Gordon Brown’s bid to lead world on global warming.

[EarlyBird]

Jesus, this is fantastic. Isn't it?. The faithful will love this.

In a landmark speech in London the Prime Minister publically broke with the position of other developed countries by proposing that they provide "around 100 billion dollars" (£60bn) a year to help developing nations combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

It would be used to help fund their measures both to reduce their emissions of the pollution that causes global warming and to defend themselves against the consequences of increasing temperatures and rising seas.

Such financial aid is one of the key Third World demands in the negotiations, but until now no rich country has been prepared to make a concrete response. It has been one of the main reasons why talks convened by the United Nations – which two weeks ago concluded their second abortive session so far this year in Bonn, Germany – have so far failed to make progress.

Setting out the Government's manifesto for international climate change talks in Copenhagen at the end of the year, the Prime Minister said it was essential to cap damaging carbon emissions in order to stabilise global warming.

Speaking at the manifesto launch at London Zoo, Mr Brown committed Britain to paying its "fair share" of the global total and said he expected other developed countries to do the same.

"Over recent years the world has woken to the reality of climate change. But the fact is that we have not yet joined together to act against it. Copenhagen must be the moment we do so," he said.

"If we act now, if we act together, if we act with vision and resolve, success at Copenhagen is within reach. But if we falter, the earth itself will be at risk."

Mr Brown's initiative was immediately welcomed yesterday by Denmark - which will host the crucial final session of the negotiations in Copenhagen in December – and by the key developing world governments of Bangladesh and the Maldives, two of the countries most threatened by inundation from the higher sea levels that will result from global warming.

And it received unaccustomed praise from hitherto critical environmental pressure groups. WWF-UK (formerly the World Wildlife Fund) said Britain should be "loudly applauded for being the first country to begin to break the stalemate that has dogged international talks."

Greenpeace added that "by becoming the first major leader to put a figure on how much money is needed" the Prime Minister "has shown signs of leadership on climate change that have so far been sorely lacking".

Mr Brown will now phone the leaders due to attend a climate change summit in Italy next month – starting with President Obama – to muster support for the plan. The summit, which will immediately follow the annual meeting of the heads of G8 countries, will bring together major developed and developing nations in an attempt to breathe new life into the UN negotiations.

Full;

Gordon Brown's bid to lead world on global warming - Telegraph

The "first world" is flush at the moment and can afford this. Things in the "third world" will really improve, really, they will. Altruism in action is what this is, it is not an excuse to bleed you dry.

[robert151410]

Ah yes global warming. Where would we be without it?

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Remarkable, really. Considering that the UK is so deeply in a financial hole that its borrowings are off the scale, somewhere between 50 and 60% of GDP. Last month alone Britain overborrowed by £20billion. This month is going to be worse.

I'd say Brown knows well that the jig is up on his own career and he's reaching out for some kind of legacy decision before he gets the boot in the autumn. He might as well commit the UK to that kind of spending. He's done for anyway and wants to be able to mumble about some kind of achievement in his memoirs.

Britain hasn't got the money he's talking about but that may be a commitment embarrassment for Cameron later on.

[atlantic]

Listen to Bammy and the Frau Merkel yesterday.Bing Bam Bammy "The Explainer" is going to led the world and unify it on cap and trade.The sh1te is going to be taxed out of us.