Cross-posted from The Great Beyond, on behalf of Jeff Tollefson:
The United Nations global warming negotiations got of to a predictable start today in Poznan, Poland, with global leaders calling for urgent action to stem the rise in greenhouse gas emissions.
Day one also offered a taste of the antagonism that has become a hallmark of US relations with most of the world during the George W. Bush administration. This might make for good press, but everybody is already looking forward to President-Elect Obama, who has pledged aggressive regulatory action to curb emissions.
Polish Prime Minister and conference host Minister Donald Tusk himself in an awkward position as well. He called for action on global warming - and then had to answer questions about his opposition to a European Union proposal to begin a new round of emissions reductions in 2013. Tusk later cited his country's reliance on coal and said Poland is looking to "create and adapt the package, not to reject it," according to The Associated Press.
The United Kingdom also received a bit of a jolt Monday with the release of a new report documenting the early implications of its commitment to slash greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050 (see the Guardian's story here). Although the Committee on Climate Change led by Adair Turner was optimistic in saying that the proposed reductions are doable "without harming the UK's economy," Reuters reported that there will be consequences, namely increased energy costs that could push some 1.7 million homes into "fuel poverty."
Given the ongoing economic crisis, there are plenty of questions about how all of this will play out, both at the national and international levels. But one thing is clear: Poznan is unlikely to provide any concrete answers. The two-week conference is more of a preparatory forum for the nitty-gritty negotiations that will take place next year.