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Copenhagen Could Change the Global Warming Debate
Kent Garber
Climate Change: Global Carbon Footprint
(c) M. Ryder
Though many Senate Democrats were in
Kent Garber spoke with Kerry about hisexpectations for
We've heard a lot aboutthe need for U.S. leadership in
I think
You've been involved this yearin a number of high-stakes negotiations. What role do you hope to playin
I'm going to be in bilateral meetings in the course of the days I'mthere and will encourage a number of people with whom I've built arelationship over the last years to try to move on this. I think thereis going to have to be a lot of personal persuasion and a lot ofdemonstrated initiative by our country itself, all of which can helpbring people to the table, to an agreement. Everybody's got to dosomething, and everybody is going to have to do a little bit ofsomething that they don't necessarily like very much. That's the onlyway to get a good agreement where you satisfy the interests, which iswhat negotiating is about.
Most of the focus is on two bigissues: emission targets and money for the developing world. Which istougher to negotiate?
I think the financing can be morecomplicated. Once you've decided what you can do with your target,you're there. You've got a target. The president has already put thatout there. The target issue, I think, is reasonably defined. The financepiece is still in flux and yet to be defined, as is the verificationcomponent. And I think those are really central to getting anagreement.
You've recently come out with a bipartisan proposal onglobal warming. Was there a point this fall when you decided that youreally needed to try to get Republicans onboard?
Well, there'snever been a belief that we could do this without reaching across theaisle. There's always been a sense that we need to try to get as manyvotes as possible. We don't want to do this with a minimal number ofvotes. We want to do it with a maximum number of votes. We'd like tohave more and more people recognize the dangers of not doing anythingand embrace what we think is a very, very reasonable proposal.Ultimately, I would hope people would come to see that, as this getsbetter defined. Right now, with the healthcare debate, with other issueson the table, a lot of folks haven't really stopped to look at thisthoroughly. I think as more people take the time to do that, if
How might the outcome of
It can be veryinfluential. If
It does twothings: It sends a message to the folks in
Are you optimistic that
I am hopeful. I am very hopeful that
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Copenhagen Could Change the Global Warming Debate | Kent Garber
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