Some funny “climate change” news for you this Tuesday morning, as The View From Here tells it (via Watts Up With That?)
Back in March of this year, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced an “innovative initiative” in which participants from around the world are invited to vote on what the priorities should be in a post-2015 world.
When I first stumbled across the “For information media • not an official record” of a March 13 Press Conference (and standard photo-op and exhortation from Ban Ki-Moon), I was concerned that this might have been another opportunity missed. Here are some excerpts from the Press Conference (note the use of past tense … all emphases mine -hro):
What this ends up being is a world wide vote looking at 16 different measures, including “action on climate change”, which states
This means that governments should take on binding commitments to reduce carbon emissions to levels which can keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees, and invest in adaptation measures particularly involving vulnerable communities
and “reliable energy at home”, for which Anthony Watts notes that they slipped in “More of that energy should be sustainably generated” without defining sustainably, but we all know that it is linked to Hotcoldwetdry and that governments should spend tons of money picking and choosing which campaign donors will get taxpayer money for “green” projects.
Anyhow, here’s where it gets funny
Action taken on climate change is dead last in the world, and dead last with people who have low and medium HDI (Human Development Index) which is a measure of the prosperity and health of the country they reside in. Dead last amongst those under 35, and #15 for the other two age groups. As Anthony notes
It seems concern over climate change is a rich person’s pastime, which just goes to show that cheap energy is the path forward to a better HDI, and thus a greater ability to be concerned about the environment. Translation: people just getting by don’t have time for such concerns.
Caring about “Climate change” is a 1st world problem.
As to the rest of the vote, here’s how I voted
- An honest and responsive government is #3 worldwide, #2 in the US.
- Sadly, protecting forests, rivers and oceans is #8 worldwide and #6 in the US. Hey, I like the environment.
- Disturbingly, Political freedoms is #13 worldwide and #11 in the US
- Equality between men and women is #12 worldwide and #9 in the US
- Freedom from discrimination and persecution is #9 in the world and #7 in the US
- A good education is #1 across the board (except for those 55+) but better job opportunities is #4 in the world and, get this, #12 in the US.
- And you know how Obama’s been running around proclaiming everyone should have access to the Internet? Yup, #15 in the US.
- And how he whines about infrastructure? Better transport and roads is dead last in the United States.
You can take the poll yourself here.
Source:
http://www.thepiratescove.us/2013/06/18/bummer-action-on-climate-change-comes-in-dead-last-in-un-sponsored-vote/
The News from http://funyhalloween.blogspot.com