The 2008 Economic Meltdown and Efforts to Counter Global Warming

The 2008 economic meltdown is being pointed to by some as an opportunity to advance government initiated and funded programs to drive a labour-intensive switch to a low-carbon economy. Others, including some global warming skeptics, argue that the financial system crisis is another reason to hold back from adopting substantial commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The financial crisis may be a major influence in the discussions at the December 2008 COP14 meeting which is aimed at concluding a new international agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. The aim of the talks is to finalize a new agreement at the COP15 conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Key Quotes on the Economic Crisis and Post-Kyoto Agreements

 * "We cannot let the financial and economic crisis delay the policy action that is urgently needed to ensure secure energy supplies and to curtail rising emissions of greenhouse gases. We must usher in a global energy revolution by improving energy efficiency and increasing the deployment of low-carbon energy,” said Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency

Related SourceWatch articles

 * The economic crisis and coal
 * Accra Climate Change Talks 2008
 * Clean Development Mechanism
 * COP14
 * COP15
 * Emissions Trading
 * Joint Implementation
 * Kyoto Protocol
 * United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

External articles

 * Elizabeth Rosenthal, "Economic Slump May Limit Moves on Clean Energy", New York Times, November 25, 2008.