Break-Up

Australia seems to have split with the United States over post-2012 international greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. Australia has opted to back Canada's proposal for two more years of discussions toward a post-Kyoto agreement, although OZ is clearly not supportive of the Kyoto-style way of doing business and is increasingly advocating a different "more flexible" approach. Meanwhile, Paula Dobriansky, US under secretary of State has stated, "It is our belief that progress cannot be made through these formalised discussions." While the U.S. chief negotiator, Harlon Watson, stated "Formalized processes. . .are, in fact, negotiations." So, just to translate all this - the U.S. State Department is against any discussions about whether or not there should be further negotiations regarding the potential for another set of post-2012 emissions reductions, because such discussions (when formal) are unproductive and just plain old negotiations in disguise. You know what - it doesn't make any more sense when it's translated. What a bunch of rubbish. So does this suggest a new strategy for the U.S. - informal discussions? I envision a future of climate change pool parties and pub crawls, where negotiators can finally let their hair down and tackle the climate challenge without all the hassle of diplomacy, international law, commitment, responsibility, equity, and compromise that the U.S. State Department finds so objectionable. I'm sure if everyone would just chill out and meet up at Paula's for some cold beers and Yahtzee, we'd get it all sorted in no time.