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A Typo Almost Derailed Paris Climate Deal (nytimes.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the some-proofreader-is-getting-a-bonus dept.

An anonymous reader writes: On Saturday, world leaders completed an ambitious international agreement to address climate change. But when the officials received the first copy of what was supposed to be the final draft, a one-word mistake threatened to derail their progress. Part of the agreement involved language that encouraged wealthy nations to provide monetary aid to poorer nations in order to help transition to more sustainable systems. But the draft used the word "shall," which would have made it a legally-binding requirement. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed back on the change, noting that previous versions of the document had used the word "should" instead. Officials tried to quickly figure out whether the swap had been made intentionally. Ultimately, they classified it as a typo, and hurriedly prepared a corrected version of the document, which was adopted without incident.

7 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. A typo my ass... by messymerry · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They tried to pull a fast one...

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  2. From binding to useless in one "typo" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Diplomacy at work.

  3. Perfect Illustration by phantomfive · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This story perfectly illustrates why the climate agreement is completely useless.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:Perfect Illustration by QuietLagoon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This story perfectly illustrates why the climate agreement is completely useless.

      The climate agreement is useless because the US energy industry has purchased Congress and has been seeding disinformation for decades.

      .

    2. Re:Perfect Illustration by aethelrick · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Hrmmm... isn't that kinda like saying, "why should I stop shitting on the pavement, other people do it?". Someone has to make a start! Also, somebody needs to provide energy in a sustainable clean manner that isn't fossil fuel. Isn't this a massive opportunity for the true capitalists out there to steal a march on the energy market? It strikes me that governments and businesses should be getting behind research into new clean electricity-centric nuclear power plants, like the LFTR. I guess whoever figures out a way to wean themselves off of fossil fuel first is going to redefine their economy (and maybe grow it hugely selling cheap energy to the rest of us?)

  4. Agreement, or wishlist? by hsthompson69 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When they literally have to fix an "agreement" so that it isn't enforceable, is it really an agreement?

    Maybe it would be better termed a "wishlist".

  5. Re:Sad to see Kerry... by ganjadude · · Score: 4, Insightful

    in other words, the agreement has no legs to stand on, and never would, so it was as i said, nothing but an excuse for rich people to go on vacation on the taxpayers dime

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