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Discussion > COP 23

From the list published today, the following countries have sent the following number of official representatives:

Afghanistan - 7
Albania - 3
Algeria - 20
Andorra - 5
Angola - 13
Antigua & Barbuda - 9
Argentina - 24
Armenia - 11
Australia - 33
Austria - 37
Azerbaijan - 3
Bahamas - 2
Bahrain - 3
Bangladesh - 32
Barbados - 5
Belarus - 2
Belgium - 32
Belize - 19
Benin - 87 (what?)
Bhutan - 9
Bolivia - 13
Bosnia & Herzegovina - 10
Botswana - 31
Brazil - 141 (what?)
Brunei Darussalam - 7
Bulgaria - 5
Burkina Faso - 101 (yes, really)
Burundi - 17

Provisional count after 2 letters of the alphabet seems to suggest that the poorer the country the more people you send, possibly in the hope of gaining most money from the "Green" Climate Fund.

C and D tomorrow...

Nov 17, 2017 at 8:47 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Cabo Verde - 13
Cambodia - 22
Cameroon - 44
Canada - 148 (one of whom is the "Chauffeur pour la délégation du québec" so it's good to see they have their priorities sorted out).

The next rule is kicking in - the more zealous the leaders of the nation regarding "green" issues, the more people they send to increase their CO2 footprint.

Nov 18, 2017 at 8:56 AM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Nov 18, 2017 at 8:56 AM | Mark Hodgson

Canada - 148 (one of whom is the "Chauffeur pour la délégation du québec" so it's good to see they have their priorities sorted out).

He must drive a very big green bus, battery powered of course.

Nov 18, 2017 at 9:59 AM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Is there anybody left at home in Andorra?

Nov 18, 2017 at 10:00 AM | Unregistered CommenterSupertroll

This is the only counting that the partygoers were interested in

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/17/planet-at-a-crossroads-climate-summit-makes-progress-but-leaves-much-to-do

"The final hours of the negotiations were held up by a technical row over climate funding from rich nations, always a sensitive topic. Poorer and vulnerable nations want donor countries to set out in advance how much they will provide and when, so recipient nations can plan their climate action. Rich nations claim they are not unwilling, but that making promises on behalf of future governments is legally complex."

If they had announced that there was no money to hand out, no one would have bothered going to Bonn in the first place. The financial savings could have been put to better use.

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:01 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Supertroll, the Andorra delegation are just confirming that their skiing industry will remain in operation for their Grandchildren. Whilst those in charge of Climate Science are still making unreliable forecasts, they know the Climate is as reliable for snow as it ever was.

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:14 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

How many of the African delegates fail to get on the plane home ?

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:18 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

"We are deeply trouble by countries trying to block progress on #lossanddamage.
The climate deniers must go home.
Let them be condemned for their ignorance.
If you don't want to do your job, jump off the canoe." Tuvalu #COP23

#FamousLeftyTolerance

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:21 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

\\ "IDMC. Since 2008, an average of 26.4M people/year have been displaced by natural disasters." http://bit.ly/GCC999Climate #climatechange #climateaction //

UN Refugee Agency
\\ 25.3 million people/year are displaced by natural disasters.//
\\ We need to address root causes of displacement, including #climatechange. UN @Refugees at #COP23: http://www.unhcr.org/protection/environment/59fc4e065/key-messages-for-cop23.html … //

By including a total that contains Earthquakes and other non-climate events
they are misinforming

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:27 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

How many of the African delegates fail to get on the plane home ?

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:18 PM | stewgreen

Global Warming parties are for the privileged, not the starving.

It will be interesting to see if all of the Zimbabwe delegates have already re-aligned themselves away from the Mugabe dynasty

Nov 18, 2017 at 1:27 PM | stewgreen
How many of those who fled Mugabe-induced poverty, starvation and murder are considered to be Global Warming Refugees"? Whether China can fix the problems caused by the selfish greed of Marxists, with appropriate investment in reliable power and farming, depends on the greed of Mugabe's successors. It would be a good way for China to prove the stupidity of the US, EU and UK. China listened to the same faking Climate Scientists, and ignored them.

Nov 18, 2017 at 2:44 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Looks as though it's been a damp squib if this is the best the BBC can do (and it doesn't even make the main page of their News website):

"Small steps forward as UN climate talks end in Bonn"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42032229

"UN climate talks in Bonn have concluded with progress on technical issues, but with bigger questions about cutting carbon unresolved.
Delegates say they are pleased that the rulebook for the Paris climate agreement is finally coming together.
But these technical discussions took place against the backdrop of a larger battle about coal, oil and gas.
It means that next year's conference in Poland is set for a major showdown on the future of fossil fuels."

"Over the next year, a series of discussions will take place to help countries look at the promises they have made under the Paris pact.
"A key element in Poland is this Talanoa dialogue, to make sure it doesn't result in just a talk show," said Yamide Dagnet with the World Resources Institute.
"In Poland, ministers will have to look each other in the eye and say they will go home and enhance their actions, so that by 2020 we end up with national plans that will be a much more ambitious set of climate actions."
Looming over these discussions in Bonn was the question of coal, oil and gas.
US coal and nuclear companies organised a presentation here arguing that fossil fuels should be a key part of the solution to rising temperatures."

The Harrabin refers to "glimmers of hope".

So, more than 19,000 people, a huge CO2 footprint, lots of hot air (both literally and metaphorically) and it's been a waste of time, as usual...

Nov 18, 2017 at 9:06 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Central African Republic - 21 (their number also includes a chauffeur).
Chad - 21
Chile - 21
China - 84
Colombia - 15
Comoros - 21
Congo - 117 (yes, really).
Cook Islands - 11
Costa Rica - 19
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) - 230 (yes, really).
Croatia - 9
Cuba - 6
Cyprus - 2 (that's more like it!).
Czech Republic - 14
Democratic People's Republic of Korea - 2
Democratic Republic of the Congo - 155 (yes, really).
Denmark - 27
Djibouti - 11
Dominica - 7
Dominican Republic - 48.

Nov 18, 2017 at 9:33 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

COAL EMERGES AS SURPRISE WINNER OF UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN GERMANY

https://www.thegwpf.com/coal-is-the-surprise-winner-of-un-climate-conference-in-germany/

Coal emerged as the surprise winner from two weeks of international climate talks in Germany, with leaders of the host country and neighboring Poland joining Donald Trump in support of the dirtiest fossil fuel.
While more than 20 nations, led by Britain and Canada, pledged to stop burning coal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her country’s use of the fuel and the need to preserve jobs in the industry. Meanwhile Poland’s continued and extensive use of coal raised concerns that the next meeting, to be held in the nation’s mining heartland of Katowice, could thwart progress.

“People don’t have total confidence that Poland wants to increase ambition, to put it plainly,” said Alden Meyer, director of strategy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group. “They’re 80 percent dependent on coal, they’ve been pushing back against European Union proposals to increase ambition.”

Nov 18, 2017 at 9:42 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Poland does have great ambition. That is why they will keep burning coal.

Poles are a lot less thick than EU short planks.

Nov 18, 2017 at 11:02 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her country’s use of the fuel and the need to preserve jobs in the industry. Meanwhile Poland’s continued and extensive use of coal raised concerns that the next meeting, to be held in the nation’s mining heartland of Katowice, could thwart progress.

“People don’t have total confidence that Poland wants to increase ambition, to put it plainly,” said Alden Meyer, director of strategy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group. “They’re 80 percent dependent on coal, they’ve been pushing back against European Union proposals to increase ambition.”

Welcome to Realpolitik, greenies. You pursuaded the Germans and some others, like the UK, that coal must go. But that was never really what the Continentals signed up for. They signed up for "OK , we'll ride this fresh Wind-power horse until it looks like a spent horse, politically, but keep our coal-horse. The knackers van can now be heard coming up the lane for the former renewable racehorses. while the reviled coal Donkeys still get the work done without complaint or absence from work and no racehorse-tantrums.

Nov 19, 2017 at 12:26 PM | Unregistered Commentermichael hart

Top German hypocrisy within the EU

http://joannenova.com.au/2017/11/not-powering-past-coal-20-countries-that-didnt-use-much-coal-agree-to-not-use-much-coal/

Nov 19, 2017 at 1:49 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Ecuador - 18
Egypt - 28
El Salvador - 11
Equatorial Guinea - 44
Estonia - 27
Ethiopia - 30
European Union - 83 (yes, really, even though all the EU members also seem to have sent substantial delegations).
Fiji - 81 (yes, really. While Fiji was in the chair, they would need a reasonable team, I suppose, but one might expect them to set an example and keep their CO2 footprint small. One wonders what the Prime Minister's spouse contributed?).
Finland - 37
France - 193 (yes, really, including the Director-General of WWF France).
Gabon - 20
Gambia - 33 (including several from NGOs).
Georgia - 10 (a strange bunch, since 2 are lawyers from DLA Piper, and Sam Rowan is from the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford).
Germany - 219 (I know they were playing at home, but these numbers do seem a little, well, excessive...Did they really need a former member of the German Parliament to be there? (no other title or qualification was against the name).
Ghana - 93 (including a representative from Oxfam).
Greece - 11
Grenada - 7
Guatemala - 47
Guinea - 132 (yes, really, including quite a lot of people from Be Green Group, who might be worth a look later).
Guinea-Bissau - 28 (including 4 drivers from their German embassy!).
Guyana - 4.

Nov 19, 2017 at 7:55 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

see Hansen has thrown his hat in the ring again - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/17/we-should-be-on-the-offensive-james-hansen-calls-for-wave-of-climate-lawsuits

"One of the fathers of climate science is calling for a wave of lawsuits against governments and fossil fuel companies that are delaying action on what he describes as the growing, mortal threat of global warming.

Former Nasa scientist James Hansen says the litigate-to-mitigate campaign is needed alongside political mobilisation because judges are less likely than politicians to be in the pocket of oil, coal and gas companies.

“The judiciary is the branch of government in the US and other countries that is relatively free of bribery. And bribery is exactly what is going on,” he told the Guardian on the sidelines of the UN climate talks in Bonn."

love the "One of the fathers of climate science" bit, does that mean he & other fathers are screwing the mother of climate science?

Nov 19, 2017 at 11:38 PM | Unregistered Commenterdougieh

Now Merkel has to throw her hat into the ring again, with the Green hypocrisy of Germany cruelly exposed.

If Merkel has to rely on German industry to form a fresh coalition, then German Greens will be sidelined, and left. This will leave a hole in the EU.

Nov 20, 2017 at 9:00 AM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

does that mean he & other fathers are screwing the mother of climate science?

Nov 19, 2017 at 11:38 PM | dougieh

They have certainly shafted all the Earth Mothers who trusted them.

Nov 20, 2017 at 6:16 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Haiti - 17
Honduras - 16
Hungary - 22.

Slight digression here. 2 of the Honduras representatives are from "The Green Island of Guanaja". The very name intrigued me, so I searched for it on the internet. Among others, I found this website:

http://www.georgestoyle.com/projects/guanaja/

The bit I don't get is that they are concerned for their coral reefs, bothered about climate change, yet they send 2 people half-way round the world to a climate conference that seems to have achieved nothing, and they invite a film-maker to make a film which seeks "to help increase tourism by focusing on the island’s natural beauty both above and below the waves, along with some of its understated resorts – the idea was to appeal to the slightly more adventurous tourist but one that still wants a bit of comfort, but nothing too flashy."

The film-maker's website says this:

"Two days were spent diving on some of Guanaja’s best reefs. This was interesting for me as I’d dived fairly extensively around Utila and Roatan so I wanted to see how Guanaja compared from an ecological point of view. Caribbean reefs, in general, are in very poor shape essentially due to overfishing and climate change. The reefs around Guanaja would no doubt be suffering in the same way although they do have considerably less divers than the other islands...".

Surely tourism is a bad thing here? As usual, follow the money, I suppose.

Nov 24, 2017 at 8:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Iceland - 5
India - 54 (including a hostess, apparently).
Indonesia - 136 (yes really). I shouldn't single out individuals, but I wonder why it was felt essential for this person to attend:
Ms. Valentina Gintings
Deputy Assistant for Children
Protection in the Emergency
Situations and Pornography
Deputy of Children Protection
Ministry of Women Empowerment
and Child Protection

Iran - 18 (with delicious irony,quite a lot of whom are from the Ministry of Petroleum).
Iraq - 27
Ireland - 18
Israel - 15
Italy - 49.

Nov 24, 2017 at 8:24 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson

Mark Hodgson
"Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation made up of thousands of volcanic islands, is home to hundreds of ethnic groups speaking many different languages. It’s known for beaches, volcanoes, Komodo dragons and jungles sheltering elephants, orangutans and tigers. On the island of Java lies Indonesia's vibrant, sprawling capital, Jakarta, and the city of Yogyakarta, known for gamelan music and traditional puppetry. Capital:Jakarta"

Indonesia is very vulnerable to natural disasters, and free money is a good defence, to improve tourism and attract more sightseers and pleasure seekers, flying in from all over the world. Ms Gintlings probably has a lot of work to do, and may need Deputies on every island.

China realised that live Pandas are worth more than dead ones, and Orangutans and Komodo Dragons are also valuable. Komodo Dragons are not quite so cuddly though.

Nov 25, 2017 at 1:26 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Mark, Gwen

"I wonder why it was felt essential for this person to attend:
Ms. Valentina Gintings
Deputy Assistant for Children"

Oh, almost certainly because her boss couldn't.

Nov 25, 2017 at 3:20 PM | Unregistered CommenterSupertroll

Supertroll at 3.20pm - very good!

Moving on -

Jamaica - 11
Japan - 108 (yes, really).
Jordan - 13.
Kazakhstan - 10
Kenya - 38
Kiribati - 28 (including a Red Cross volunteer, curiously).
Kuwait - 25 (many of whom seem to be connected with oil and petroleum!).

Nov 25, 2017 at 8:56 PM | Unregistered CommenterMark Hodgson