Copenhagen Contradictions: Is the Climate Change Conference Bad for the Environment?

GREEN IS GOOD
by Margaret Smith

If there is one city that's the epitome of green living, it's Copenhagen. The city is filled with bicycles (the government has even implemented a groundbreaking citywide bike rental program); retrofitted, energy-efficient old buildings and lush greenery that provides a beautiful landscape for an already gorgeous city.

This week, however, Copenhagen is getting a redesign. Instead, the city will be filled with gas-guzzling machines, most notably about 140 private jets and more than 1,200 limousines. What's the special occasion? The United Nations Climate Change Conference.

In the past few months the world has been abuzz with talk of the climate change conference. Starting today, leaders from 192 nations will gather together in Copenhagen to hash out what can be done about climate change, arguably one of the most important issues of our time. The short list of major topics to discuss includes target emission cuts, money and responsibility (developing nations vs. developed nations). And while it has already been noted that leaders do not expect to walk away from the conference on Dec. 18 with a binding climate change deal in tow, at the very least there is hope of a interim statement of intent.

The difference between this conference and those from past years is the level of commitment already shown by world leaders. Leading up to the conference, the United States, China, Europe and India -- the four-largest carbon emitters in the world -- made individual pledges to bring down their countries' carbon emissions. According to Yvo de Boer, the UN climate chief, this is a clear signal to negotiators that the time is right to create solid proposals and implement rapid action.

"Never in 17 years of climate negotiations have so many different nations made so many firm pledges together," he said in a statement on the eve of the talks. "Copenhagen is already a turning point in the international response to climate change."

"So many different nations" may be an understatement, though. How many people are flocking to Copenhagen in the next few days to show their support? Leaders from 192 nations translates into 15,000 delegates and officials, 5,000 journalists and 98 world leaders. The Danish capital will also be blessed by the presence of celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Daryl Hannah and Helena Christensen.

Suddenly, a new picture begins to form. With such a large number of public figures flying in to the city to discuss global warming, the climate change conference is starting to look a bit like one of those "Stop Global Warming!" concert tours -- an event that advocates a cause that it does not actively practice.

Just look at how all these people are getting around. They sure aren't using electric or hybrid cars, because only five have been requested for the event. Instead, it looks like a majority of conference participants will be getting around on -- you guessed it -- limousines. Majken Friss Jorgensen, managing director of Copenhagen's largest limo company, told the Telegraph that during the climate change conference, she'll have 200 vehicles on the road. Her company's daily average is 12.

Jorgensen told the telegraph that between her and her rivals, she estimates that are going to be more than 1,200 limos on the road. In fact, there has been such a high demand that they've had to drive more vehicles in from hundreds of miles away in neighboring countries such as Germany and Sweden.

The number of airplanes further compounds the problem. The Telegraph reports that Copenhagen's major airport is expecting 140 extra private jets during its peak period alone. Much like the problem of too few limousines, the airport cannot handle that amount. Some airplanes will have to drop their passengers off and fly to airports in neighboring countries to park, making an extra trip in again later to pick people up.

From supposedly "green" celebrities, this kind of hypocrisy is normal (John Travolta, who once encouraged the British public to do their bit to fight global warming, owns five private jets alone). Many leaders will be flying in on their own, as well. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), minority leader on the Senate Committee for Environment and Public Works, will be flying in on his own private jet to spearhead his anti-climate change "truth squad." Knowing his opinions on climate change, his lax use of carbon emissions may not be surprising.

In an applauded move from environmentalists and world leaders a like, though, President Barack Obama set back his trip date to Copenhagen from Dec. 9 to Dec. 18 so that he could come at a more crucial time during the climate talks. The later date, however, forces President Obama to make an extra flight to Scandinavia rather than stopping on his way back from picking up the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

How many carbon emissions will the total conference result in? Organizers of the event say that the total carbon dioxide count is 41,000 tons -- roughly the same as the amount of carbon emissions produced in Morocco in 2006.

According to the Times Online, those numbers don't include the 200,000 cups of coffee that visitors will drink and the 200,000 meals to be served, though. At least those meals will all be organic.

It's not just the carbon numbers that have some people skeptical of the climate change conference. Critics also say that thousands of people are being flown to the climate change conference, yet many are not directly involved in the talks and there's not even going to be a deal set up this time around. What's more, if you're planning emissions cuts for 20, 30 or even 40 years from now, are some of our political leaders going to be still alive by then?

One of the most noteworthy advocates against the climate change conference is James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate change scientist. Hansen has arguably done more than any other scientist to advocate the dangers of global warming, appearing in front of Congress countless times to testify on the issue since 1989. According to him, though, the climate change conference would be better off failing because the whole approach to the matter is fundamentally flawed.

"We don't have a leader who is able to grasp it and say what is really needed," Hansen told the Guardian. "Instead we are trying to conduct business as usual."

Are there good things to say about the climate conference? Of course. This is the first time in years the world has come close to any sort of climate change agreement, with pledges not only coming from nations but also from individuals themselves as the word spreads on how close to danger our earth is in. And 1,200 limos and 140 private jets certainly show how many leaders are trying to save the situation. By putting the climate change conference in perspective, though, we may be further proving how much of a dire situation our earth is in.

GREEN IS GOOD

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