Dakota Digest

South Dakotans Attend U.N. Climate Change Conference
Air Date: 12/07/2009

By Paul Guggenheimer

The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened Monday in Copenhagen. It’s the beginning of two weeks of speeches and negotiations aimed at reaching a global agreement to limit carbon emissions caused by humans. There are several South Dakotans participating in this historic conference.
For decades, the debate over climate change has raged on. The issue is whether climate change or global warming, as it is usually called, is man made or part of a natural climate cycle. But for Iraq war veteran and University of South Dakota graduate student Leigh Ann Dunn, the time for talking is over. Dunn has answered a call to action. She travels the country for Operation FREE, a coalition of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who are seeking solutions to climate change through renewable energy. Dunn accepted an invitation from the group to travel to Denmark to monitor discussions and provide input on a problem she calls a threat to our planet.
“We are rallying for the United States to get on board and help create renewable energy here in the United States which in turn will create more jobs, clean jobs and alleviate our dependency on foreign oil,” says Dunn. “South Dakota can benefit from renewable energy. We are the fourth windiest state in the United States. That, right there, would help out our economy here in South Dakota. It would create clean jobs, safe jobs and it would reflect across the whole United States.”  
It’s one thing to push for climate change legislation in the United States. But as experts like USD Assistant Professor of Law Elizabeth Burleson put it, when you have other industrialized, developing and under-developed nations in the mix, it gets even more complicated. Burleson is another South Dakotan taking part in the Copenhagen conference as a United Nations advisor. She’s been participating in United Nations treaty negotiations since 1991. And she knows prospects for reaching a comprehensive agreement to limit carbon emissions are problematic.
“The political will is still being, you know, we’re working on building consensus to try and reach that global target,” says Burleson. “And it’s a matter of individual nation states agreeing to national targets.” 
Burleson says that while the countries participating in the Climate Change Conference may not agree on exactly what needs to be done, members of the scientific community say the evidence of global warming indicates something needs to happen soon to deal with the increase in greenhouse gases. Burleson points to a 2006 NASA report that temperatures are now 0.8 degrees Celsius warmer than a century ago. She says that may not seem like much, but scientists say further increases in warming would be highly disruptive to humans.
“The NASA Goddard Space Instititute indicates that we should not be exceeding one degree Celsius. And that, in terms of emissions, translates into we should not exceed emissions of 350 parts per million of greenhouse gases. Now, even the most conscientious targets out there are going to reach 450 parts per million, which is, according to the scientific community, going to reach more like two degrees Celsius and that’s going to be devastating in terms of ecological sustainability,” said Burleson.
Among those who are skeptical about a positive result coming out of Copenhagen is South Dakota Senator John Thune. Though Thune says he doesn’t count himself among those who deny that climate change is occurring.
“I think there are greater concentrations of greenhouse gases. You know, it’s clear over the last century or so that the global temperatures have risen about a degree,” says Thune. “But I’m also not going to subscribe to this earth is falling view that is being advocated by many people in the community who have this agenda.”  
For her part, Elizabeth Burleson says she’s heard the skepticism before but retains a sense of urgency about the issue of global warming. Burleson says she’s committed to attending climate change conferences like the one in Copenhagen because there is a human rights component involved.
“You know, everything you do to try and address climate change can also be done simply on a public health argument of trying to reduce air and water pollution and just to reduce rates of cancer and overall human health,” said Burleson. 
As excited as she is about being in Copenhagen, USD student Leigh Ann Dunn says this isn’t about her, but what her participation in the U.N. Climate Change Conference will mean for future generations.
“I just say the simple thing is what about our children tomorrow and their lives. If we can do something now: Why not? It’s up to us. We must take the responsibility, we created it,” said Dunn.
While the eyes of the world focus on President Obama as he gets ready to attend the conference, there are also several South Dakotans who feel they are doing their part to find solutions and contribute to the conversation about climate change.