Barack Obama 'seriously considering' hosting climate summit

[kpete]

Source: Guardian UK

Barack Obama 'seriously considering' hosting climate summit
Campaign groups say US president could use bipartisan summit to launch a national climate strategy

Barack Obama may intervene directly on climate change by hosting a summit at the White House early in his second term, environmental groups say.

They say the White House has given encouraging signals to a proposal for Obama to use the broad-based and bipartisan summit to launch a national climate action strategy.

"What we talked about with the White House is using it as catalyst not just for the development of a national strategy but for mobilising people all over the country at every level," said Bob Doppelt, executive director of the Resource Innovation Group, the Oregon-based thinktank that has been pushing for the high-level meeting. He said it would not be a one-off event.

"What I think has excited the White House is that it does put the president in a leadership role, but it is not aimed at what Congress can do, or what he can do per se, so much as it is aimed at apprising the American public about how they can act."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/09/barack-obama-climate-summit

[NYC_SKP]

1. An excellent idea. He really should follow through with this. K/R (nt)

[blm]

2. Expecting huge leaps towards environmental responsibility from this next term.

Climate change as a global priority instead of war.

Mother Jones:

"Kerry is among the most fierce advocates for climate action in the Senate. Here he is in a floor speech from August talking about why climate change is "as significant a level of importance" as Syria and Iran:

"Well, this issue actually is of as significant a level of importance, because it affects life itself on the planet. Because it affects ecosystems on which the oceans and the land depend for the relationship of the warmth of our earth and the amount of moisture that there is and all of the interactions that occur as a consequence of our climate."
>>>>

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/12/john-kerry-would-be-climate-hawk-state

[blm]

4. and this from Grist....

http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-would-secretary-of-state-john-kerry-do-on-climate-and-keystone/

[NoOneMan]

28. Why?

He is a politician. Politicians garner political capital by creating jobs. Jobs get created by commanding energy. Commanding energy creates emissions.

As long as politics remains unchanged and the focus is on jobs, emissions will likely not decrease globally. Of course, this line of thought is negated if you believe in a magic green economy.

[Kolesar]

33. Sasha and Malia...eom

[NoOneMan]

34. This may require more than good intentions

It may require an understanding of the larger system and our role in it; also a courage to pursue paths that contradict the very fabric of our civilization as we know it.

Having my own children does make me highly concerned about what is happening.

[blm]

40. Your replies make it apparent you didn't actually read the posts and links you replied to.

Possibly you clicked on the wrong post?

[NoOneMan]

43. I did. It just doesn't mean anything to me

I don't believe they really get "it". They have not proposed any solutions so drastic that suggest they do (Kerry included).

[blm]

47. Then you don't know Kerry and must be unfamiliar with his lifetime commitment to the issue.

.

[Sunlei]

63. I want President Obama to get rid of Salazar,place someone in who is for American land/people first.

That's all Americans and all our air,land,water,wildlife- not just the private people who are the only ones who profit.

[hatrack]

69. Booting Salazar would be an early indicator that he's beginning to get the picture . .. .

Barring such action, though, I'm looking for another gabfest, though without the drama of the most recent international conclaves.

[Sunlei]

71. Salazar is very good at snookerin' the greenhorns but he's old school good old boy, not good.

Not good at all to have the fox guard the henhouse.

[PasadenaTrudy]

3. Fingers crossed! n/t

[calimary]

5. DAYUM! I think I am WAY liking this second-term thing!

AGAIN I have the long-yearned-for pleasure of realizing that FINALLY - I. AM. Actually. Getting. My. Money's. Worth.!

Pleases me GREATLY to see how our President is stepping up to the plate - on so many issues I care about! Especially the ones, like this, that have been ignored for FAR too long. Give it some of that Presidential Punch, dear Commander-in-Chief!

VERY nice to see this! Elections sure do have consequences, don't they? And for FAR too long, it's been all the wrong ones. That "hopey-changey thing" is actually working out rather nicely for us, I think!

[AverageJoe90]

20. Yep.

Looks like Obama's really starting to go into full swing now.....

[Ghost Dog]

59. Absolutely. We need to be looking at generational-level, and hopefully even greater

extremely significant CHANGE here...

[tavalon]

6. That would be excellent

[Demeter]

7. When Pigs Fly

Sorry, but what profits would the Corporate Masters gain from this?

It ain't gonna happen the way this article thinks...it will be another Bank Bailout Bait and Switch Maneuver.

[randome]

11. Give them a chance to make money off fixing the environment and watch them go!

At this point, everything should be on the table.

[NoOneMan]

29. Will they be buying private jets with that money?

[randome]

66. What's your solution, then?

Plead with corporations to behave better? That hasn't worked well in the past, to say the least.

[NoOneMan]

68. Well, first we need to come to terms with exactly what is happening

Once we recognize that civilization is basically going to be pulled from our cold, dead hands, despite anything we "do" about (which will likely increase immediate aggregate emissions), then it doesn't sounds like such a bad thing to let it go. Instead of creating "solutions" that intend to let us continually grow the earth-raping economy, organize an economic decline and a deleveraging/decomplexification of civilization. Reorganize the way we think of economic growth (which translates to carbon emissions by a measurable constant), and establish a new way to live. Use the resources we have sparingly to build regional food supply resilience and educate people with the required skill sets. Basically, deploy Transition teams everywhere, start planting trees and securing food/water, and scale back the economy completely. Restore regional dependence and autonomy to the people.

Some areas are already working on this, but the nation states plunder ahead. With luck, those places working toward a sustainable, resilient future will make it through the bottleneck (because our neo-classical economic loving leaders are too stupid to really do this) and rebuild a future for humanity (which may not even include complex, large civilizations)

[progressoid]

8. Before or after the Keystone XL pipline gets approved?

[UnrepentantLiberal]

49. ^^^This^^^

[Sunlei]

61. They are already starting to mine/process Utahs shale oil and gas, same size as canadas fields.

We have a huge problem when fracking has no regulations, many of the shale deals are for export to china with no regulations on usa pipeline disasters. The montana shale leaks they allowed the corp. to cover the sludge with sand.

Salazar and his leadership are supposed to be managing these deals for the American people...I don't think they are at all. The resourses are sold to other countries and it looks like America gets nothing out of these deals except ruined lands and no revenue at all. All the profits, huge profits go to private pockets.

[hatrack]

70. Boom.

Thank you.

[Sunlei]

72. It's already approved just under other names our Fed. public land managers use to clear OUR land for

private corporate uses.

Boehner and many others are already major invested in the pipelines and the sales of that crappy toxic sludge to China.

[Botany]

9. About time

Swiss Glacier 1850 until 2010

[ReRe]

10. Love PO, but....

... I don't have allot of faith in commissions or "summits." If anything like the past, I think the summit will end up as nothing by lip service. I hope I am wrong...

[pscot]

12. At some point we have begin educating the public

At least a summit would bring the discussion into the open. The media would have to cover it. The more the right howls about it, the greater the coverage. I can see a lot of upside to this, even if no new programs emerge directly as a result.

[ReRe]

41. You're right...

...of course. It's a step in the right direction. But will it be televised on C-Span? If they don't televise it, how much will the public be educated? It's just reminds me of Simpson/Bowles and a lot of other previous commissions and summits, kangaroo courts down through time, long before PO's election in 2008. Yeah, I need to settle down, be a little more patient and have a little faith. Thanks...

[Cha]

26. I think you are wrong. I welcome Global attention on Climate Change from

the President. He's not playing.

[AverageJoe90]

38. Any action is better than none at this point, TBH.

At least the current POTUS genuinely cares about the issue.....we need Obama's help, and I think he needs ours, too.

[Cha]

39. PBO and VP Biden both need our help ..as in

Yes We Can.. more than just a slogan.

[ReRe]

42. I am...

...wrong, yes. I just can't help but think of the many world conferences that we have walked away from without facing up to our responsibility for the whole environmental mess. I do think PO's 2nd term will be allot different than the first.

[sheshe2]

54. The only game our President plays is chess...

and he is damn good at it. No one will ever know the mind of a great statistician.
He plays it well.

Just sit back...let everyone think about it for a second or two. Our President won a second term in november. Look what this administration has put on the table since then.

This is huge! Gun Control and Climate Change???!!!?!! These are HUGE serious issues. They have been taboo subjects. It's on the table! Right now it is in your face.

No one has ever put them there before. No one.Damn this feels good!

We are going to have the best of the best these next four years!

FORWARD!

[Cha]

55. Look at you..

bringing up "chess".

A Forward Looking President for the 21st Century.. 2013 Style!



http://theobamadiary.com/

[sheshe2]

56. Cha,

did I tell you that I wake up every morning in awe that this man is our President!

The conservative think tank.....tanked.

Sleep tight...do not let the GOP bite!

She

[Cha]

57. You

sleep well, She

[dipsydoodle]

13. aimed at apprising the American public about how they can act

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC

[AgingAmerican]

14. Up until the administration started floating Kerry

as secretary of state, I had very little hope that Obama would even acknowledge climate change. Since 2009, he had been substituting the words "clean energy" for climate change and global warming. This gives me great hope that finally someone will take our future seriously.

Obama has the bully pulpit, he can force this issue to the fore.

[deutsey]

19. +1

[olddad56]

15. would this be a climate summit to acknowledge the depth of the problem and look for solutions, or

would this be a conference to admit to each other that we are screwed and discuss what kind of bullshit they can feed the people? And how long before the lemmings won't buy the bullshit.

[AverageJoe90]

16. We're not screwed. Never will be.

Yeah, we really need to stop using that kind of language, by the way........it's not really doing us any good here.

[NoOneMan]

30. As long as "We" is only inclusive of those buying Peruvian rainforests

Everyone else can eat cake

[olddad56]

52. Global warming? No Problem, lets pass a bill to ban it before it gets out of control.

Oh, it is already beyond our control? Well, congress should ban it anyway so they can say they addressed the problem.

[Ghost Dog]

60. Something is being done about that. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021959916

[Demeter]

23. I'll pick door #2

[AverageJoe90]

17. K & effing R!

Well, it's about time. This action's been about a decade overdue.

Honestly, I don't think this will amount to anything real big or whatever, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

[randome]

25. By taking it mainstream, it's a big step! Agree!

[KamaAina]

18. I agree. Let's have it in central Australia.

Where they've had to come up with new colors for the weather map.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014360059

[randome]

21. That is an excellent idea!

[Brigid]

35. Yikes!

That makes my eyes hurt just to look at on my little phone screen!

Dear climate change deniers: Feast your eyes on this!

[randome]

22. I'm starting to think only space mirrors can save us now.

Reflect enough sunlight away from the planet so we don't lose the Arctic and Antarctic.

[Ghost Dog]

62. We'd still be heading for massive plankton-death in the oceans,

and therefore most other life, and oxygen-production, due to the acidification, due to the CO²...

Much more intensive "geo-engineering" (I prefer to say: "eco-management", or therelike) measures will inevitably come into play... Could be sound economies based on it... Invest when you see the light in their eyes...

[Steerpike]

24. Too many serious conversations

and not enough serious action...

[vlyons]

27. What we can do best is to start winning back the state houses

and gov chairs and ungerrymander those safe tbagger seats. Show the climate deny-ers the door and elect progressive environmentalists.

[NoOneMan]

31. Instead of lip service, I'd prefer we talk about feeding hungry mouths when crops fail

Climate change is coming; its the inevitable result of civiliaztion's infinite growth engine. We can either burn what's left of our fossil fuels making toys, or building local resilience so that we all can live decent lives when things really start going to hell.

As long as we all pretend that carbon we threw up in the last decade isn't going to cook us the next 100 years while we reach forward to technophile utopia, our goose is cooked. At some point we need to talk about survival rather than propping up and maintaining this devastating machine.

[madrchsod]

74. grain is going up to 25% over last year

this year is`t looking much better.

[JustAnotherGen]

32. I'm beginning to think

President Obama gets up every morning, meets up with VP Biden, they sit down with a cup of coffee - kick back and say -


Sooooooooooooooo - what pot are we going to stir today - since elections have consequences!

I'm in full support. We need to start with a discussion on this. Guns. Race. Equal Pay for Women. Etc. Etc. Hope this happens!

[Brigid]

36. perfect fodder for a "Daily Show" or SNL skit!

[JustAnotherGen]

48. I entertain

My husband a lot with my Convos Between Joe and O over an espressoooooo every morning!

[Jake2413]

37. May need to use an Executive Order

Because if Harry Reid doesn't fix the filler buster it will never be passed or ratified.

[Joey Liberal]

44. I would love it!

I hope it really happens.

[Wilms]

45. I could live with that. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

46. I'll give that 2 thumbs up!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

50. What exactly will a climate summit change this time around?

[randome]

67. Maybe it will peel a few Republicans into our corner if the U.S. is in CHARGE of the conference.

It's pathetic to need to think that way but any hint of international interference with the almighty U.S. is anathema to them.

So it sounds like a good idea if we are leading the charge.

[Uncle Joe]

51. There needs to be a Manhattan Project/Marshall Plan/New Deal/Apollo Moonshot approach

to research, development and utilization in switching to sustainable energy systems, at all levels fiscal, taxation, education and if need be punitive.

There is no logical reason to stay on the current society wide, mass suicide path.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Glimmer of Hope]

53. Do it.

[Nihil]

58. Yeah, right ...

Considering that America has consistently been one of the three "immovable object" roadblocks
at every climate summit over the decades (along with China & India), the only thing that a PR exercise
like "hosting a climate summit" would achieve is an even easier way to keep pouring sand & random
bolts into the gearbox to slow progress down with less cost to the smoke & mirrors budget.

We already know full well how "the American public" can act because we've been watching them for years.
Hosting yet another multi-million dollar junket to promote excuses on why "we can't do anything now"
is not going to change anything except top up the coffers of the various marketing agencies.

Talk about gullible fan-boys ... the cheerleading on this thread about an Oregon thinktank putting
out their puff-piece that the man is "seriously considering" a sound-bite moment and that
he "may" intervene not by acting where it counts but by supporting yet another talking-shop
to kick the can further down the road ...

[Earth_First]

64. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor in laughter...

Throwing winks to the gas industry on the hydraulic hydrofracking issue during the SOTU is hardly language I'd expect to hear from someone who is so enamored with the enviroment that he's "seriously considering" a climate change forum.

[NickB79]

65. I'll believe he's serious

When he goes on TV and says "I'm never going to allow Keystone XL to be built under my watch, and I'm outlawing all fracking operations in the US."

Which will never, ever happen.

[madrchsod]

73. good idea since we are in for a century of climate change

we are still in a drought out here in the middle of the country and they want our water to frack.

[blkmusclmachine]

75. Ha Ha HaHaHaHa