Obama on Climate: How Hard Is He Trying? | Bill McKibben

Wed September 23, 2009 4:19 PM PST
Word in the halls of the UN this week was that President Obama's speech on Tuesday—the first to the world body by this most admired of world leaders—was a dud, a towering disappointment. Coming at the beginning of what the UN has dubbed "climate week," the speech marked the beginning of a three-month push towards the global climate conference at Copenhagen. Obama used it mostly to downplay expectations. And it's those downplayed expectations that may prove to be tragically self-fulfilling.
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...I mean, the Arctic is already falling into the sea. But the idea that we should settle for making some "progress" is either a declaration of defeat or a profound misreading of the latest science. Obama gave a speech that would have been great had it come two years ago—but now, with scientists ever more frightened, it left the thousands gathered here for the climate conference feeling deflated.

Copenhagen climate change summit might fizzle out: NGO

New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) The Copenhagen summit on climate change in December might fizzle out, going by the results of Bangkok climate meet held recently with developed countries refusing to abide by the Kyoto Protocol's greenhouse gas emission target, prominent NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has said.

"Bangkok was supposed to be a major milestone in the run-up to Copenhagen but at the end of it, existing problems have remained. What's worse, new ones have emerged," said Kushal P S Yadav, head of CSE's climate team.

Record low temps continue this morning

Arctic temperatures are on an unusual record-breaking run in southern Montana and northern Wyoming that is making this the coldest start for October ever.

In Billings, record lows were set the last three days, while on Friday the low temperature of 18 degrees tied with an existing record from 1993. Each consecutive day has been more frigid still, with Saturday bringing a record of 16 degrees, Sunday 14 degrees and today 13 degrees.

According to the National Weather Service, October 28 is the earliest date temperatures of 16 or lower have hit Billings in the past. With an average daily temperature that is almost six degrees lower than anything on record for October, it is also turning out to be the coldest October ever.

Temperature archives for Miles City and Sheridan, Wyo., also show a precedent-breaking cold snap over the last few days. In Sheridan, thermometers dove as low as 5 degrees on Friday, the first time that low has been reached before October 29.

Cold snap coming to Bulgaria

A similar warning was issued in Romania, where the entire country has been put on alert, with warnings of temperatures dropping and high precipitation. Western Romania will be affected the most, with temperatures falling below 0C on October 14 and snow forecast in northwestern Romania and the Carpathian Mountains.