Yohe Discusses Copenhagen Climate Change Conference

Gary Yohe, Woodhouse/Sysco Professor of Economics, and senior member of the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), discusses in a Dec. 6 issue of  The Los Angeles Times the possibilities at the U.N.’s Climate Change Conference In Copenhagen, Denmark.

In the article, Yohe says that “many nations would like to see a definitive agreement come out of the Copenhagen conference. But in the absence of climate legislation passed by the U.S. Congress, it is unlikely we will see anything like a binding treaty. Still, significant progress is possible.

Copenhagen offers the prospect of agreement on a number of structural issues. First would be establishing ways to facilitate technology transfer while preserving intellectual property rights. Another possibility is agreement on ways of integrating nationally specific climate policies into future global programs. The conference could also put in place funding mechanisms for developed countries to aid developing countries in finding methods of mitigating and adapting to the consequences of climate change.

These more technical areas offer many opportunities through which the United States can begin to be seen as part of the solution.”