Blog & news round-up 2/5: Copenhagen targets are in, America speaks up for clean energy, and a look at the world's windpower

As we here in Maryland prepare for another crazy snow weekend, we look back on a busy climate week. The biggest carbon emitter countries handed in their Copenhagen Accord homework, business leaders went to DC for clean energy, and the flame of competition traveled with zero emissions. Read on.

Yale University came out with a poll recently showing that a majority of Americans support the U.S. in signing a treaty cutting CO₂ emissions 90% by 2050. It also showed 71% supporting regulating greenhouse gases as pollutants.

This is a good sign, and with a group of clean energy business executives on Capitol Hill this week lobbying Congress for clean energy legislation, this is no time to give up hope. The business leaders were part of an effort by Clean Energy Works and We Can Lead, a project of 1Sky ally Ceres. Let's make sure we add our voices as well.

On the international front, the deadline for the major global emitters to submit Copenhagen Accord plans was Sunday. The United States, with 54 other nations, submitted its plan on time, but not exactly with universal fanfare. Speaking of the goal of limiting global temperatures to less than two degrees C above the pre-industrial era, Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists said, "The pledges put on the table to date do not put us on track to meet that goal and will make it very difficult for us politically and technically beyond 2020 to meet that target."

The United Nations' top climate advisor, Janos Pasztor, seconded this, saying, "It is likely, according to a number of analysts, that if we add up all those figures that were being discussed around Copenhagen, if they're all implemented, it will still be quite difficult to reach the two degrees." He did see a silver lining however, continuing, "The positive side is that for the first time, we have a goal, a clear goal that we're all working toward. … Before we would just talk."

Another bright spot is that we're seeing the message of going carbon-free spreading in new ways all the time. The winter Olympics are coming up soon and the Olympic torch relay is underway. This year a zero emission vehicle, an electric scooter, is part of the action. Tzeporah Burman, who wrote about it on Zero Carbon, used her participation in the relay to spread the word about the benefits of electric and other zero emission transportation. I bet we could even have a completely carbon-free relay next time around -- celebrate human power, not fossil power. I mean, if we already have recycled medals…

The Infographic of the week is back! I know I missed it. This week it comes from The Economist (via Good.is), and shows global adoption of wind power. As you can see, the United States still uses the most, but one thing The Economist notes is that China has doubled its use for the fifth year in a row. The bigger question for me, however, is who is getting those green jobs?

This week we posted a video to YouTube with Policy Coordinator Jason Kowalski breaking down in two-and-a-half minutes what the big deal is about the Clean Air Act and the current attacks on it. Take a few minutes to give it a look and let us know what you think in the comments.

Torch image courtesy of Jan Vozenilek