Paris summit has 50-50 chance of success – Greenpeace climate chief

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Paris summit has 50-50 chance of success – Greenpeace climate chief

"I would say 50-50 that we will get a good outcome here in Paris

PARIS: -- A UN summit aimed at securing legally-binding global commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions has only a fifty-fifty chance of success.

So says a climate chief of environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

While a breakthrough at the talks is uncertain, Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace’s Head of International Climate Politics, told euronews that many nations are now finally taking the issue seriously.

“It is quite remarkable that over 180 countries now have developed national climate action plans. And that has never happened before,” Kaiser said.

“So climate change has become a reality in many countries and the people and the citizens expect the governments to act on climate change. The reason why it is still too slow is that the fossil fuel industry is still preventing progressive policies at home.”

In some countries, moves toward cleaner energy such as wind or solar power are proving particularly difficult.

“It will be very important to listen to President Modi from India and the King of Saudi Arabia – whether they are ready for the transformation of the energy sector in their own countries,” Kaiser said.

“Because those countries are quite dependent on coal and oil and those countries have to make a major shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable energies.”

“I am quite cautious whether this conference will really give the strong signal needed to the private sector to follow that route. I would say 50-50 that we will get a good outcome here in Paris.”

Amid concerns about a real commitment to change from all those taking part, the fear is that the Paris climate summit, starting on Monday, could end up being just a lot of hot air.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-30

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

More like 100% chance nothing will be done.

!00% chance big business will win out.

[oneday]

The Paris summit has ZERO chance. I don't care how good an agreement they come to, even if they do come to a phenomenal agreement. In the end, not enough countries have enough will to REALLY do what it will take to bring this earth back from the brink.

[ToS2014]

There's a 50 percent chance of rain today, or not. Climate change, what's next for big (bigger) government to spend money on?

[ChoakMyDee]

A lot of people are still not convinced that climate change is caused by human activity. Yes, there is climate change, but what can really be done about it? The earth has had previous periods of extreme warming and extreme cooling. A few hundred years ago it was so warm in the UK that they were growing grapes. This was before the undustrial age. Was it human farting that caused that warming trend?

[RickBradford]

The Greenpeace dude is correct with his 50-50 figure.

Nothing substantive will be achieved, but grandiose claims of success will be made at the end, so 50% is the right figure.