They say that everyone who finally gets it about climate change has an "Oh, shit" moment--an instant when the full scientific implications become clear and they suddenly realize what a horrifically dangerous situation humanity has created for itself. Listening to the speeches, groundbreaking in their way, that President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered September 22 at the UN Summit on Climate Change, I was reminded of my most recent "Oh, shit" moment.
But Rajendra Pachauri, head of the United Nation's body tasked with leading the fight against climate change, also questioned the value of a new global climate deal without such a US pledge.
He said political constraints such as creating new jobs made it impossible for the new president to announce the measures that scientists believe are necessary.
His comments made at the climate summit in Copenhagen came as scientists warned that the modest IPCC estimates of likely sea level rise this century need to be increased.
