OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY:

Confidential document reveals Obama's hardline US climate talk strategy: Document outlines key messages the Obama administration wants to convey in the run-up to UN climate talks in Mexico in November ( John Vidal, 4/12/10, guardian.co.uk)

[T]he key phrase is in paragraph three where the author writes: "Create a clear understanding of the CA's [Copenhagen accord's] standing and the importance of operationalising ALL elements."

This is the clearest signal that the US will refuse to negotiate on separate elements of the controversial accord, but intends to push it through the UN process as a single "take it or leave it" text. The accord is the last-minute agreement reached at the chaotic Copenhagen summit in December. Over 110 countries are now "associated" with the accord but it has not been adopted by the 192-nation UN climate convention. The US has denied aid to some countries that do not support the accord.

The "take it or leave it" approach divided countries in Bonn this weekend and alienated most developing countries including China, India and Brazil who want to take parts of the accord to include in the formal UN negotiations. They say the accord has no legal standing and should not be used as the basis of the final legally binding agreement because it is not ambitious enough. It lacks any specific cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and sets a temperature rise limit of 2C, which critics say is too high to prevent serious harm to Africa and other parts of the world.

Why bother? He has even less chance of getting a climate treaty through Congress than SALT III.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 12, 2010 5:53 AM