Bernie Sanders Isn't Too Impressed By The Historic Climate Agreement

[Proserpina]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-climate-agreement_566c795ee4b0fccee16ed457?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business&section=business

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Saturday criticized the global climate change accord adopted after two weeks of negotiations among diplomats in Paris, saying the agreement goes "nowhere near far enough."

The landmark 31-page agreement includes a pledge to curb climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, calling on countries to support each other in adapting to the environmental challenges resulting from climate change, such as devastating droughts and rising sea levels.

Sanders said he didn't think the accord went far enough to demand action from those countries to lower carbon emissions.

"While this is a step forward it goes nowhere near far enough. The planet is in crisis. We need bold action in the very near future and this does not provide that,” Sanders said in the statement...

he's being polite and diplomatic. this agreement goes nowhere, full stop. it means nothing, but there's lots more of it at the link

[daleanime]

1. kick, kick, kick....

[babylonsister]

2. Perhaps that's all the countries involved would allow.

I imagine it was like herding cats to get 193 +/- countries to agree to anything.

[abelenkpe]

3. Exactly

Yes, it's not bold enough. Yes, it's a good step forward. And yes, it is likely the best that so many would agree to.

[Fuddnik]

5. A step forward while a tiger is chasing you just doesn't do the trick.

You need to start running like all hell.

James Hansen said exactly the same thing.

[thesquanderer]

6. and our country was one of the most problematic

Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday the climate agreement reached this week in Paris did not contain any enforcement provisions because Congress would not have approved them.

"It doesn't have mandatory targets for reduction and it doesn't have an enforcement, compliance mechanism," Kerry said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

Kerry said such mechanisms were not included because Congress would have refused to greenlight the deal.

Binding legal requirements would have made the Paris agreement a treaty, requiring approval from two-thirds of the Senate. Because no climate change measure could close to the high bar in the chamber, the Paris deal was written to avoid it.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/kerry-says-paris-agreement-crafted-to-avoid-congress/article/2578256

[babylonsister]

9. Why am I not surprised? nt

[Phlem]

4. I've read it's not nearly enough so

we have to wait till more people die.

Fucking politics.

[eridani]

7. Sanders: Paris Climate Pact 'Goes Nowhere Near Far Enough'

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/34009-sanders-paris-climate-pact-goes-nowhere-near-far-enough

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is slamming the climate pact that nearly 200 countries are likely to agree on Saturday in Paris, saying it’s far too weak for the task at hand.

Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, said the agreement is a good first step in fighting climate change, but not much more.

“The planet is in crisis. We need bold action in the very near future and this does not provide that,” he said Saturday in a statement released shortly before delegates in Paris are due to vote on the agreement, the first to require climate efforts of nearly every country.

None of the emissions targets in the deal are internationally binding.

“In the United States we have a Republican Party which is much more interested in contributions from the fossil fuel industry than they care about the future of the planet. That is true all over the globe,” he said.

Sanders has consistently fought against fossil fuels and for more action to fight climate change, often openly challenging Clinton’s commitment to the climate.

This video was produced with permission from absolutely no one. Thank you very much to the Trammps for the music. — at SecretProphet Studios.

[eridani]

8. Bernie Sanders Seeks to Cut Carbon Emissions by 80%

http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2015/12/14/bernie-sanders-seeks-to-cut-carbon-emissions-by-80/

While continuing his presidential campaign, Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced three bills last week seeking to cut carbon emissions more than 80% by 2050, create millions of jobs, and drive over $500 billion in clean energy investments. Acknowledging that low-income and minority communities in the U.S. suffer greater harm from the catastrophic impacts of climate change, Sanders introduced a bill on Thursday that offers energy efficiency improvements to older homes in potential disaster areas.

“What the scientists tell us is that we have a relatively short window of opportunity to bring about the fundamental changes that we need in our global energy system to transform our energy system,” Sanders said on the Senate floor Thursday. “It is absolutely vital that we do what many economists tell us we must and that is put a price on carbon. It is the simplest and most direct way to make the kind of cuts in carbon pollution that we have got to make if we are going to successfully transition away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.”

To assist the transfer away from fossil fuels, Sanders introduced the Climate Protection and Justice Act on Thursday seeking to reduce pollution more than 80% by 2050 while protecting communities that have become most vulnerable to climate change. The legislation sets a price on carbon for fossil fuel producers or importers starting at $15/ton in 2017, rising to $73/ton by 2035, and growing 5% annually afterwards. Proceeds from this carbon pollution fee would be returned to the bottom 80% of households making less than $100,000/year to offset any rake hikes by the fossil fuel companies.

[Autumn]

10. Neither am I. When it's written to pander to this dysfunctional, ridiculous Congress

that won't do a damn thing with it then why bother. Smoke and mirrors.

[malokvale77]

11. He's correct.

The world nations have agreed to kinda sorta think about and maybe take small steps to slow down the coming cataclysm.

It's really historic ya know.

[swilton]

12. Thank you Senator Sanders!