Here's an elegy to the Copenhagen climate conference — written and sung a long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.
It's one of my favourite songs — and here it is sung by Peter, Paul and Mary; Pete Seeger; Joan Baez; and Marlene Dietrich. God bless the poets and writers and musicians, who speak for us when we are at a loss for words.
This most beautiful of songs must be "The still, sad music of humanity" which Wordsworth heard A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey. Music that is timeless, speaking for generations.
Even Barack Obama acknowledged how little he achieved at Copenhagen: "We have come a long way, but we have much further to go."
He could not have done more under the circumstances. We saw him speak in real time — and then read what happened behind the scenes.
China blamed as anger mounts over climate deal, reports the Guardian.
China stands accused of wrecking global deal, says the Independent.
Copenhagen — Historic failure that will live in infamy, writes Joss Garman in the Independent.
For India and China, a climate clash with their own destiny, writes Anand Giridhardas in the New York Times.
The BBC has some telling quotes.
Xie Zhenhua, head of China's delegation:
The meeting has had a positive result, everyone should be happy. After negotiations both sides have managed to preserve their bottom line. For the Chinese this was our sovereignty and our national interest.
Mohamed Nasheed, Maldives President:
Anything above 1.5 degrees, the Maldives and many small islands and low-lying islands would vanish. It is for this reason that we tried very hard during the course of the last two days to have 1.5 degrees in the document. I am so sorry that this was blatantly obstructed by big-emitting countries.
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