Are we fixing fundamentals, or just pretending? | Davos Debates 2009

This video was made to respond to the Davos environmental question for 2009: Will the environment lose out to the economy in 2009?

Are we fixing fundamentals, or just pretending? starts with global data that shows that the environment has been losing for decades. It also shows that our international climate treaties are not achieving their stated ultimate objective of stabilizing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 is less stable now than it was before national governments signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.
This video advocates for getting back on track for the benefit of the planet, the economy and people everywhere. It makes the point that this can be done by putting an atmospheric target for CO2 at the heart of our environmental and economic policies. Specifically, it invites leaders in Davos to lay plans for getting atmospheric CO2 back to safe levels of 350 parts per million or less. The video contains data and a message that remain relevant and important even though the Davos 2009 meeting ended on February 1, 2009.

More information:

References and outcomes from the video: http://www.themostimportantnumber.org

Environment mashup video by YouTube (with a segment from Are we fixing fundamentals?...): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ9OnCw8tvs

350 in Davos?: http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/350-davos

350 in Davos: http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/350-davos-0

Earths CO2 Home Page: http://co2now.org

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Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• davos question 2009
• davos debates 2009
• environment
• economy
• politics
• ethics
• co2
• carbon dioxide
• global warming
• climate change
• tangible solutions
• 350
• gdp
• carbon footprint
• climate science
• unfccc
• un
• united nations

[KilroyZTC]

You mentioned peak oil at around 4:26. Part of the problem is that oil -isn't- scarce. If it was, scarcity would drive up prices until alternative energy became more cost effective than oil and companies adopted the technology. Because of how much oil there is, however, the shift won't heppen and pollution will continue indefinitely, or at least until each given polluters share of the externality cost rises high enough to dissuade them.

[NorthernCascadian]

The video message is that atmospheric CO2 needs to drop, and that making that happen can boost our economy. The reference to peak oil is an aside, and it is real because demand for oil has begun to outstrip supply. Peak oil doesn't mean that oil suddenly dissappears. We have already seen spikes in energy prices in spring and summer 2008. By switching to alternative energy, you reduce the economic risk of high energy costs in future. Price mechanisms help. So does talk about what's right.

[5flyingpigs]

Great video.

We want little green guy at the end to join our rock band!

Seriously; it's a critical time, where we are at risk of having the CO2 issue being swamped by a tide of attention over the economy. Our politicians focus is shifting more and more daily to the futile effort to jump start the rust-belt industries.

[guydauncey]

Excellent work here - I hope many people watch this!

- Guy Dauncey

[lacerta5]

What do you mean with that Europe is far behind you?

[7732776]

350 seems to be important but I still don't know what 350 is besides the ppm how large is a part like a spot of dust, from my perpective Europe is very far behind us and are not remotely interested. the eduation is interesting in this video but I believe is not getting to the people who need education, B.C. itself is far ahead of other places, but we are like one of those specs in the ppm compared to the universe. Gary

[Mavis3806]

Fabulous video - it is obvious that the presenter is well versed on the C02 issue - congratulations on a "job well done"

[SueWalton1]

Congratulations on a great video! It's easy to understand and it will be a useful tool to educate us on how important 350 is. I'll pass the link along.

[KaiaMS4]

Wonderful video! Very clearly explained and well thought out, in short, amazing job!

[flamenkilla13]

That's a great video! Very well done, well explained, and giving solutions. I will share it! Maeva