George Fraser says:

Ïf you’re not willing to lead, then get out of the way”will probably ring throughout history and even be of bigger significance than “Öne small step for Man…etc”. Papua New Guinea spokesman Kevin Conrad’s interjection to get the US to join the anti-global warming team will be an oft-quoted phrase for years to come.

gnomic says:

Pay attention kids - this is when the US ceased to be relevant. This is what happens when you let idiots destroy our credibility. Next up - an economic meltdown.

logan says:

While the performance of the US administration is predictable in the area of climate change, it is still a sad commentary that a great country like the United States must be goaded under insurmountable weight of the international community and tipped by New Guinea to sign on to the framework. While it was progress for the US to capitulate the lack of leadership in this issue is profound and a sad commentary.

When will the whole of the United States wake up to the fact that change must come and the price of waiting to great. Everyday the United States does not assume leadership with the other countries of the world is another day that the challenge for future generations will be untenable.

dannyh bloom says:

andrew
please blog about my polar cities concept one day and post images from my website. okay.

my take on kevin: a real hero

Kevin Conrad of Papua New Guinea, a new hero! I think his name will go down in the climate change fight history books now.

NPR notes: Quickly, delegations sided with the developing world. Harvard-educated Kevin Conrad, representing Papua New Guinea, turned to the United States representative as he lit in.

“We ask for your leadership,” Conrad said. “We seek your leadership. But if for some reason you’re not willing to lead. Leave it to the rest of us. Please get out of the way.”

— Posted by Danny Bloom
http://pcillu101.blogspot.com

Kumul says:

I have always been doubtful about Kevin Conrad’s questionable dealings with PNG through his friend, Prime Minister Somare including a 32 million PNGK payment, but I didn’t know that such as person could become pivotal and strike the deal, rather save the planet from arrogant destroyers. Thank you, Papua New Guinea and Kevin Conrad.

Paul says:

The “killer blow” from PNG was a rhetoric masterpiece! Thomas Paine, the great American revolutionary thinker, has been credited with the line “lead, follow or get out of the way”, adressing US Senators who were not living up to the democratic ideals of the newly founded democratic nation. Therefore Im sure the “killer blow” hit the American delegation very hard indeed!

dnny blkoom says:

and Paul, you are right, it was Tom Paine, and you know, also, from what i can tell, Kevin Conrad is a US citizen, carries a US passport, although born and raised in PNG and its rep at the Bali talks but this was a US citizen talking truth to power. !!! truly an amazing person.

dnny blkoom says:

by the way, Andrew, I believe the Guardian should have written the Columbia educated Conrad, he never went to harvard, they got that grad school part wrong

lionemom says:

Logan, the whole of the United States will wake up to it when we have a President that doesn’t continue to discredit reports that Global Warming is REAL, who doesn’t continue to wholly support ‘Big Oil’, and who will not designate Budget monies towards the development of VIABLE alternative energy sources.

danny bloom says:

See my climate clock here:

http://climateclock350.blogspot.com

There is a good interview with Kevin Conrad here:

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/the-climate-challenge-same-as-it-ever-was/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/science/earth/22conv.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I don’t think he has been interviewed about all this, after Bali, and the article about him and the interview, fill in the gaps in the media reporting very well. Bravo. I was waiting to read and see this scoop for ever since Bali closed…… NICE!

ALSO THIS: To Andy:
“I just read the print version in Science Times. Great story on Mr. Conrad. This is a case where the full truth is far more interesting — and far more inspiring — than the cartoon version that appeared earlier. It’s an example of what needs to be done, namely to put aside hatred and bitterness (even when it is fully justifiable), find reasonable points of agreement, and act on them.

— Posted by Raymond T. Pierrehumbert