Media Reaction Rio de Janeiro: Hot Weather (COP 15)

UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 000426 SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR IIP/R/MR WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR OIIP ETRD XM XR BR SUBJECT: Media Reaction Rio de Janeiro: Hot Weather (COP 15) Hot Weather Rio-based center-right daily O Globo writes: "...the planet is hotter due to man's activities. (...) There will be consequences to civilization if the current Climate Summit (COP-15) in Copenhagen does not begin to find antidotes against [global warming] (...). The less pollutant emissions, the better. The issue involves a furious political and ideological battle (...) Credible institutions are disclosing new evidence. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that this decade will be the hottest since they started to keep track 150 years ago. (...) On the other hand, promising decisions are arising from countries, with the weight of the U.S., that now considers the six main gases in greenhouse emissions to be harmful to human health. The measure, announced by President Barack Obama at the Summit's opening, paves the way for the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate, already in 2010, emissions from vehicles, industry and energy plants without depending on the [Climate Change] legislation still stuck in Congress. The American decision gave a powerful impulse to negotiations that appeared very difficult in Copenhagen. It is not only about rich countries investing billions to cut their emissions, but also granting generous financing so that poor nations can do the same. There is no other way" (Dec 9, page 6). HEARNE