U.N. Chief Blames ‘Industrialization’ for Global Warming Crisis, Says Rich Countries Need to Pay Up
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon talks during the opening ceremony of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Doha on December 4, 2012. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Rich countries are to blame for climate change and should take the lead in forging a global climate pact by 2015, a deadline that “must be met,” the head of the United Nations said Wednesday.
On the sidelines of international climate talks in Qatar, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said it was “only fair and reasonable that the developed world should bear most of the responsibility” in fighting the gradual warming of the planet, since it’s pretty much all their fault.
Ban’s comments echoed the concerns of China and other developing countries, which say rich nations have a historical responsibility for global warming because their factories released carbon emissions into the atmosphere long before the alleged effects were known.
“The climate change phenomenon has been caused by the industrialization of the developed world,” Ban told The Associated Press. “It’s only fair and reasonable that the developed world should bear most of the responsibility.”
Many rich nations, including the U.S. and European Union, say the firewall between developed and developing countries that has guided the two-decade-old climate process in the past no longer reflects the world today and isn’t helpful in dealing with the problem.
Most of the emissions now come from the developing world, and China has overtaken the U.S. to become the world’s top carbon polluter.
“Rich countries will need to do more than poor countries, that is clear,” European Union climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard conceded. “But all of us will have to do the maximum we can because otherwise we can’t cope with climate change.”
How to divide the burden of emissions cuts is at the core of discussions to create a new global climate treaty that would apply to all nations. The only binding pact so far, the Kyoto Protocol, only covers the emissions of industrialized countries.
Last year, governments decided that the new treaty should be adopted in 2015 and enter force five years later. The Doha meeting is supposed to produce a work plan to ensure that the treaty is ready by 2015.
“This deadline must be met. There is no time to waste, no time to lose for us,” Ban warned.
“Climate change is happening much, much faster than one would understand,” he added. “The science has plainly made it clear: it is the human beings’ behavior which caused climate change, therefore the solution must come from us.”
Therefore, a global transfer of wealth is vital. He stopped short of explicitly demanding a de-industrialization of the West, though.
Ban came to the negotiations in Doha in an attempt to “accelerate the process” of shifting the world to a “clean energy” pathway, arguing that it is “imperative” that the treaty is extended, because it is “the only existing legally binding commitment when it comes to climate change.”
Dangerous climate effects could include flooding of coastal cities and island nations, disruptions to agriculture and drinking water, the spread of diseases and the extinction of species, according to the United Nations.
A number of scientists still question whether the warming seen in recent decades is due to human activities, such as carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. On Tuesday, Ban said it was time to “prove wrong all these doubts on climate change.”
Global warming skeptic John Christy of the University of Alabama said Ban’s statement was “representative of a religion, not science.”
“Science requires questioning (i.e. skepticism) those who wish to stifle debate using arguments from authority (not arguments from evidence),” Christy wrote in an email.
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Comments (122)
blackbean
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:08pmHis name, Banki Moon, says it all. This is just another spread the wealth around scheme for all the people who did nothing for it.
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Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:57pmOh joy, the Socialist leader of the UN speaks. One day their fantasy will cause worldwide collapse:
http://www.isthatbaloney.com/is-anyone-asking-why-the-communist-party-is-celebrating-obamas-election-victory/
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Amarath01
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:05pmGive me money lalalalalalala numnumnum.
Pretty sure i equaled the intellectual level of his statements.
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Popp40
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:16pmI have an idea…how about other nations start paying their fair share when it comes to the UN. We pay 22-25% of the UN budget…the most of any country….it’s time for everyone to pay their part as well.
Wait I have a better idea…how about we tell the UN to go to h ell and get out of the U.S. They can make their headquarters in one of their third world dictator run countries. They have a lot of locations to choose from.
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AvengerK
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:28pmLet’s examine two of Algore’s examples of countries demanding “fair and resonable responsibility”..read: money for sinking into the ocean thanks to global warming.
The island kleptocracies..sorry..nations of The Maldives and Tuvalu…both island nations say they’re sinking into the ocean because of global warming and want billions of dollars in reparations from you guessed it..the US.
The Maldive Islands are essentially flat atolls, made of coral. Tourism there was only introduced in 1972 with the opening a large resort. Today there are 87 resorts situated mostly on three islands. Tourism has become the largest industry in the Maldives and the primary material used to build the large resorts is..wait for it…locally mined coral. The mining has severely harmed the atolls, creating the impression that the islands are sinking, when in fact they’re being dug up. The problem the Maldives have is engineering insanity not global warming.
Oh it gets even better with Tuvalu….
Next post..
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AvengerK
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:35pmOnto Tuvalu now…
Tuvalu’s problem is not climate change at all. Tuvalu’s dilemma is that it was never meant for modern inhabitation. The country’s primary crop, taro, has been grossly over-farmed. There is no fresh water on the island except what they cache from rainwater. Most of it’s population uses the island’s lagoon for bathing and toilet functions. Tuvalu in fact has to ship its waste to landfills in Fiji and New Zealand. Tuvalu is run by fools. Tuvalu’s complaints of global warming are a shake-down operation nothing more. Something a community community organizer would be proud of…no?
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cessna152
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:57pmSame words/phrase were uttered by Karl Marx. I guess we know what their real motive is… get rich off of America.
Actually,if global warming was really caused by man, it would be caused by Politicians ,ambassadors and the like with all their hot air.
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pavepaws
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:05pmBetter plan,shut down China.
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Walkabout
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:16pm“He received a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Seoul National University in 1970, and earned a Master of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1985″ – wik.
I don’t think Ban can make a sound judgment on Global Warming.
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SLEAZYHIPPOs ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:29pm“Therefore, a global transfer of wealth is vital.” Enough said. This isn’t about AGW, which is highly speculative at best despite his announcement of it being proven fact, its about the transfer of wealth. This country’s current ideology on an international basis. The Utopians strike again.
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cmhemphill
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:35pmWe are one of the primary creators of the UN. We pay a large chunk of their budget and let them meet on our soil. I say this needs to go the way of the League of Nations. “You (N) are the weekest link. Goodbye!”
This body of representatives, many who are appointed and not elected, are trying to find ways to grab hold of additional power and move us towards a one-world government. With a “We’re all are equal, some (in power) more than others” attitude. This has strayed far from a body to assist in trade and treaties between member nations, and has moved towards forcing a body that is not representative via electoral process into a ruling position above and beyond any sovereignty.
I vote, pull their funding and reallocate to clear our debt. See how long they’d last then. Oh, and charge rent on the building afterwards.
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KIWL-DA-WABBIT
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:48pmWhile we let our most abundant resource (coal) go unused by the US, China buys it and puts up a new coal plant every week, we must not pollute so that they can.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 7:44pmU.N. chief, wow, he carries the authority of a janitor at four times the pay. The two craps I don’t give about his snarky words are vast. Go get a real job you hippy wannabe.
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Evileye
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 8:06pmSend him back to Korea NORTH KOREA
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Baerlin
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 9:34pmAgenda 21 in a nut shell. And they talk about religious fanatisism. He is the high priest and algore is the pope. Soon there will be sacrificial offerings to gaia and people will sing and dance in the streets……..
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YankeeDelta68
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 9:38pmWill someone please flush the UN down the toliet please!!!
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desertspeaks
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 9:55pmbankrupt who?
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HKS
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:07pmIn a simple word, B. S.
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kadster01
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:58pmAlso know as extortion.
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Dkoonz
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:06pmScrew the UN and the EPA. Thats all.
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paulwbrown
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 6:53pmGet the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US! That was a slogan in the 60s and is even more appropriate now than ever.
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OldSurfRat
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:02pmI find it so damn funny how money will help global warming. Wow if thats all it will take then party on and just pay up after the party. What a bunch of BS.
The UN can kiss my salty old a$$
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Micmac
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:02pmHow many homeless people could the UN Building house? I vote yes.
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Lord_Frostwind
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:43pmHow about we make it into the Iraq War Memorial and Hospital for veteran? Or if you want to be really spiteful, the guns and oil museum.
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Minnaloushe
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:02pmI genuinely hate these people.
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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:47pmSomeday, we may actually get to shoot at the stupid blue helmets and white APC’s. Never know.
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Minnaloushe
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:01pmThe solution being, as always, the institution of global communism. After that,
all their concerns about industrial pollution, coal mining, strip mining, oil drilling, etc etc etc, you-name-it that are SO AWFUL under capitalism would melt away, since they would be good for the regime and thus safe and beneficial for the environment.
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Cavallo
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:09pmExactly.
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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:54pmSure thing there Mr. Moon. Let me get right on that. How much do you need? A trillion? Sure. I’m going to need to break that up though. I’ll have Mr. Bernanke print out about 500B in fresh new bills. The other 500B will come to you via IOU’s…er…US Treasury Bonds. When they get there, in the words of Lloyd Christmas, “You might want to hold on to that one, that’s a car two hundred and seventy five thou…(or in this case 500Bil)”
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:54pmI say we put Jesse Jackson in as U.N. Chief. He’s a much better shakedown artist than this guy.
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willingtoupe
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:53pmI disagree with the Global Warming reasoning but I agree with just the principal of just paying up. Or at least allowing the former colonized to be granted cheaper or even free access to the “mother” countries that benefited off the backs and resources that was off of the enslaved locals and charging them those same goods ( with no services ) at an exponential price while spreading Christianity, which was ill practiced, in a false pretense manner.
If it’s called redistribution, then the initial distribution was for the most part unjust.
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Micmac
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:51pmIt’s always about deep pockets and social justice these days. Ain’t gonna happen. When I see the indisputable proof of man-made global warming of any significance, call me. Until then, stuff it.
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DMENTED
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:49pmI’ll honor his request as soon as he gives me back my kilo of cocaine. I took a beatin’ on that. Damn UPS.
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right-wing-waco
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:49pmAnother “rich” SOB telling us that everything will be better when we are all equally poor. Look for an openly “UN tax” on you checks soon. When will the revolution begin. It has to be right around the corner. Do not buy guns in gun stores as there is a paper trail. Buy them from friends and tell them to forget who they sold them to. You will need them in the future.
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gsplgtr
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:48pmLet’s ask the NATURE NAZIs this one question……. How did 15 years of evidence (1970-1985) proving the coming man made global ice age, in one year, turn into proof positive of man made global warming? remember they can’t have it both ways. There were articles written about how the oceans would be 75% DEAD by the year 1985 and millions of people would have died of starvation due to the glaciers invading the north American continent. Now they are saying that all the proof they gathered back then proves the total opposite?????
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Cavallo
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:07pmThat’s because EVERYTHING is caused by global warming
Too Hot today? Global Warming
Too Cold today? Global Warming
Too Wet today? Global Warming
Too Dry today? Global Warming
Too many Hurricanes? Global Warming
Too few Hurricanes? Global Warming
Too many bugs? Global Warming
Too few bugs? Global Warming
Increased Human Birthrate/weight? Global Warming
Decreased Human Birthrate/weight? Global Warming
Wind blows too much? Global Warming
Wind blows not enough? Global Warming
Increased Crop Output? Global Warming
Decreased Crop Output? Global Warming
Increased Rate of Cancer/Diabetes/AIDS/Cardiopulmonary Disease/tinea pedis/etc? Global Warming
Is your kid acting up in school? Global Warming.
There is nothing they do not attempt to attribute to their religious cultish weirdo junk science theories. They even tried to attribute earthquakes to it until people started really laughing at them.
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DEFCON4
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:28pmGood one, Cavallo !
Let Us all, Stop Global Whining……..
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Balthazor
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 2:37pmThat’s because global warming is the god of a new religion.
The best part is, I’ve had liberal nitwits mocking and laughing at me for suggesting that the sun plays a larger role in global climate than fossil fuels. I’m called igorant and “anti-science” by those who believe that driving an SUV has more impact on global climate than does the sun. Go figure.
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bobad
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 4:02pm@Cavallo, great job, very true.
Go easy on the Left. They are just carrying on an ancient tradition. Politicians have been blaming bad weather, crop failure, and disease on their enemies for 4000 years.
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Cavallo
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:48pmGlobal Warming Doomsday Cultists get hysterical. Their science is garbage. Scientology seems to have better scientific principles than these fascist autocrats.
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aproudinfidel
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:47pmThe UN would like us to become a third world craphole, using ox drawn plows, harvesting by hand, fertilizing crops with human waste and reading by candle light…do the morons at the UN forget that easy who it is that feeds their starving masses year in and year out? And now they want to punish us with taxation? I say evict the whole bunch of them, demolish the rat-infested buildings and turn it into community garden space for the people who live around it.
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:47pmIs that nitwit the son of, oh, I can’t think of his first name…you know, the wacko that thought he was Jesus on Earth, started a cult and amassed a following and proven a thief? His followers were called Moonies…dang…it’ll come to me sometime. Never when you need it.
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Marci
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:46pmHere we go. More Agenda21 nonsense. This is a redistribution of wealth scheme and nothing more. China refuses to change anything, yet the U.S. still shoulders all the blame in the eyes of the U.S. You have to ask yourself why. Maybe because the U.N. can’t finally put a nail in the coffin of the U.S. without this fantasy “science”. The goal is to impoverish the U.S. to the level of the undeveloped countries, and any “wealth” would never make it to these countries, just their rogue dictators. And lookie, we have one of our own, Obama. So no wonder he supports it.
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justangry
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:46pmAgain, I never swore allegiance to the UN. Self-determination is a right all nations need to fight for.
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The_Jerk
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:44pmYou guys had better catch on. This is what the U.N. is teaching your children throughout America. Their partner, the International Baccalaureate program, IB, being sold as an advanced curriculum, has caught on like wildfire among our progressive educators. You’re paying these left-wing lunes to teach this garbage to your kids.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:44pmDoes anyone else other than me sense the UN is becoming…
10 Kings without Kingdoms?
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S. Wesley Mcgranor
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:25pmNo…such concepts such as globalism are wasting potential opposition. In that people are hoping for the second coming out of this…or at least death. ‘On the other hand’ one couldn’t change it, if they tried.
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S. Wesley Mcgranor
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 3:18pmThat is if it were true… Which since one doesn’t know for sure; they just hope it is. The U.N., The State of Israel and Europe’s money — are all part of the globalism as prerequisite to the End of Days.
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UNALIEN
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:43pmGlobal Communism by and for the elites…tax the rich, tax the rich and who is so virtuous that they can be the arbiter “fairness’ and “equality” why the State of course… for a fee… the abolition of private property or what is really individual LIBERTY
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:43pmHere we go again with the ‘fairness’ of ‘redistribution of wealth’ under the auspiciousness of the UN.
Get them out of our nation, out of our affairs, out of our business and disband them completely. I do see Obama going along with this, to ensure the USA becomes a third-rate nation once again.
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revelation2012
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:21pmlike ,,, pouring ‘salt’ on ‘snails’ ,,, d i s o l v e d
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SUNTZU
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:42pmNew World Order,anyone
Sorry UN we are not all stupid yet.
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S. Wesley Mcgranor
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:41pmWe (near extinct, or severely under-represented) paleo-conservatives realize the problem with the United Nations. The neo-cons have said that continually, built upon the paleo argument–that this is what they are all about.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 12:45pmExactly, the UN needs to be disbanded and leveled completely before they take all of our sovereign rights from us, especially under Obama.
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