MAJOR ADVANCE...OR HOAX? – AT 11:17 A.M. ET:   A "climate change" agreement has apparently been reached in Paris, subject to approval by the nations participating in an international conference.  Aren't we lucky?  From Fox:

An accord negotiated at climate talks in Paris will be a “historic turning point” if the final draft is adopted by delegates from 190 nations, France’s foreign minister said Saturday.

The deal on climate change will limit warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), Laurent Fabius said, according to Sky News.

“The world is holding its breath, it’s counting on all of us,” the minister added.

I haven't seen too much breath holding.

If adopted, the pact known as “the Paris agreement” would take effect in 2020 and strive to limit global temperature even more, to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

We are reminded by some sceptical scientists that there hasn't been any global warming in about 18 years, so maybe the "goal" is more achievable than we'd thought.

Sky News reported that countries most vulnerable to climate change had lobbied for the 1.5C limit while big polluters such as China, India and Saudi Arabia preferred 2C.

Why are certain countries more "vulnerable" than others?  Or is that a codeword for "gimme money"?

Negotiators had a few hours to analyze the draft before going into a meeting for possible adoption. French President Francois Hollande, who joined the meeting Saturday to underscore the deal’s importance, urged approval.

A few hours to analyze the draft?  Isn't this worth a little more time?

“The decisive agreement for the plant is here and now,” Hollande said. “France calls upon you to adopt the first universal agreement on climate.”

France is trying to take most of the credit.  It's Hollande's legacy, as he probably won't be re-elected.

The agreement sets a goal of limiting global gas emissions to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb them by the second half of the century.

A top climate scientist who was critical of draft negotiation texts on Friday has praised the final draft as being consistent with science.

John Schellnhuber, director of Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Research, says that "if agreed and implemented, this means bringing down greenhouse-gas emissions to net zero within a few decades."

COMMENT:  The most interesting fact I've read is that the draft is written in such a manner as to not require approval by the U.S. Senate.  In other words, like the Iran agreement, this won't be submitted as a treaty.

It's hard to determine without further analysis what this will cost us, or whether it will cost us anything at all.  It's also hard to determine whether it will have any actual effect.

What isn't hard to determine is that there's a great deal of money involved.  Already we're seeing reports that some of Hillary's largest contributors are getting into the "green energy" business.  Translation:  they will be applying for federal grants. 

Follow the money.

December 12, 2015