FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The clock is ticking down in Copenhagen with some suggesting the legacy of the two-week long climate talks will be nothing but chaos and failure.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/12/17/art.copenhagen.jpg caption="French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a speech in Copenhagen on the 11th day of the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference."]
Things pretty much ground to a standstill yesterday: Thousands of protesters clashing with police outside the meetings - While inside, negotiators expressed frustration that they would likely leave empty-handed. At best - a weak political agreement that wouldn't do much about combating global warming. One key meeting ran 18 hours behind schedule.
The plan was for the 115-plus world leaders to show up today and tomorrow and bargain over the final details... Not gonna happen. There are still no answers about how much to cut carbon emissions, how to prove the cuts are made and which nations should pay for these changes... along with a stand-off between China and the U.S.
Although some are still holding out hope - others are already talking about holding another international climate summit in Mexico City next summer - months ahead of schedule. One UN official says without a real deal in Copenhagen - it would be better to put off big decisions until the next summit.
Meanwhile after racing to wrap up business in the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is headed to Copenhagen, leading a 21-member bipartisan Congressional delegation. Pelosi - who's reportedly using at least two Air Force jets to get this posse to the climate summit - says the meeting is all jobs ... creating millions of new clean-energy jobs for Americans. Sure.
Here’s my question to you: Are chaos and failure the legacy of the Copenhagen climate summit?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Bill from Leesburg, Florida writes:
Who do you suppose is funding the failure of climate change legislation: energy companies or folks who live near the ice flows, oceans, or fishermen, etc.? If there is doubt about global warming, let’s wait till it’s too late to correct. The damage that could occur with cleaner air, water, is zero.
M. writes:
The U.S. has disgracefully shunned Kyoto for years. Why, exactly, would anyone be surprised to see us spurn the Copenhagen summit? We're supposed to lead by example, instead we lead by hypocrisy. If you're an elected official (I'm looking at you, Inhofe) and you dispute the claims of global warming that over 90% of all world scientists have agreed upon, you're too greedy to serve this nation. After all, we know who your re-election money is coming from, now don't we?
Don writes:
What is with you people? This is about international income redistribution with our environment as the Trojan horse.
Marie writes:
Jack, Remember that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step. Your level of cynicism makes me sad.
James from Canada writes:
I hope not. I heard that Obama is working the phones, trying to reach some kind of deal. I think at best, we can hope for a framework deal, with the final binding agreement to come next year in Mexico. Hopefully, China will accept the monitoring of their emissions control. This is not a biased measure against China. Every country would be subject to monitoring. It just happens that China is the biggest polluter. Hopefully something can be salvaged from this conference.
Tony from Columbus, Ohio writes:
Due to the amazing political machine here in the U.S., it will be spun as a success no matter what comes out of it. Anyway, what genius would have a global warming convention during December in Scandinavia?