With some calling it “Hopenhagen,” others “Nopenhagen,” Oregonians remain undecided about the success of Copenhagen’s Climate Change Conference.
Spanning from Dec. 7-18, the conference drew 193 countries together to discuss the growing issue of global warming and solidify global plans to
preserve the world from its effects.
The conference concluded with major leaders forming a tentative agreement aiming to limit the global temperature increase to less than two degrees Celsius. They agreed to assist developing countries in reducing emissions, adapting to climate change and creating a pledge to reduce emissions for the future.
David Funk, vice-chair of Eugene’s Sustainability Commission, said the U.S. participated as best it could in the conference.
“Because of opposition, particularly in the U.S. Senate, we haven’t passed any national laws ourselves relative to reducing our emissions, so our negotiators had no force of law behind them,” he said.
Funk added that he saw the conference as a success simply because it didn’t collapse, which could have compromised future negotiations.
“It wasn’t effective in producing any clear-cut treaty on
reducing carbon emissions,” Funk said, “but it was effective in laying the groundwork for further emissions control negotiations in the future.”
Some developing countries took offense at the conference, believing that larger countries were excluding them from discussions of core issues. Although the conference may have appeared disrespectful toward smaller countries, Funk explained the reasoning behind their potential exclusion.
“The fact is that of the countries that participated, it is primarily the large, industrial world powers that create most of the carbon emissions, so they are the countries where the focus should be,” Funk said. “The smaller, less populated countries contribute very little to global carbon emissions.”
Congressman Peter DeFazio, who represents southwest Oregon, did not attend the conference partially to focus on the health care bill, but also because he did not support Congress’ motives in Copenhagen.
The cap-and-trade idea Congress introduced would set an overall carbon emissions quota that each country would aim to pollute below. If a country ends up polluting less than the quota, it would accumulate credit that it could sell to those who pollute over this quota.
“This cap-and-trade policy is one created by ENRON and Wall Street,” DeFazio said. “We should not have to set prices based on whether or not we address carbon emissions.”
Although DeFazio disagreed with Congress’ method, he said he supported U.S. President Barack Obama’s beliefs at the conference.
DeFazio said he saw Oregon setting an example in emission reduction for the country. The state has pledged to generate 25 percent of its power from renewable energy sources, such as wind and ocean waves, by 2025.
“If Oregon’s achievements and goals could be implemented nationally, there would be a tremendous amount of gain to be made,” DeFazio said.
Personally, DeFazio said he has an unfortunately large carbon footprint.
“It’s tough working on the other side of the country and having to fly to and from Washington regularly,” he said, “but I’ve been doing everything I can to offset these emissions.”
As a city, Eugene has developed its own climate proposal, the Community Climate and Energy Action Plan, which aspires to reduce the community’s consumption of and reliance on fossil fuels and prepare for future effects of climate change, city Sustainability Manager Kevin Finney said.
“In addition, efforts to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are already under way in many city departments and programs,” Finney said.
Looking toward the future, Funk stressed the importance of community member involvement in cutting carbon emissions and advocating awareness about the global
climate issue.
“Until citizens put pressure on elected officials, none of them will have the courage to insist on laws that affect our lifestyles,” Funk said. “In the meantime, all the government entities can make the changes in their own operations that reduce their carbon footprints.”

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