Breaking: Obama going to Copenhagen

Not surprised at all...I expected him to come due to the lack of Senate action. America has to show support for the accord and that we are committed to do something. Luckily, I will be there on the 9th! Yeah!

New doubts on warming, but most favor action - washingtonpost.com

New poll numbers are out - Americans continue to question the validity of science and the recent email scandal isn't helping things. But what I do find heartening about this is that conservatives still do want action on carbon emissions. "Do you think that the U.S. should take action on global warming only if other major industrial countries such as China and India agree to do equally effective things?" 55% of poll respondents (43% among Republicans) said that the U.S. should take action with or without China. This is a really big deal. Now how can we mobilize a nation to start conserving, consuming less and taking to heart their own habits that increase carbon emissions?

Amid charges of global warming hoax, new warning on climate change | csmonitor.com

Incredibly good overview article of where we are today and the new report dubbed "the Copenhagen Diagnosis." That is why I love the Christian Science Monitor. From the article:

"The new report's bottom line: If the goal is to try to hold global average temperatures to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, global greenhouse-gas emissions need top out sometime between 2015 and 2020.

"To stabilize the climate around that 2-degree goal, the global economy needs to reduce average carbon-dioxide emissions to less than 1 metric ton per person per year by 2050, the group adds. This is equivalent to cutting per capita emissions by 80 to 95 percent below 2000 levels in developed countries by 2050.

All of the sudden, Obama's tentative commitment of a 17% percent reduction seems kinda paultry.

California update - two items today from home

LA Times story today on Conservation. Always glad to have conservation at the table - but I still wonder why the press isn't covering the most obvious issue for water in California, especially when a new report is speculating "mega droughts" due to climate change for the State. If people are to conserve, they have to know how much water they are using. Water meters are NOT a universal set up in the state. According to my League's former President, Sacramento and the area up in the Delta that is screaming over the smelt, DO NOT have water meters. So how can they know how much water they use? How can government incentivize them to use less? Apparently, we can just ask the residents of Sacramento to turn off the water while they brush their teeth.

If you didn't see it - California's cap and trade proposal came out. Big reading for me over the holiday weekend! But yes, California is TRYING...if only we can get this to stick and other states to follow suit.