Back in 2007, George Monbiot denounced that the Bali Action Plan was a regression from the Kyoto Protocol (link). Now that we are preparing to witness the negotiation of a new climate deal in Copenhagen, this December, it seems that even the puny commitments made by developed countries to reduce emissions are going to be washed away.
In the preparatory discussions in Bangkok, which ended yesterday, the main subject on the table was the substitution of the Kyoto Protocol by another climate treaty, more acceptable for the US Government, something which the G-77 opposed (Bloomberg). This is curious, as the Kyoto Protocol was made according to the US demands, when Al Gore managed to reduce emissions reductions targets to a mere 5% and introduce carbon trading as a way for industrialized countries to escape their obligations. Now, the Obama administration says that even this ineffective protocol is too much for the US to handle and, again, the EU is willing to water down Kyoto.
Friends of the Earth stated that
The UK, along with other EU countries, has signalled they will abandon their legally binding commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and instead support weak US proposals based on voluntary pledges.
So it seems evident that we are going backwards. And those most responsible for this regression are awarded the Nobel Peace prize. How ironic is that?
You might be interested on a comment I made recently on a posting. I discuss the matter of sovereignty and climate change. http://soozah.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/consolidation-what-the-fight-is-really-about/