December 29th, 2009

Thursday, Dec. 17

Hillary breaks through the chatter

Amid the cacophony in Copenhagen, a bright spot.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to a packed press conference, pledging that the U.S. would help raise $100 billion a year by 2020 in aid to developing nations to mitigate climate change effects.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Her words, despite the surrounding maelstrom of discontented protesters, developing nations worried about being marginalized and others who’ve declared the talks either stalled or in chaos, could help bring clarity as the historic summit lurches toward a close on Friday.

The pledge, which Clinton said would come from a mix of public and private money, including funds raised on the carbon market, speaks to both those negotiating on behalf of the other leading nations who want to see the U.S. put real money on the table , and to those in developing nations, many of whom doubt that the rich nations have the political will to put up a strong and well-funded fight against climate change.

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December 11th, 2009

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Candlelight vigils have been held for a lot of causes. The cause for a series of vigils this weekend trumps almost anything in scope. Millions of climate activists are expected to light candles to advocate for the safety and preservation of the planet.

The candlelight vigils on Friday and Saturday evenings, will happen around the globe, as climate advocates send a somber signal to negotiators in Copenhagen to make a “real deal” by signing a fair and ambitious treaty to cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are triggering a climate disaster.

Organizers report that these events, some large and some small, many at iconic locations, and one in Copenhagen featuring Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, are beginning now. Check out the pictures and details at TckTckTck.org, the alliance through which many groups are organizing events. Find a local vigil to join at 350.org.

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December 7th, 2009

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Student groups and environmental activists are not happy about the U.S. presenting what they see as weak emissions targets for consideration at the Copenhagen Climate Conference.

A "die in" by students from around the world. (Photo: Its Getting Hot in Here.)

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December 3rd, 2009

By Barbara Kessler Green Right Now Next week, thousands of people are heading to Copenhagen, many of them world leaders, to try to figure out how to keep the human race from smoking itself out of a home. Sadly, a Harris Poll has found that only 28 percent of Americans (of 2,303 polled in November) [...]

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