Doha Climate Meeting Brings No Breakthroughs

     After a largely disapointing meeting of world leaders and climate experts in Copenhagen in 2009, climate-change exponents were hoping for some progress toward reducing greenhouse gases when they met in Doha recently. Unfortunately, this was clearly not the case.

     According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 2012 greenhouse emissions reached 50 gigatons of carbon, 20% more than in 2000, and well above limits set in Copenhagen.  The Kyoto Accords have clearly failed to rein in emissions, and Russia, Japan, and Canada have largely ignored its terms.  China continues to add coal-fired generating capacity at a rapid rate.  Only the United States has made some progress in this area, largely from increased use of cheaper natural gas.

     According to the World Bank's most recent reports, the resulting rise of the oceans from increasing global temperatures will weigh heavily on coastal areas, especially in east and south Asia.  This is a problem that need to be addressed on a long-term basis, but it is imperative that it be brought to the public's attention now.  Unfortunately, no new proposals came out of the Doha conference and none are currently on the horizon.  Perhaps some enterprising coalition of the world's business elite can come up with an economically feasible alternative where governments have failed.  We can only hope.