Opportunist offers...

Not fit for purpose...(did you see what I did there? Thanks to Cincinnus) 20/20 on 20 by 2020 or in other words my vision on the EU's target of 20% reductions by the year 2020. Anyone want a bet that it won't happen? They've taken 2 years just to agree this target for fuck's sake and it sounds like all they want is something they can try and entice incoming President Obama to agree to. "EU leaders claim historic leap towards low-carbon future", well of course they claim that. In The Guardian, "European leaders tonight announced they were leading the world towards a low-carbon future after sealing an ambitious climate change pact by making generous concessions to the big polluters in European heavy industry".

"This is a major advance. Europe, after these decisions, remains the leader on climate change." said Brown....yes, another part of the world you've help save.

"This is a transformational funding stream for a transformational technology," said David Miliband...eh?

"This is a message especially to our US partners," said Barroso. (like, please don't just ignore us again)

"This council will go down in the history of Europe." said Sarkozy. Down, yep, I think that is where it will go but I bet carbon emissions don't. Of course he just wanted it to be agreed on his watch. He also said (reported in the FT)

"We are starting to change the way we do things in Europe, talking less and doing more,"

...no Nicholas, that's what you might think but it is an interesting and long overdue admission of the way things have been done. Anyway, all this is just a Kyoto Lite that was ignored by the US and all those that did sign up haven't cutback greenhouse gas emissions to any great effect, in fact the real polluters, that weren't given reduction targets but did sign the treaty, are increasing emissions.

If you want to do your bit the chart below gives what can be assumed as an average "Western" citizen's usage. What will you cut back on?...and there my friends lies the crux of the matter: the climate crisis (not the finacial one...or the others!) isn't going to disappear in a puff of smoke, although that is possibly one outcome for 'our' Earth! We have some alternatives (wind, tide, sun...) but any technologies we need that would actually reduce emissions by any significant amount aren't there and are certainly not just round the corner and meanwhile we all think what we can do...no car? no foreign travel? no hot water? no heating the house? Well, maybe next year...

Link through the image to the European Union's Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme