The pressing questions from Copenhagen

The blame game is getting more pointed and passionate by the hour. Krupa’s already posted about China’s role in reaching the accord. I’d add these questions into our discussion.

– Do you think the world’s leaders took the threat to the world’s economy more seriously than the threat to our planet? Some of you argue they were more decisive and spent committed money at the G20 in London. And do you mind if that is the case?

– Did President Obama behave in a disrespectful way? He told the White House press corps a deal had been agreed before many countries knew about it. And he was on Air Force One before they had a chance to respond. If George Bush had done that, how would you have reacted?

On air: Down to the wire in Copenhagen

We’re all back home and gearing up for another busy today (TV at 1530GMT, radio at normal times). Not I suspect as busy as the afternoon ahead for the negotiators in Copenhagen. We heard a lot of frustrated people on yesterday’s show, but the final judgements will be passed when we see the text that we’re expecting to emerge at some point today. No-one question today – we’ll simply react to the news as it arrives. We’ll post updates here, and you in turn can comment or ask questions as we go through the day.

Questions from Copenhagen

On Wednesday evening we met a large group of what the British Council is calling ‘climate change champions’. They’re from all over the world and are sleeping a series of large rooms in a college in central Copenhagen. Below are some issues they suggested that we talk about. In the spirit of the summit, we agreed these wouldn’t be binging until we’d run them by everyone on the blog, but it’s a really useful start…

Police sweep the venue

On air: Is climate change too big a problem to solve?

With only three days to go, fears are growing that a “deal with teeth” may be out of reach at the climate talks in Copenhagen. Divisions between rich and poor countries seem to be widening… there have been threats of walk outs… increasingly harsh words and accusations from some developing countries that industrialised nations are not serious about carbon reduction. What do you think – is that true? Was a worldwide solution too ambitious to begin with? Is climate change just too big a problem to solve?

On air: Who should foot the climate change bill?

Two particular disagreements have been a feature during the first week of Copenhagen.

Are the poor hiding behind the rich when it comes to climate change?

It’s rich vs poor at Copenhagen following yesterday’s leak of a draft document .  Developing countries think the document  sets unfair limits on per capita carbon emissions and hands over too much power to industrialised nations. 

Is the industrial world passing the buck? Or should the poor stop hiding in the past to stop them from acting in the future?

On air: Do sceptics deserve to be part of the climate change debate?

Yesterday’s debate on WHYS got many of you emailing, calling and blogging. We invited on the programme Iain Dale, a conservative blogger here in the UK, who is not a climate change denier but does question global warming.

WHYS on TV 07.12.09: Part 1

What confuses you about the Copenhagen summit?

Hi, I’m Lucy from Europe Today.

Here on the blog you’ve had some heated debates about climate change over the last couple of weeks – and now the much talked-about Copenhagen Summit.

But do you feel like you understand it?