United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali Hijacked by European Liberals

Published November 30, 2007

(CHICAGO, Illinois – November 30, 2007) — As the first goals of the Kyoto Protocol are about to expire, the United Nations is preparing a “Conference of the Parties,” the highest decision-making authority. The meeting will take place in Bali, Indonesia from December 3 to December 5.

Instead of “negotiations” and “debate,” which the United Nations claims is the decision-making process, European liberal groups have hijacked the conference and are pushing a pre-determined outcome called the “Bali Mandate” of “effectively reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050 compared to the 1990 level.”

Satu Hassi of the Finnish Green Party has declared the European Parliament delegation’s intention is to force binding targets for industrialized nations, mandate a global “cap and trade” scheme for carbon emissions, and require “Clean Development Mechanism” processes.

James M. Taylor, The Heartland Institute’s senior fellow for environment policy, responded, “This is just another form of wealth redistribution. The European liberal groups have admitted they are using climate change as a front for ‘global equity.’ The United Nations has lost all credibility for open and honest dialogue. Any meeting with a pre-determined outcome is a grotesque travesty of justice.”

Stated Taylor, “The science is reversing on the alarmists, yet they persist in refusing to engage in a dialogue with the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC). They have even rejected the voice of reason by ignoring dissenting scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“A 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 would more likely result in the loss of 50 million poor people’s lives, because the liberal environmentalists reject the economic development needed to escape poverty.”

The ICSC scientists, representing Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, will be available for advice and counsel in Bali, but they expect to be ignored at the conference as European liberal politicians monopolize the agenda and allow for no dissent.

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