David: You probably haven't heard but rising temperatures are damaging the Earth threatening the land, see and people's lives in the poorer countries. According to one group of scientists the cause is increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (United States and China are the most guilty polluters) combined with anti-green human behaviour (flying, driving, and failure to recycle enough). There are other scientists with a smaller voice who claim that the rising temperatures have happened before and are a natural phenomenon.
Beryl: OK, I think I understand. So what was the purpose of the summit in Copenhagen, other than a visit to one of Europe's most boring capitals?
David: World leaders of 192 countries, plus 30,000 other officials and a slew of celebrities (Prince Charles et al) flew into town leaving a huge carbon footprint across the globe; they talked for 11 days and night at a cost of £130 million trying to achieve the impossible - a legally binding pact on limiting CO2 emissions, financing poor countries'climate change programmes and making sure that the actions of every nation were transparent and could be verified.
Beryl: What happened?
David: Not much. At the 11th hour the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa signed a non-legally binding protocol which set out what they would like to achieve by 2050 but little else...most other countries either opposed the protocol outright or at best gave it luke-warm support.
The television coverage was like watching a second rate Hollywood drama with lots of breathless people coming and going and popping up in front of the cameras with messages of hope and/or despair.
The parting shot was President Obama climbing aboard Airforce 1 on his way home after staying late to seal the non-deal....just like John Wayne riding off into the horizon.
Beryl: Is that it?
David: No, not quite. Such talks have been going on for 20 years or more and the next round will be in Mexico in 2010 but don't hold your breath that anything of real value and importance will come out of it.
Beryl: Thanks. Seems like a lot of hot air was wasted and couldn't they have found something better to do with the money?
David: You are being too rational.
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