the prices and to find the best locations.””

    What? A price-fixing system offers too little competition? It took him how many years sitting on his fat arse to come to this groundbreaking conclusion? I cry for every Euro of taxes that I am forced to pay to feed this complete numbnut.

  3. John F. Hultquist

    “the chief economist”

    When I was young (USA), Cracker Jacks (strong molasses-flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts) came in red/white/blue boxes with prizes inside. In one version they claimed “A Nobel Prize in Every Box!”
    When someone did something stupid the refrain was he got his degree, driver’s license, smarts (whatever fit the occasion) out of a Cracker Jack box. Just wondering if there is a similar thing in Germany from where Mr. Edenhofer got his economics credentials? I’ll bet he is paid well, though.

  4. TimiBoy

    Agreed Bruce. On top of the the Treaurer-in-waiting, Joe Hockey has stated that people in the Climate Change Department should be ready to look for new jobs after the election. I cannot wait, roll on August 2013!!!

  5. Edward.

    Doha?

    Another UN conference on global warming?

    What global warming?

    Why?

    Isn’t it about time this merry-go-round public money drain; of a global five star hotel junket, a civil servant/NGO/eco-fascist gabfest and international farce [UN IPCC] was wound up forever? – plus – the UN is way past its sell by date come to think of it.

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