Ben Jervey
Contributing Editor, Environment
This sudden, surprise announcement by the Obama administration-to delay his trip to Copenhagen from December 9th to the 18th-is a much bigger deal than it may sound. It means that the White House feels there's a really good chance of getting a deal done in Copenhagen, and this decision also makes that deal a lot more likely.He had planned on stopping by on his way to Oslo to pick up the Nobel Prize, coming to the COP15 talks on Wednesday of the first week. While every day of these two week meetings will be crucial, there wasn't much that Obama could offer that early in the process, other than a photo op and some positive energy. The last day of the talks has long been blocked off for heads of state to meet, and 65 other national leaders had already committed to coming on the 18th. Right place, wrong time was the general consensus.
"The president's decision to come at the end of the Copenhagen negotiations on December 18 means he will be here in person with other world leaders to seal the deal, not just to present the U.S. position," said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs gave this take on the decision:
Based on his conversations with other leaders and the progress that has already been made to give momentum to negotiations, the president believes that continued U.S. leadership can be most productive through his participation at the end of the Copenhagen conference on December 18 rather than on December 9. There are still outstanding issues that must be negotiated for an agreement to be reached, but this decision reflects the president's commitment to doing all that he can to pursue a positive outcome.
It also means that the president feels confident that there's a deal to be had in Copenhagen. You can be sure that the administration is running some political calculus and it's showing that there's a good enough chance for a deal, and that Obama's presence can help make it happen. Since the announcement late yesterday afternoon, already Italy's prime minister Berlusconi (a marginal player in these talks, but still) and the India prime minister Manmohan Singh (a hugely important figure) have said that they'll come to Copenhagen. "It's like dominoes falling," is how Italian sustainability expert Andrea Cinquina described it to me this morning.
For some personal perspective, I can tell you firsthand that the news lifted spirits here in Copenhagen. Word cascaded through the bar last night where a bunch of NGO and youth climate activists were gathered, and the renewed sense of hope amongst all these insiders was palpable.
Here's Dave Roberts' take, which is worth reading, and the official White House statement below.
_______________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2009
STATEMENT FROM THE PRESS SECRETARY ON THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE
CONFERENCE
The President strongly believes that all nations have a responsibility
to combat the threat of climate change. He has already taken
unprecedented action to do so at home, including an historic investment
in clean energy solutions that will reduce our dependence on oil and
create jobs. Abroad, he has engaged leaders bilaterally and
multilaterally on the issue of climate change, and agreed to participate
in the climate conference in Copenhagen.
After months of diplomatic activity, there is progress being made
towards a meaningful Copenhagen accord in which all countries pledge to
take action against the global threat of climate change. Following
bilateral meetings with the President and since the United States
announced an emissions reduction target that reflects the progress being
made in Congress towards comprehensive energy legislation, China and
India have for the first time set targets to reduce their carbon
intensity. There has also been progress in advancing the Danish proposal
for an immediate, operational accord that covers all of the issues under
negotiation, including the endorsement of key elements of this approach
by the 53 countries represented at the Commonwealth Summit last weekend.
This week, the President discussed the status of the negotiations with
Prime Minister Rudd, Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy, and Prime
Minister Brown and concluded that there appears to be an emerging
consensus that a core element of the Copenhagen accord should be to
mobilize $10 billion a year by 2012 to support adaptation and mitigation
in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable and least
developed countries that could be destabilized by the impacts of climate
change. The United States will pay its fair share of that amount and
other countries will make substantial commitments as well. In
Copenhagen, we also need to address the need for financing in the longer
term to support adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.
Providing this assistance is not only a humanitarian imperative - it's
an investment in our common security, as no climate change accord can
succeed if it does not help all countries reduce their emissions.
Based on his conversations with other leaders and the progress that has
already been made to give momentum to negotiations, the President
believes that continued US leadership can be most productive through his
participation at the end of the Copenhagen conference on December 18th
rather than on December 9th. There are still outstanding issues that
must be negotiated for an agreement to be reached, but this decision
reflects the President's commitment to doing all that he can to pursue a
positive outcome. The United States will have representation in
Copenhagen throughout the negotiating process by State Department
negotiators and Cabinet officials who will highlight the great strides
we have made this year towards a clean energy economy.
