December 09, 2009

Day II started with a Bang

The second day opened with a bang as Michel Jarraud, Chief, World Meteorological Organization, announced that by early next year when the final data is analyzed, 2009 is likely to emerge as the fifth warmest since 1850. Pointing out the extremes of weather witnessed in 2009, Jarraud cited China's worst drought in five decades, Australia's third warmest year and the hottest temperature ever recorded in Vancouver, Canada (not a word about the situation in India... perhaps the report will carry more details).
Meanwhile, the much talked about "Danish Text" was leaked to the world by Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/08/ copenhagen-climate-change). This caused a major furore as the text is a major departure from the Kyoto protocol and seeks to shift power away from the UN to a chosen few industrialized nations. Few outraged delegates from developing countries were seen mingling with civil society groups while the latter went about the Convention Centre periodically rocking things around a bit with peaceful demonstrations and sloganeering.

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