A Bit of Sunshine From Cancun?

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Just got this direct tweet from one of MoJo’s editors:

Hey Kevin, you want to tweet/blog link to Kate’s Cancun wrap up?

Seriously? The Cancun climate talks? You’re trying to tell me that I shouldn’t have completely tuned them out weeks ago? That something actually happened there? Seriously? OK then. Let’s see what Kate Sheppard has to say:

Broadly, the agreement accomplishes most of what observers hoped it would heading in two weeks ago: It records the commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions that developed and developing countries made in Copenhagen, establishes a framework for transparency, sets up a global climate fund with the goal of providing $100 billion in financing to developing countries by 2020, and establishes an initiative aimed at curbing deforestation.

Um, what? Actual progress? Granted, it was fairly modest progress, and apparently a decision to extend the binding Kyoto limits on greenhouse gas emissions was kicked down the road another year. As Sivan Kartha, a senior scientist with the Stockholm Environment Institute in Boston, says, it’s not clear whether that one-year delay on a decision will serve as “a lifeline or a noose” for Kyoto.

Still, read the whole thing. I’ve been in such a deep funk over climate change for the past six months that I’ve barely paid any attention to it at all. I have a feeling I’m not the only one. But Kate quotes EU commissioner for climate action Connie Hedegaard, who says last year’s failure at Copenhagen might have opened a few eyes. “The major difference is that people this year realized if we didn’t get a result here the process risked dying,” she said. “Basically it was the political will that changed.”

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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