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Introduction:

Every year all countries in the world meet in a UN set-up, the COP summits. The aim is to decide upon how to mitigate the Climate Changes, do this by agreements supported by all countries and make them committed to the issue. Until now the results are not promising and do not follow the intentions and proposals for solutions as laid down the UN panel on the current climate changes. There are probably many reasons behind the lack of total global commitment, but often it has shown that financial issues and the mutual competition between the states are in the focus.

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The rich countries, Europe and North America, are historically the ones to blame for the problem. It is their industries and transport systems who has produced far the most of the increasing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere causing the big part of the current global warming. The USA, the biggest emitter, has not even signed the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement about reduction of CO2 emissions.

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In many of the rich countries there has been a relative reduction of CO2 emissions. It has been due to green initiatives, but also, for the last 5 years, because of a reduction in the annual growth in the economy, resulting in less need of fossil fuels for energy production. Many countries in the poor world experience a considerable growth at the moment even if there is a financial crisis, a growth they fight for to continue. This implies increasing need of access to energy sources, in fact fossil fuels, resulting in increased CO2 emissions. China and India are getting in the top when it comes to consumption of fossil fuels and thereby CO2 emissions. China is very close to the USA in amount of CO2 emissions.

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The less industrialized world agree to support the attempts to reduce CO2 emissions, but they claim to need financial support from the rich countries because poverty is the severe challenge in the poor world, what so ever. The rich countries argue, in 2012 as the years before, that they cannot afford a considerable support, because they suffer from the financial crisis. This question divides the two parts at the moment, and it is not easy to see a way out of it, yet. It is not that the poor world just waits for support. A country like China takes many initiatives in the direction of a more green future, and people are quite active many places in the poor world.

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Europe and the EU has for some years been a progressive part in the rich part of the world, also in the international negotiations. In 2012 this relative progressiveness has declined because many of the member states now focus more on their own financial and debt problems. There have been many green initiatives in the last decade in the EU with Germany, Denmark and Portugal as some of the examples. Denmark is in 2012 internationally praised as the country in the world done most to transform to a green energy production. EU has a climate policy and some focus on the subject, and the individual countries have their special policies concerning energy production and consumption. The European states are also parts of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is at the moment the only international agreement about the climate. Yet it seems that the European countries, as the kind of role model they can be because of their economic level, are slowing down in taking initiatives and promote global political and economical solutions, e.g. put up a higher goal for decrease of CO2 emissions.

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The lack of a global political unanimity about the necessity, or the urge, to mitigate climate changes contributes to confusion in the public about the importance of fighting the climate changes. A survey would probably show that people care, but that is not easy to find out how and how much to invest in changes. The same consideration is valid for parts of the different trades, global or local. The oil producers do not promote green energy production that much, but several companies, also global ones like Wall Mart, do take initiatives in a green direction. It has shown that their customers appreciate that. It can be profitable to go green.

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The European public in general supports a green economy, many businesses can see a business advantage in following this and are waiting on political initiatives. Governments and politicians are, with some exceptions, reluctant to focus and accelerate the transformation to a more green economy at the moment because of ...?

This is not so clear, but a need of economic growth and the international competitive capacity are often the main presented arguments.

Directive:

The aim and the product of the task are related both to the title, the introduction and the directives.

Read the introduction and the related issues and make clear the overall aim.

Relevant files are added. Use additional sources if you find it beneficial. The origin of additional sources must be noted for control.

It is a precondition to know about the Green House effect.

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Product:

Make a short report/article with your argued points of view about the issue for your team for comments.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Title: European governments or the government in your country &ndash; their policies and actions towards the consequences of climate changes &ndash; progressive, sufficient or insufficient? The arguments.

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Related issues to include in the product:

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Note what are the facts and what are the most common predictions about the current climate changes. What are the main challenges for the governments to deal with in this respect? Europe as an example.

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2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sum up what are the developments for the UN summits about how to handle the climate changes. Which main obstacles hinder common, binding and radical actions towards the issue? What is the Kyoto Protocol, and why is it still in play?

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3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How are the European countries in general and the EU acting towards mitigating the consequences of climate changes, both in relation to the seriousness of the situation and their potentials for taking action?

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4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What are the main positive examples of governmental actions and policies in the different European states? What are some main examples of actions not done, but should have been done?

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5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What could be some reasons behind the reluctance of many politicians and governments to take radical decisions? How come that many, also big businesses, seem more progressive that many governments?

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6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What are the policies and actions taken towards mitigation climate changes in the country you live in? Investigate the concrete policies and actions taken.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interview relevant politicians or authorities 
 
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