On Tuesday Obama spoke before the assembley of the United Nations about climate change. The text as prepared by the White House can be seen at the NYTimes.
This speech makes me upset. Below the fold I will tell why.
This is my first diary ever on dailykos, and this might not be a good start. However, I hope that it will help you to understand better the anti-Americanism, that you will face in Europe and elsewhere.
Before analysing the speech, I would like to focus on some facts.
The latest available CO2 emissions per capita for some countries from the energy information adminstration (so from your gov't, link), that is from 2006, but I don't think there were dramatic changes
USA 19.78,
Germany 10.40
France 6.6
China 4.58
Within the Kyoto protocoll, Germany and France promised 21% and 0% reductions in overall emissions wrt to 1990. Both countries will meet the goal easily. The US originally wanted a 7% overall reduction (Clinton admin. inlcuding Al Gore as VP), then scrapped the goal under Bush and indeed wouldn't have reached it.
Emerging countries, such as China, were not covered within Kyoto. Indeed China had an enormous growth of emissions, however as you can see still only ~1/4 the per capita emissions of the US. The reason not to include emerging countries in Kyoto was, that otherwise current development levels would be cemented to the huge disadvantage of the countries, that are in a catch up process.
I might mention for "climate strategic issues", that the France and Germany, the two most important countries of the EU, are rather well equipped to deal with the results of climate change, maybe apart from an immigration wave from the countries, that are not in the position to deal with it, while the US is facing pretty serious consequences from climate change.
In his speech, Obama first talks about the severety of climate change and all the great things, his gov't has recently done to address climate change. Then he continues:
Because no one nation can meet this challenge alone, the United States has also engaged more allies and partners in finding a solution than ever before. In April, we convened the first of what have now been six meetings of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate here in the United States. In Trinidad, I proposed an Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas. We've worked through the World Bank to promote renewable energy projects and technologies in the developing world. And we have put climate at the top of our diplomatic agenda when it comes to our relationships with countries from China to Brazil; India to Mexico; Africa to Europe.
So the US engaged more allies in finding a solution? Isn't the reality, that the allies of the US tried for nearly two decades now, to get the US on board of a solution, and now finally the US says "perhaps", when looking on actions, and not on words?
And this is one of the top issues for the US diplomats around the world? So does this mean, the US diplomacy tries to talk other nations into accepting little to no serious comittment by the US wrt climate change?
And later he continues
We also cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress. Yes, the developed nations that caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century still have a responsibility to lead. And we will continue to do so – by investing in renewable energy, promoting greater efficiency, and slashing our emissions to reach the targets we set for 2020 and our long-term goal for 2050.
WE WILL CONTINUING TO DO SO????????? WE??????? CONTINUE???????
Does Obama really believe, that the US has in the past lead the effort to stop climate change or was part of a group of leaders? Actually Obama doesn't seem at all to realise what has happened in the last 20 years. European gov'ts have set the very expensive frameworks (feed-in tariffs) that made electricity from windmills to produce nearly at market price by now, solar panels are on the way. Fuel efficient cars come from about everywhere but the US, because gov'ts introduced unpopular gas taxes, put public money in rail networks etc. since many years.
Where are the last 20 years in Obama's mind?? Where were the US when others acted? Why does't he give specific goals as e.g. Japan has done? What divisions have stopped the US from a comittment? That China wants its people to live like Western poeple (later in the speech he speaks of China as a rich country, which is simply non-sense)?
Overall the speech was mostly addressed to the US viewer. But climate change needs international coordination. Fuzzy words won't do. Details are needed. And there Obama doesn`t give anything. He doesn't understand, that the US is still the US, even when there is a new president. How can others trust him without knowing details. This is US exeptionalism par excellence. And when Obama admits wrong doing, it is kind of middle ground thing like "we didn't act nice, but others have to think what they made wrong." Often that is true. On climate change, which is highly international dependent, there was one elephant in the room. And that was the US.