Hillary Clinton will head to CopenhagenREAD MORE>>>>>
By Steven Mufson in our blog, Post Carbon:
Just in case there weren't enough policy star power in Copenhagen, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to attend the climate conference, according to sources with non-governmental organizations at the conference.
Clinton plans to travel on Wednesday and take part in negotiations on Thursday, a day before President Obama is due to arrive. She has booked a full day of meetings on Thursday and will join Obama once he arrives.
Here's another really interesting take on this surprise trip from The New York Times. Nations Play Hardball as Hillary Clinton Heads to Climate Summit
By DARREN SAMUELSOHN AND LISA FRIEDMAN of GreenwireCOPENHAGEN -- The United States is putting on a charm offensive as U.N. climate negotiations enter the home stretch despite new battle lines between rich and poor countries over core features of a new emissions agreement.
Yesterday, President Obama worked the phones with leaders of some of the world's most vulnerable countries, ahead of his scheduled trip to Denmark on Friday. Also, the State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would arrive here Thursday for a day of meetings ahead of Obama's arrival.
Hmmmmm! A charm offensive! The NYT is onto Hillary's "smart power" secret. Hillary's charm is unbeatable! The Hillary People ALWAYS knew that!
There is also this in the same article.
In an op-ed published today in the International Herald Tribune, Clinton stressed that international verification is key.
"A successful agreement depends upon a number of core elements, but two are shaping up to be essential: first, that all major economies set forth strong national actions and resolve to implement them; and second, that they agree to a system that enables full transparency and creates confidence that national actions are in fact being implemented," Clinton wrote.
Clinton also stressed a critical component to the climate accord sought by key moderate Senate Democrats and Republicans in Washington. "Transparency, in particular, is what will ensure that this agreement becomes operational, not just aspirational," she added. "We all need to take our share of responsibility, stand behind our commitments, and mean what we say in order for an international agreement to be credible."
Clinton's role is also increasingly growing in the closing hours before a critical deadline for the high-level environmental ministers who are trying to get as much accomplished as possible before their bosses arrive.
READ MORE>>>
Even MORE!
Michelle Obama Examiner
Hillary Clinton joins Copenhagen climate change conference-Obama doubles down
