Copenhagen raises the stakes – time for civil society to hold our leaders to account

So, at last world leaders have agreed on something. They have agreed, essentially, that they lack the will to really do what it takes to prevent climate crisis.

UNFCCC exposes Rudd’s empty rhetoric

For all those who have been convinced by Prime Minister Rudd and Minister Wong’s rhetoric that they are fighting for a 450ppm and 2C agreement at Copenhagen, and believe that that is a good start, a leak from the UN Secretariat over here exposes that claim for the fraud it is.

Strong bullying the vulnerable is not the way to a positive outcome in Copenhagen

As the snow falls here in Copenhagen, so do the hopes of millions around the world. We appear to be reaching a low point in the COP. As world leaders arrive and ministerial meetings start, the texts they are working on are a complete mess, filled with brackets and completely unresolved on key issues of targets and financing, let alone how to bring together the two streams in the process.

Twilight behind most popular baby name

Even new parents have caught Twilight fever, with Isabella now top of the list of favourite baby names.

The Nuclear Debate

Nuclear power was the hot topic recently when two Senators for Western Australia – Mathias Cormann from the Liberal Party and Scott Ludlam from the Australian Greens – led a public debate at Perth Town Hall. Thursday 3rd December saw three speakers on either team, including Senator Cormann, Dr Ian Duncan and Professor Manfred Lenzen on the pro-nuclear side and Senator Ludlam, Dr Irene Kirczenow and Mr Dave Sweeney on the anti-nuclear side, moderated by the ABC’s Chief Political Reporter Peter Kennedy. You can now listen to the complete debate in high definition on our website

2+2=5? Copenhagen targets add up to 750 ppm

Here is the critical point to remember if a compromise agreement is somehow salvaged by the end of this week: the emission reduction commitments currently on the table add up to global atmospheric carbon concentrations of approximately 750 ppm . That means 4C average global temperature rise by the end of the century, agricultural wipeout, mass extinctions and almost certain runaway heating of the planet. If Copenhagen produces another political statement that claims to be aimed at limiting warming to 2C and carbon concentrations of 450 ppm, citizens around the world should be in no doubt that they are being lied to by their leaders.