Biggest UN Summit in History at Copenhagen on Climate: Twin Win for EU if action is taken on 2010 ?

 

*Copenhagen/Angelo Marcopolo/(Viewpoint)/- The biggest ever Summit of Heads of State and Government in UNO's History, as its Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, which gathered some 129 Leaders out of 198 Countries' delegations, contrary to pessimist interpretations that it was a "catastrophic failure", can be a Twin Win for Europe's Worldwide Diplomacy, particularly if due action is taken on 2010, facts observed by "EuroFora" on the spot clearly indicate.

Some caricatural critics present the outcome as a total catastrophe for Europe and Climate, claiming that the EU would have been marginalised by a kind of "G-2" dominated by the US and China, and that any real decision able to meet the "Global Warming" challenge would have been dropped at Copenhagen.

But a differend interpretation looks closer to Facts, (particularly if they are seen inside a Dynamic Context, and not as static, isolated bits) :

On the contrary, Europe, by presenting from the start the most advanced position on CO2 Emmission cuts and on Financial Aid to Developing Countries (since Brussels' EU Summit), apparently incited USA, China and others to enter into UNFCCC''s framework and play the game, for the 1st time in History, undertaking some insufficient but real commitments, (f.ex. on aiming to reduce Temperature rise to less than 2%, on dressing an annualy reviewed Catalogue of each Country's undertakings, on helping Developing Countries and funding Forests, on preparing a Legally Binding Treaty, etc. See earlier "EuroFora"'s publications from Copenhagen).

If Europe didn't accept this 1st step, which now covers all countries involved, taking pretext of its insufficiency to fight Global Warming, then USA and China would remain, as before, without any obligation regarding Climate Change, as French President Sarkozy observed, (who was never among those who tried to isolate US President Obama, but was rather trying convince him to join the collective efforts). By accepting that elementary deal, basically brokered between USA and China's Premier Jiabao, Europe took the stance of a responsible and reliable partner.

However, since, obviously, the highly Controversial "Copenhagen accord" falls short from meeting the basic requirements for an efficient fight against Global Warming, (fex. by not being Legally Binding, by ommitting to determine the CO2 Emmissions' Cuts for each Country, by leaving the 2050 Deadline without clear commitments,
by being vague in USA's and others' contributions to Help for developing countries, etc : See ealier "EuroFora"s Newsreports), Europe, by refusing to endorse the paternity for that text, keeps intact its potential for a positive, constructive but strong Criticism of its insufficiencies.

Thus, EU can join arms and closely cooperate with the International Public Opinion's movement for the protection of Environment, (which asks for measures close to those adopted by EU's Brussels Summit on December 10, 2009 : See earlier "EuroFora"'s NewsReports from the spot), Scientists, NGOs, other concerned Counties, etc., as well as Millions of simple Citizens sincerely worried by the unusual frequence of Extreme Weather Phenomena, since it's Europe that has proposed the most advanced measures for a successful fight against Global Warmiing.

Sarkozy, working as usual closely together with Merkel, brought the UK inside the EU play, and (unlike others) didn't seek to isolate the USA nor China, but preferably incite a Multi-Speed, Multi-Stage Worldwide movement at all levels, but with one direction :

In a kind of "ZweiStufen" moves, according to a German formula which should be familiar to Chancellor Merkel, European diplomacy seems to have succeeded to both involve US and China in UNO's FCCC work, for the 1st time in History, AND to take a World-wide lead on the fight against Global Warming, keeping its huge potential for vital, healthy Criticism of the controversial "Copenhagen Accord" intact.

In principle, this leaves the EU free to defend its Industry from Unfair Competition and Environmental Dumping by imposing, fex. a "Carbon Tax" at its External Borders to merchandises produced in Countries which don't respect EU Standards for the fight against Climate Change. As well as to deal, fex. with 3rd Countries according to their behavior vis a vis EU-sponsored Standards for the fight against Global Warming, and/or differenciated EU stance vis a vis 3rd Countries according to the commitments they will undertake in the next few Months on the agreed UNFCCC's Annual Annexe (See earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReports).                                                                        
In fact, after Copenhagen, now it all depends on what will happen next in 2010, mainly during the Paris' meetings scheduled for Spring, before the bi-weekly preperatory UNFCCC meeting at Bonn, this Summer, in view of Mexico's COP16 December Summit, as well as on how UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will handle, meanwhile, his intention to use the link between Climate Change and Development as a key for a solution, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport).

(Chavez and other countries' representatives protesting)

 - "We were astonished by the way that the Danish Chair came to see us with an already prepared Draft Decision, instead of leaving us, at first, free to discuss at least the most important matters, as that on how to help the necessary "Adaptation" of Developing Countries to the measures against Climate Change", said to "EuroFora" African MP, Dr. Jerome Zampou, from Burkina Faso, (who was blocked, together with the wife of the Swedish Ambassador to -and former Chairman of- the CoE, NGOs, Experts, erc, at Copenhagen until Monday evening, after AirFlights to Strasbourg were cancelled because of a Snowstorm).

( Copenhagen Summit "took note" of a controversial deal, which suddenly fell as unexpectedly as snow)... 

 Now, after Copenhagen, 2010 offers a base and a time-frame for such required moves from all those involved.