The nominees are in...

In the last week, countries around the world submitted their proposed emission reductions for the Copenhagen Accord. As of the unenforced deadline of January 31,88 countries put down their reduction goals (which will also be unenforced) for 2020.

Who came out on top for emission reductions? It's complicated, but here are a few key points that I picked up from the rolling results:

AWESOME POINTS:
1. 88 countries put down emission reduction targets -- this means a good majority of the world is hooked on addressing the issue of climate change. LOTS of players on the climate solutions field.  

2. The U.S. put down a solid percentage target. And we're IN the game!

3. The world's largest emitters (EU, China, Brazil, and the US) are all game on the accord. Play nice world leaders.

LAME POINTS:
1. This accord is not binding, such that there is no enforcement agent on these targets other than government's good will.  This is like the WNBA playing with no ref on the court. How can it be fair?

2. Everyone's reduction targets are based on different years, so the percentages are not fairly comparable. In other words, folks are looking at higher levels of emissions in later years (i.e. 2005 vs. 1990) as their baseline amount so that the bigger reduction numbers look better but actually do less. We're all playing by different rules.

3. The U.S. is taking their reduction target date from 2005 and still only putting 17% on the table. C'mon Obama -- we can do it better. GET YOUR GAME FACE ON AMERICA & BRING IT!

Right now, the U.S. has the highest percentage of installed wind power -- go US! Yet this is a short-lived victory and does not do much for our economy. The New York Times ran a front page spread on China emerging as the global leader in clean energy production. They have put stronger reduction targets on the table (40-45% by 2020) and have already surpassed previous global clean energy leaders, including Denmark.

Obama's talking clean coal and nuclear to push our country to the forefront of the renewable economy -- that will take us nowhere sustainable. He has just TRIPLED the funding for nuclear power (which has no disposal plan for nuclear reactors -- scary!) and increased funding for clean coal technologies that have not been developed yet. He also talks big game about how his administration is putting record amounts of funding toward renewable energy; however, when administrations past have put next to no funding to this line of the budget (or lacked a line for renewables all together), nearly anything is a record amount.



WE can do better America. WE need to do better. We are the second highest emitting country in the world and the responsibility we have taken and are taking for the ecological and economic issues pale in comparison.

This is an issue that must have change DEMANDED from our government. Call, write, meet with your representatives -- find out who that is here. This issue will only get more expensive to address with less options to address it with in the future.

Two months ago today, I embarked on an epic global journey to the heart of the climate problems, solutions, politics and policy. The stories from that two week adventure are still engaging, and I'm still telling them; however, the story is not yet historical.We are making history -- it is up to us what will be written.