Copenhagen Day 1: Diplomats clash, protesters show up in force, Obama reschedules and more

Copenhagen is bustling with activity today, marking the opening of the long-anticipated United Nations’ COP15 Climate Change Conference. The goal of the two-week event: To draw up an international treaty requiring significant carbon emissions reductions to stave off global warming. But this aim is looking increasingly unlikely as stakeholders from delegates (from 190 countries) to scientists to environmental groups remain divided on what needs to be done.
Add on top of that an incredibly vocal crowd of protesters on every side of the issue, a leaked email scandal calling global warming statistics into question, and a flurry of related climate change announcements, and you have a heavy stream of continuous news coverage coming out of Denmark. To give our readers a broad sense of what’s going on over there, we’ve included a roundup of today’s most interesting Copenhagen-related headlines.
But first, here are some key ideas to take with you into Day 2:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency used the summit as a platform to formally declare greenhouse gases a danger to human health, which means they can be regulated under the provisions of the U.S. Clean Air Act. This gives the Obama administration a stronger leg to stand on at the conference even though the Kerry-Boxer climate bill, which would have set carbon reduction targets, is still stuck in the Senate.


The EPA warning has proved incredibly controversial in light of news last week that emails had been leaked stating that scientists had withheld and manipulated data about global warming. Posted on the internet, the text of the emails have raised a lot of questions about the validity of the warming trend. But the EPA has ignored skeptics, saying only that it is clear, despite what is now being dubbed “Climategate,” that human generated carbon emissions and subsequent warming are real, and present a significant threat. A United Nations panel has been appointed to further investigate the issue.


There are two potential deals in the works during the Copenhagen talks: One would essentially extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and its equirement for industrial countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The second would probably set more aggressive reduction targets, and, most importantly, include the U.S., which never ratified the Kyoto treaty.


Either of these pacts could cost developing countries $10 billion a year to execute between 2010 and 2012 and more than $100 billion a year by 2020. There’s somewhat of a chicken and the egg problem here. Developed countries like the U.S. and members of the E.U. don’t want to sign themselves up for big carbon reductions if developing nations like China and India refuse to limit their emissions. At the same time, China, India and others like them don’t want to promise carbon cuts unless they’ll be compensated for the faster growth and progress they would miss out on. Finding an answer to this conundrum could eventually prove even more expensive than anticipated.


Whether the U.S. is fully committed to change remains in doubt, but most people’s eyes are fixed on China, which could account for 25 percent of the emissions reductions needed to prevent further global warming.


President Barack Obama initially planned to arrive in Copenhagen early in the proceedings on Dec. 9 — but he’s changed his mind. Surpisingly, he will participate on the summit’s last day, Dec. 18, when he will be more needed to hammer out a deal. In preparation for his appearance, he met with former vice president and climate change guru Al Gore today. His change in plans suggests that the U.S. may be taking a stronger stand in Denmark than anyone had predicted.

Now here’s a look at some of the other stories making their way out of Denmark today. Look for much more coverage of the event on VentureBeat over the next two weeks.
Here’s a closer look at “Climategate” for those who missed the news last week:

Q&A: Climategate explained: A file of more than 1,000 emails sent between members of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. (dating back to 1996) were leaked onto the internet, including statements that some climate change data had been purposely manipulated. For example, one member wrote, “I’ve just completed ‘Mike’s Nature trick’ of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years … to hide the decline.” — CNN International
Climategate could threaten Copenhagen climate deal: The emails leaked on the internet last week suggesting that global warming data has been manipulated to fuel alarmist arguments have emboldened climate change skeptics and carbon reduction critics. Diluting the sense of urgency around climate change could present a real threat to the creation of a global treaty in Copenhagen. — CBS News
Some news on what the EPA’s ruling today might mean for climate talks and the U.S.’s slow-moving climate legislation:
Here’s a video of the announcement (AP):

Copenhagen, EPA, and climate change: Obama’s false move: Some are arguing that the EPA’s announcement that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health changes the meaning of the 1970 Clean Air Act, giving the executive too much power over carbon emitters. The move could further alienate Republicans and moderate Democrats in the senate who have the authority to kill the flagging Kerry-Boxer climate bill in the Senate. — Christian Science Monitor
Copenhagen Conference begins with renewed momentum: The Obama-backed EPA announcement that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health, and therefore under the jurisdiction of the executive branch (bypassing the deadlocked legislature), has jumpstarted the environmental summit, which, as late as last week, looked like it would be a lame duck gathering without the U.S. or E.U. taking major action. — Firedoglake
A review of some of the more enthusiastic protests staged in Denmark and (surprisingly!) elsewhere:
Loudest COP15 protests call for support of developing nations: The most vocal protesters attending the U.N.’s climate talks are urging developed nations like the U.S., members of the E.U., and others to do their part in compensating smaller, struggling nations for their climate efforts. A major concern is that developing countries like China, India and many others will agree to carbon reductions that will stunt their growth and blunt their competitive edge. To prevent this from happening, the first world needs to show them the money, protesters and critics say. Here’s a nice photo essay from Katie Fehrenbacher. — Earth2Tech
Protests at Chevron: Protesters descended on Chevron’s headquarters in San Ramon, Calif., today, coinciding with the opening ceremony of the COP15 conference. The company’s refinery, located in Richmod, Calif., is the biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the state of California. While the demonstration was peaceful, more than 30 arrests have been made so far. — San Francisco Chronicle
Climate change protesters scale Canadian Parliament building: Greenpeace members swarmed three buildings on Canada’s Parliament Hill today, also using Copenhagen’s starting line as a flashpoint to demand that the country stop depositing tar sand in the western region. Police and firefighters were called to contain the action in Ottawa. — Wall Street Journal
Here’s a video of some of the protest taking place in Copenhagen (CBS News):

And here are some miscellaneous updates for good measure:
Prostitutes turn up the heat in Copenhagen: In response to measures taken to curtail Copenhagen’s sex industry during the climate summit (including a note from the mayor to area hotels to crack down frisky activity), many prostitutes are offering free sex to anyone who can produce one of the mayor’s postcards (reading “be sustainable — don’t buy sex”) as well as their COP15 ID cards. — Dallas Morning News
A green venue for Copenhagen meeting: 15,000 delegates, journalists and others are expected to be milling around the city in the next two weeks, especially the home of the summit, the Bella Center. Actions have been taken to make the venue as green as the event, including provision of organic foods, recyclable utensils and advanced waste removal. — CCTV
Copenhagen offers climate warriors $470 menu, 24-carat desserts: Copenhagen is known for its exquisite dining, something that delegates, journalists and other hangers-on are sure to enjoy during their stay. Here’s a quick peak on some of the (hopefully sustainable) savories they will find. — Bloomberg