COP17 - Much Ado about Nothing?

What did the Durban COP 17 agree? A “historic deal to save the planet”?

Take your pick:

"Historic is the word.´The idea that we got everybody to agree to take some form of legal commitment is a major outcome.”

Dessima Williams, Grenadian ambassador


“This is a breakthrough decision. Efforts to fight climate change will be made by all countries, not only the EU. This won’t happen right now, but a process has been started.”

Tomasz Chruszczow, Polish envoy


“This weak compromise is a victory for the fossil industry, which is successfully controlling the U.S. government not agreeing to a legally binding protocol”

Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace


“We all know this is a very bad agreement that will need more work. We need to stop this farce of lack of shame.”

Claudia Salerno, Venezuelan envoy


“The ambition of the package is extremely low. It says this is a critical problem that’s time urgent, so let’s do something about it in 10 years. You have low ambition, low urgency. We’re ignoring what’s happening before our eyes.”

Paul Oquist Kelley, Nicaraguan minister


(Read the entire article here)


I have not yet read the text, but judging from the comments made by representatives for Greenpeace, Nicaragua and Venezuela, the result appears to be rather satisfactory: Much Ado about Nothing.

However, the "breakthrough" will be expensive for the EU:

CFigueres: Listen up!We have Kyoto CP2, path toward future with legal force for all, Green Climate Fund full implementation of Cancun package! #COP17

But of course the leader of the new European "Great Power" is now - when the euro is "saved" - ready to save the world, with or without the UK.