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56 Newspapers Call for Climate Change Action

An appeal to 'the better angels of our nature'

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 7, 2009 1:20 AM CST

(Newser) – On the eve of the Copenhagen climate change summit, 56 newspapers from around the globe have published a joint editorial urging that world governments act to curb climate change. Aware that the summit cannot produce a full, binding treaty, the papers call for politicians to agree on a framework—with "rigorous multilateral monitoring, fair rewards for protecting forests," and a credible carbon offset market—and to work toward creating a treaty by June.

"Kicking our carbon habit within a few short decades will require a feat of engineering and innovation to match anything in our history," state the papers. The changes will be costly—though less than the global financial bailout—but the cost of doing nothing is higher, the editorial warns. The leaders at Copenhagen need to decide how history will see the current generation: as one that rose to a challenge, or one "so stupid that we saw calamity coming but did nothing to avert it," the statement warns.

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The ice-covered waters near Resolute Bay are seen from a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

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Whereas putting a man on the moon or splitting the atom were born of conflict and competition, the coming carbon race must be driven by a collaborative effort to achieve collective salvation.
- Joint editorial by 56 newspapers

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

Ucantusethatname

Dec 7, 2009 12:01 PM CST

Obviously 56 editors did not read the e-mails from scientists debunking global warming. Obama will receive the NP price he has not earned. Time to give Al Gore the BS award, which he earned.

cementhead

Dec 7, 2009 11:07 AM CST

The rip-off artists have turned CC into a business and a very lucrative one at that. The last hope of the public getting anything other than "spin" on these issues is over. What we need are serious consequences for lying to the public. Serious consequences. If we don't work this out and soon, it will be governance by Disney across the board,

Fiskebolle

Dec 7, 2009 11:02 AM CST

I am all for striving towards emitting less pollution, but I loathe the semi-religious aspect to "CC" as well as being labeled an evil person if you don't agree that the solution is a global tax and/or raising international NGOs into global pseudo-government. I think that we are held back in general by pretending that solutions can only come from the extremity of one political angle, as anything that needs addressing will be fought over relentlessly. Excuse me for drifting a bit off topic, and the soap box, but I haven't seen anyone position this view on Newser before.

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56 Newspapers Call for Climate Change Action