5 Reasons the COP-21 Meeting in Paris will Fail
A white paper from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is the first comprehensive report by Congress on international climate negotiations, encompassing the United Nations Framework Convention, Kyoto, Bali, Copenhagen, Durban, and more. It is intended to inject a dose of reality into the Obama administration’s puffery on the current negotiations in Paris—officially the 21stConference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21).
In short, the White Paper puts the international community on notice that Obama’s negotiating position is a greenhouse of cards. It details different options being debated in Paris, and examines how each scenario plays out. It concludes the treaty will be reduced to a political promise that won’t withstand test of time. It’s another example of the President’s modus operandi: Bypass Congress and see how much he can get away with.
The Report condenses a lot of oversight work and research allied organizations have done this year. It also reviews legislative efforts to overturn the EPA’s power plant rules and thwart the President’s attempt to buy developing-country support for the treaty via foreign aid promises Congress has not approved.
If you read only one paper on the COP 21 negotiations, read this one!