tagged w/ COP15
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by Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
A year ago, it seemed possible—likely, even—that President Barack Obama would sweep into the international negotiations on climate change at Copenhagen and make serious progress on the tangle of issues at stake. The reality was quite different. This year, the expectations for the United Nations Climate Conference in Cancun are less exuberant.
The conference will be held from Nov 29 to Dec 10 and the same issues from 2009 are up for debate. Countries like the United States, Britain, and Germany are still contributing an outsize share of carbon to the atmosphere. Countries like India and China are still rapidly increasing their own carbon output. And countries like Bangladesh, Tuvalu, and Bolivia are still bearing an unfair share of the environmental impacts brought on by climate change.
A very different set of expectations are building in the climate movement this year. If last year was about moving forward as fast as possible, this year, climate activists seem resigned to the idea that politicians just aren’t getting it. Change, when it comes, will have to be be built on a popular movement, not a political negotiation.
Climate change from the bottom up
Last year, climate activists put their faith in international leaders to make progress. This year, they believe that it’s up to them, as outside actors, to marshal a grassroots movement and pressure their leaders towards decreased carbon emissions.
“There’s a recognition that the insider strategy to push from inside the Beltway to impact what will happen in DC, or what will happen in Cancun has really not succeeded,” Rose Braz, climate campaign director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told Making Contact’s Andrew Stelzer. “What we’re doing in conjunction with a number of groups across the country and across the world is really build the type of movement that will change what happens in Cancun, what changes what happens in DC from the bottom up.” (This entire episode of Making Contact is dedicated to new approaches to climate change, at Cancun and beyond, and is worth a listen.)
Fighting the indolence of capitalists
Here’s one example of this new strategy: as Zachary Shahan writes at Change.org, La Via Campesina, an international peasant movement, is coordinating a march that will begin in San Luis Potosi, Guadalajara, Acapulco, Oaxaca, and Chiapas, then converge on Cancun. The march will include “thousands of farmers, indigenous people, rural villagers, urbanites, and more,” Shahan reports.
After they arrive in Cancun, the organizers are planning an “Alternative Global Forum for Life and Environmental and Social Justice” for the final days of the negotiations, which they say will be a mass mobilisation of peasants, indigenous and social movements. The action extends far beyond Cancun, though. Actually, they are organizing thousands of Cancuns around the world on this day to denounce what they see as false climate solutions.
These actions echo the strategy that environmentalist and author Bill McKibben and other climate leaders are promoting to push for climate change policies in the U.S. All this talk about building momentum from the bottom up, from populations, means that anyone looking for change is now looking years into the future.
The U.S. is not leading the way
Of course, ultimately, politicians will need to agree on a couple of standards. In particular, how much carbon each country should be emitting and how fast each country should power down its current emission levels. The U.S. is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to agreement on these questions, especially due to the recent mid-term elections. As Claudia Salerno, Venezuela’s lead climate change negotiator wrote at AlterNet:
Unlike what many suggest, China is not the problem. China, along with India and others, have made considerable commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are already working to realize them. Other developing countries have done the same, although we only generate a virtual drop in the bucket of global carbon emissions. The key player missing here is the U.S.
China, the U.S. and Clean Coal
The most interesting collaborations on clean energy, however, aren’t happening around the negotiating table. This week, The Atlantic’s James Fallows wrote a long piece about the work that the U.S. and China are doing together on clean coal technology, the magic cure-all to the world’s energy ills.
In the piece, Fallows recognizes what environmentalists have long argued: coal is bad for the environment and for coal-mining communities. But, unlike clean energy advocates who want to phase coal out of the energy equation, Fallows argues that coal must play a part in the world’s energy future. Therefore, we must find a way to burn it without releasing clouds of carbon into the atmosphere. That’s where clean coal technology comes in. So far, however, researchers have had little luck minimizing coal’s carbon output.
A few progressive writers weighed in on Fallows’ piece: Grist’s David Roberts thought Fallows was too hard on the anti-coal camp, while Campus Progress’ Sara Rubin argued that the piece did a good job of grappling with the reality of clean energy economics. And Mother Jones‘ Kevin Drum had one very clear criticism—that the piece skated over the question of progress on carbon capture, the one real way to dramatically reduce carbon pollution from coal. He wrote:
All the collaboration sounds wonderful, and even a 20% or 30% improvement in coal technology would be welcome. But that said, sequestration is the holy grail and I still don’t know if the Chinese are doing anything more on that front than the rest of us.
On every front, then, the view on climate change is now a long one.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about the environment by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. Visit the Mulch for a complete list of articles on environmental issues, or follow us on Twitter. And for the best progressive reporting on critical economy, health care and immigration issues, check out The Audit, The Pulse, and The Diaspora. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.by Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
A year ago, it seemed... more
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In the closing hours of 2009, people from around the world gathered to witness and attempt to influence the activities of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to the Kyoto Protocol.
Current Green called into Copenhagen each day to get the perspective of activists, policy experts, and environmental enthusiasts.
We circled ’round and asked the people we interviewed to check back in with us and give us their 20/20 perspective on their experience. The following entry comes from Celia Alario, a media strategist and radio producer. Celia provided an informative behind the scenes perspective on Copenhagen in the video below (Celia was the last one interviewed, but certainly not least!) The video was a live stream of interviews with people in Copenhagen.
Ah yes, coping. I wish I could say that I was really 'coping' with Copenhagen. What would that mean? Coping. It sounds so grounded, so professional, so civilized, so savvy. What would 'coping' mean? Perhaps it would mean that I was working somehow to be at peace with all that occurred? Um, ur, nope.
Would it mean that I'd found some magic formula for our next step as a movement committed to climate justice? Maybe it would mean that the shortfalls and trappings and internal toxicity that divides the myriad organizations engaged on the issues would have evaporated or been strategically set aside in favor of more balanced, kind, strategic and loving collaborations essential for our own planetary survival? No such luck.
Coping? No I think I am muddling through at best, maybe sorta illin' at honest assessment, but hey, thanks to Sanjay Khanna I at least know what ails me. I have 'PCSD' Post Copenhagen Stress Disorder. And I mean this with the greatest of respect and honoring to anyone who has suffered from PTSD... cuz, Copenhagen was, for anyone with a conscience, traumatic.
The good news is that my Tweet Deck columns for #COP15 and #climateaction continue to excite and amaze. Even through the sometimes crippling and numbing pain of the reality of our times, our Hope turned Nope by my President who thinks that clean energy includes nuclear power and some absurd non-existent fantasy thingy called 'clean coal' I do indeed still find inspiration daily in all that is being done domestically and abroad in the name of change. Like, real change, the kind of change we need, the kind I voted for in the last two elections, not that weird twisted non-change-disguised-as-good-stuff that has been talked about lately. Jeez.
Meanwhile, I feel like a dork to admit that I live in Utah. So my elected leaders are the ones that just passed a Resolution implying Climate Change is a farse and a left-wing conspiracy to curb population? Huh . Yeah, right, those are my guys? NOT! My smartest allies in the climate movements in Utah recommend giving up. Really, just focusing on national and international change and writing off my entire state legislature. Dang. Maybe that is the best way to 'cope' with madness like this!
But more than Copenhagen tonight, actually I am coping with the tragic loss of a great activist and sister in the work for sanity and an end to the climate chaos: Terry Shepherd passed away in her early 40s of H1N1. Crazy! She was a force for protection of Wild Utah, and had recently added her savvy to the efforts to protect Alaska. Here is a link to her speaking truth to power at the Oil and Gas Auction during the waning days of the Bush Administration's fire sale give away.
Her brave efforts made a huge impact to this issue, which reached national audiences when Tim DeChristopher bid on parcels as an act of climate civil disobedience. Learn more about his actions and upcoming trial.
Related content
Coping with Copenhagen: We are not waiting for a document, we are the document.
Kids vs Global Warming: Alex Loors gives the low down from Copenhagen
Youth stage sit in inside the Bella Center: Kimia Ghomeshi calls in from Copenhagen
Photojounalist Kris Krug on documenting the Copenhagen protestsIn the closing hours of 2009, people from around the world gathered to witness and... more
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In the closing hours of 2009, people from around the world gathered to witness and attempt to influence the activities of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to the Kyoto Protocol.
Current Green called into Copenhagen each day to get the perspective of activists, policy experts, and environmental enthusiasts.
We circled 'round and asked the people we interviewed to check back in with us and give us their 20/20 perspective on their experience. Our first entry comes from Kevin Buckland, the art ambassador for 350.org, Kevin was featured in a crowd pleasing segment that featured...dancing penguins.
Kevin's update:
In the cold memory of Copenhagen there is a story the delegates never saw. They missed the story that is writing itself in the arms and eyes of those who shall inherit this earth. And they are not meek. The future is not being written for them, but by them – and they are not waiting for permission because they are not asking permission. You do not need permission to survive.
As the lines of the illiterate UN documents sprawls across the pages of years, as the UN debates, as the oceans warm, as nothing changes the changing – there is no need to wait for permission, because there is no question to be asked. For no question can be asked aloud without the same carbon and oxygen breathe that answers itself. You do not ask about survival, you survive. We survive.
In Copenhagen the past attempted to create the future, but this is not the way things work. The past does not create the future; the future becomes the past –stories get written backwards, and retrospectively. For all their planning and pouring over the careful words that led to a long declaration of nothing, the delegations missed the future slowly claiming the present.
As the delegates rang for room service – the future was sweeping the years from abandoned factory floors. The dust lay deep, but many hands cleaned the many windows and let in the light air of change. They cleaned the floors where thousands of unknown but caring bodies would come to sleep; bodies that had hitched through winter days, slept on trains, piled into cars and across illegal borders. They came because they knew they had to, because the future is in motion, like a flock of birds it steers the wind.
As the delegates’ carbon planes landed and oil limousines idled outside airports, the future walked their backpacks and bodies the last few kilometers to a place where they had been told they could sleep: for the promise of a roof to house their dreams of change.
If the delegates had to clean the floors they slept on – if they had to sweep up the broken glass and cover the broken windows with broken cabinets – would they have come to repair this world?
The past sat at long tables, claiming each day another day of the present to past. Consuming time until it became their own; while their eyes in Peru watched the dry corn leaves brown, their hands in Bangladesh pulled again at the mud, and their feet in Kenya had to walk away; they all breathed in, and that silence resonated loudly throughout the conference center. They breathed out and formed a song that they sang in the streets of Copenhagen, that tells of a story writing itself in brooms and wood-ovens and paint. This is not the story of the UN document – that is a story that doesn’t say anything. It is the story being told in the empty spaces between the lines of their text.
As the delegates were served their foreign fruits and cheeses – fresh from Peru with pesticides from America and picked by barely paid hands, as they cut another slice—all over the city the future was searching - jumping into dumpsters and finding so much fruit it took three trips on the bicycle just to bring it all back.
As the delegates handed their bank card to the waitress, vast and free communal kitchens served long lines waiting in the cold. Who would hold a full plate and sit on the floor of the large hall, and eat with a metal fork the stew and kernels of sharing, where all eat the same and there are more people than plates.
As the delegates signed-off and put their computers to sleep, the future sang and painted shields long into the night – warmed well by so many hearts and a woodstove they had made from the old oil drums of an unimaginably wasteful world.
As the future stood, arms linked and singing within sight of the Convention Center, their songs drifted in to fill the spaces between the lines of the UN document. As the future was beaten by police, as the future was put into cages…
The future is free, because they are the ones who decided to create change. They were not paid like the police to stand in their lines and protect something, they were not chauffeured from dinner to the hotel. They were moving themselves, and moving history. The past cannot hold back the future with their brackets and clauses, because the future is not a question. The future is writing itself already. We are not waiting for a document, we are the document.
Related content:
Kids vs Global Warming: Alex Loors gives the low down from Copenhagen
Youth stage sit in inside the Bella Center: Kimia Ghomeshi calls in from Copenhagen
Photojounalist Kris Krug on documenting the Copenhagen protestsIn the closing hours of 2009, people from around the world gathered to witness and... more
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Are you coping with Copenhagen? Well pack your bags~ Bolivian President Evo Morales just announced that Bolivia will host the World Summit for Climate Change from April 19th to April 22nd 2010, in response to the failure of the climate talks in Copenhagen.
"Cochabamba will be the scenario for diverse social movements to discuss
about the consequences global warming brings about, how we harm our
environment and every single hazard jeopardizing planet Earth," explained
Morales when addressing the press.
Bolivian Foreign Ministry will be taking care of the details and the
organization behind the summit. "My idea is to summon everyone on April
19th, so as to conclude the summit on International Day of Mother Earth,
April 22nd," added Morales.
Bolivian President insisted on the idea of organizing a world referendum on
climate change, as well as forming a Climate Justice Court in the United
Nations. He justified the summit in the name on mankind, life and the
planet, and also as a response to the failure of the 15th Summit on Climate
Change. "The problems of climate change are directly linked to the
irrational development of industry," said the president.
Within the framework of a press conference due to the celebrations for the
49th anniversary of the foundation of the Culpina municipality, in the
region of Chuquisaca, Morales stated that he believes industrialized nations
are obsessed with the idea of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius
and the aftermath of this resolution "it is not being analyzed," he pointed
out. "Allowing global warming to rise up to 2 degrees Celsius is a huge
threaten against mankind's survival," warned Morales. He also said that he
had requested technical and scientific arguments to support a large-scale
international mobilization to defend the environment, especially water.
He regretted that the summit held in Copenhagen had concluded without
reaching any important agreement. However, he noted that the event was an
opportunity to break the hegemony of industrialized countries attending the
gathering.
The head of state assured that the summit will count on the participation of
scholars, experts, social organizations and heads of state. "Our main goal
is to reach a consensus so as to move forwards to the next Summit on Climate
Change, to be held in Mexico on 2011," he concluded.
Related Content:
2009 Viral Green Videos
How Twlight and Buffy are covert teachers of sustainability
Welcoming the environmental journalist to the endangered species list (video)
Are you coping with Copenhagen? Well pack your bags~ Bolivian President... more
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It's being referred to as the "real" climate gate. A document was leaked earlier today from the UN Secretariat that the UN knows that the proposals will not reach the 2 degree target they've been negotiating, instead, the target is for at least three degrees Celsius.
You can see the document for yourself at the link below: (it has not been confirmed at the date of this blog post)
http://live.tcktcktck.org/wp-content/uploads/leaked-secritariat-doc-degrees.pdf
Why is this relevant? Dies 1 degree matter? French journalist Jade Lindgaard (who broke the story) and Naomi Kline discussed the relevance with Democracy Now! The video interview can be found at the link, and the beginning of the interview is included below.
JADE LINDGAARD: Yeah, a very interesting leak today from the UNFCCC secretariat showing that the targets of reduction emissions that countries now, today, are putting on the table, these targets do not allow to stay below two degree rise in temperature. And they even say that it could lead us to a rise of three degree in temperature, which is, as we know, catastrophic if that ever happens.
AMY GOODMAN: Who is writing this?
JADE LINDGAARD: This is the UNFCCC. It’s not WWF, it’s not Greenpeace, it’s not Friends of the Earth. It’s the secretariat. And it’s an internal note they’re having and they have not yet published, and which is the basis of work for the current negotiations.
AMY GOODMAN: How did you get it?
JADE LINDGAARD: It’s a leak.
AMY GOODMAN: Naomi Klein, the significance of this?
NAOMI KLEIN: Well, sorry, I have to apologize for my voice, Amy. You guys made me come on. But it’s a metaphor, of course, because everybody’s complaining about how they’ve lost their voice in these proceedings.
This is so significant, because what this—this is the UN itself saying that if all of these countries go off and do what it is that they’re promising to do—and let’s remember, this is the US model, that rather than having targets that they must meet, they’ll be so-called national plans, so every country comes up with their own targets, and then they mash them together.
So they’ve done the math, and they’re saying if the US does what it’s saying it’s going to do, if the EU does what it’s going to do, then altogether the temperatures will increase by three degrees, which is catastrophic, because the target that they have set is two degrees, but even that, we’ve heard from Africa, would be a disaster.
JADE LINDGAARD: It’s even—it’s interesting because these figures that the UN is working on now, they are based on what—the pledges of countries. So it’s already based on what countries say they want to do. It’s not a business as usual. It’s already taking into account the effort that these countries have said they’re willing to comply to. And the truth is, it’s not enough at all. It’s not enough. So, in a way, these all negotiations and these disagreements these past few days around the two degree rise, they look like something—you know, it’s a bit like theater, because in the end it doesn’t really matter for the people. If it’s three degrees, it’s a nightmare for Africa and AOSIS.
You can see the full story at Democracy Now!It's being referred to as the "real" climate gate. A document was... more
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It's hard to listen when your emotions are...heated (couldn't resist). Just ask Christopher Monckton who, in a heated moment, called the young activists who protested The Americans for Prosperity meeting in Copenhagen yesterday. (Monckton heads up an organization called the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, a group known for it's opposition to scientific consensus on climate change.)
Ok~ So that's old news. The saga continued today when Monckton was confronted by a group of young activists he approached to discuss his perspective on climate science.
Ya know~ I REALLY wanted that last statement to be true. Discuss has a certain association with dialogue and deliberation, that would make people assume that there is a dialogue~ and when I hear the word dialogue, I assume that there is communication that involves both speaking and listening.
But when the youth activists featured in the video below confronted Mockton about being compared to Hilter Youth, he went on to talk over them and threaten, "Now you know what will happen if you invade a private meeting and start shrieking."
There are several points about that statement that are fascinating. The first, it was not a private meeting. It appears in the video that it was a live webcast that was open to the public, and when you watch the video, it looks like the room is only filled with activists...and then there's that nod at the end. The next day Monckton bragged that his team was responsible for putting that video on youtube moments after the event occurred, it it begs one to question:
Was the event staged? Was Monckton looking for an opportunity to provoke young activists so they could get the term "Hitler Youth" into the media?
Hook. Line. And Sinker. Well done.
You got my attention.
I'm going to listen to what Lord Monckton has to say.
Not because he has demonstrated the same kind of thoughtful consideration to the young people he was lecturing;
Not because it doesn't make my stomach turn when I hear about his views about Aids (he believes every member of the population should be blood tested and quarantined);
Not because I am not appalled by his repeated statements denying climate science;
Not because I'm not awed by his New World Order/global government conspiracy that climate disruption is a tool for the UN to create a global government (it's akin to my personal favorite conspiracy theory: which is that the governments keep aliens a secret because it would create an outer enemy that would cause all the nations in the world to work together and crash the world economy).
I'm going to listen to Monckton because in the big scheme of things, it's just the right thing to do.
Ok, no angel wings growing yet~ so the real reason reason I want to listen is because I smell the language of fear.
Monckton is afraid.
While many people are out there calling him crazy, I think he's scary. It appears he is deliberately and strategically spreading a message of fear. And no matter what you think about climate science and global warming~ that feels dangerous.
The one thing history has proven time and time again, people do outrageous things when they act from a place of fear.
Lord Monckton is saying he is scared that world food prices have doubled. He is stating that millions are dying in third world countries because of the global warming scare because people who are working to reduce global warming don't care. (I'm not following that logic). He said, "Until you start caring..I will continue to call you Hitler Youth." (Lost me on that one too. Most people I know who give over their lives to activism and working on climate change issues are intensely aware of the amount of climate refugees and the amount of death and destruction that is happening on the planet. It's safe to say they deeply care). Monckton says, "Now you know what it looks like when you do robotic things like the Hitler youth did when they occupied Copenhagen...you do as much damage to the poor as they Hitler youth did." Hmmm. Hate crimes against Jews compared to being responsible for children dying in developing countries. I dunno, not to sound harsh, but I grew up on commercials showing me starving children in Africa. I'm not making the connection between the recent surge toward climate protection and starving people in developing countries.
So when I listen, I hear that Monckton has chosen to pick one of the most triggering symbols of hate crimes the world has, tomorrow I assume he will call them the children of the KKK. At this point, he has actively chosen to put himself in front of the camera repeatedly speaking the language of hate, and by doing so he is spreading a message of fear and desperation. To me, it sounds like Mockton and the groups he represents feels threatened by the act of pursuing policy that requires nations to coordinate efforts that may result in the global economy shifting. It sounds like he is afraid of losing money. Now that makes sense to me. And that, can cause a great deal of fear.
Alright, I'm off to track down Mockton's PR team and see if they help me with some online marketing. They've got mad skillz.
Related Posts:
Coo-Coo for Copenhagen: keeping up to date on #cop15
The battle strategy for the environmental movement (with music and diagrams)
Join us for our daily live online vide chat: Calling in to Copenhagen
Welcoming the environmental journalist to the endangered species listIt's hard to listen when your emotions are...heated (couldn't resist). Just... more
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While we meant to show you the behind the scenes of Copenhagen, instead, today I'll share the behind the scenes of trying to produce the lowest carbon footprint show at Copenhagen...from San Francisco. With help from Celia Alario, we had scheduled participants in the African Civil Society meeting and were looking forward to hearing their perspective on the Copenhagen negotiations. To make a long story short, the meeting was still going on when we were scheduled to go live, but thankfully Kate Sheppard, blogger for Mother Jones, and youth leader Keri Fulton were available to give us the low down. And then... just seconds before we were scheduled to go live, a loud eruption happened and Kerri excused herself abruptly.
I'll confess, I had a minor fantasy about Bill O'Reilly's "we'll do it live" outburst....but that's just how it goes, and the one thing I've learned from being at large media events~ things happen fast and you need to be mailable and discerning. As it turns out, Keri left to witness a critical event of the day day; outraged by the content of what is being referred to as the Danish text leak, the Africans launched a spontaneous march and protest through the middle of the Climate Conference at the Bella Centre, and the people we were scheduled to interview went on to chat with CNN. Kate gave us the run down (and mocked me for asking about climate gate), and I went on to record our 10 green holiday gifts video.
Below is the full press release:
Copenhagen--Today African Civil Society groups met during the COP15 UN Climate Meetings to discuss the implications for Africa of the leaked “Danish text” also known as the ‘Copenhagen Agreement’. It had been rumored for days that a secret text generated by the Danish Presidency, as Chair of the Conference, had been prepared.
Outraged by the content of the text and the fact that the Danish Presidency is abusing its role as Chair of the Conference, the Africans launched a spontaneous march and protest through the middle of the Climate Conference at the Bella Centre. Negotiations are still on-going at the Climate Change Conference, and the Danish text pre-judges their outcome.
The “Danish text” includes provision to aim to limit the rise in global temperatures to two degrees, which would mean massive levels of harm to Africa.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change a two degree increase in the global mean temperature will mean a three or more degree increase for temperatures in Africa. Such an increase in temperature would lead to widespread devastation including predictions of a 50% reduction in crop yields in some areas, cutting food outputs in half, more than 600 million people left without adequate water supplies, and massive damage to coastlines, rural communities and cities.
Marching through the Conference Center African groups chanted: “Two degrees is suicide” “One Africa, One Degree” and “No to Climate Colonialism, No to Climate Genocide” in response to the proposal.
Speakers for the groups also condemned the process and the fact that the Danish hosts are taking sides in the negotiations and favoring rich developed countries over the world’s poor. African civil society groups expressed their outrage at what they see as a ‘bad deal’ being advanced by the Danish Presidency in the interests of the rich.
“It is literally a matter of life and death for the friends and families of those that are here. A bad deal is a crime against humanity and we won’t sign a deal if it means signing a death warrant,” said Mithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance.
Speakers for the groups also condemned developed countries’ $10 billion climate finance proposal during the march.
“Copenhagen can only be called a success if it is a success for Africa and from an African perspective. We will not die in silence.” Mohamed Adow of Christian Aid Kenya said.While we meant to show you the behind the scenes of Copenhagen, instead, today... more
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Start your morning with a live 15 minute low down about the day’s events in Copenhagen. At 9:15am PST (12:15pmEST / 7:15pm Copenhagen Time) on Current Green, we will get an exclusive on-the-ground perspective from people on the scene: political insiders who can break down the day’s events, bold youth charging their way through the streets, everyday people at one of the most critical events in history, and journalists who can speak to what stories they are following and why. Join us for a live chat and conversation every weekday morning.
Do you have a burning question? Have someone you are dying to talk to? Well now is your time to speak, as we are still booking our guests. Looking forward to going behind the scenes with you...
Start your morning with a live 15 minute low down about the day’s events in... more
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Paul Hawkin said something to the likes of that living on this planet at this time is like one long race to the clock striking midnight. If ever there was a moment when this statement could be felt in real time, it is now. Copenhagen has begun. Like many working to get the information out, I have entered into the state of working on two time zones, and last night I even dreamt of Copenhagen. I dreamt of the dichotomy between the policy makers and the people attending, I dreamt of friends who have dedicated their lives to activism and who have participated in some of the more historical actions, and I dreamt of whales. Really, I did. I dreamt I was at a hotel on the water and a whale and it's calf came approached my balcony and asked me if I would feed it. (No surprise since I spent all of yesterday emailing people in Copenhagen and looking at Bryant Austin's life sized photography of whales).
For the next 10 days we will all be permeated by the news of the events taking place in Copenhagen. Current Green will bring you live interviews, guest blogs, and..lists of people coo-coo for Copenhagen on Twitter.
...here is a small list to get you started. It will be updated regularly. You can also check out #Copenhagen (now trending with tiger woods) or #cop15. More lists of who to follow in Copenhagen coming your way.
If you want to take your eco geek status up a notch you should check out the iphone cop15 app
Or can watch Copenhagen 24/7 via One Climate's live stream
And of course, they can also be found on Twitter and they have an entertaining flickr feed.
You can watch a live stream of all tweets that reference Copenhagen at this live stream hosted on Collecta.
On Twitter
The US Youth Network for Sustainable Development, is covering the youth perspective at COP15
Adopt a Negotiator ~@adoptnegotiator also affectionately named the climate stalkers is a delegation of youth from around the world reporting out the specific actions of the delegates.
@terrihansen reporting for Indian Country Today focused on Native American and worldwide Indigenous issues, REDD, Indigenous youth delegations, Indigenous Environmental Network
Andy Revkin~ @revkin covers global change for The New York Times
Cop15 @cop15 (fyi. this account does not have a "verified by Twitter" tag)
@undispatch covers international affairs and will cover copenhangen from a UN perspective.
Celia Alario @celiaalario is covering civil society groups
The Pembina Institute ~ @pembina is tweeting on Canada’s role in the climate summit
You can follow the 1Sky team through the following:
@1Sky
@Gillian1Sky
@Jason1Sky
@Consequence09 covers the youth climate movement. We're US focused, but will be covering all the youth related content coming out of Copenhagen.
TckTckTck Austrailia covers Copenhagen with a focus on the Australian delegation, and also issues relating to ETS and the current political upheaval around climate change in Australia
Link TV generally covers current events that need or may inspire action.
Lists
GreenPeace is promoting that people follow their list for a updates from all of the individuals attending
Four Global Voices bloggers (Ghana, Kenya, Brazil, Maldives) are going to be Tweeting from this list
twitter.com/chinadialogue will focus on the events as they relate to China
twitter.com/zhongwaiduihua is for a Chinese language audience
Tan Copsey is covering the negotiations with a focus on REDD, politics and tech
Paul Hawkin said something to the likes of that living on this planet at this time is... more
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Copenhagen has been referred to as the most important diplomatic gathering in the world's history. In preparation for the climate talks in December, Current Green is going to bring you a slew of interviews from a a range of perspectives and locations from around the world. Today we caught up with Jim Hogan, co-founder of www.desmogblog.com, and author of Climate cover up: The crusade to deny global warming.
Other video interviews in 360 Degrees of Copenhagen series:
Social Networks for Copenhagen: Hello Facebook and Twitter
Copenhagen in plain English
The Battle strategy of the environmental movement music video
360 Degrees of Copenhagen: A video update from Adopot a Negotiator: summary of Bangkok climate and talks and preparing for BarcelonaCopenhagen has been referred to as the most important diplomatic gathering in the... more
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This guest post comes via Daniel J Kessler, Media officer at Green Peace.
On November 17th, two Greenpeace activists from Germany and Italy and two members of the press from India and Italy, all of whom were traveling on valid business and journalist visas, were picked up and detained by Indonesian police. They were on their way to meet the villagers of Teluk Meranti, who have been supporting Greenpeace in its efforts to highlight rainforest and peatland destruction in the Kampar Peninsula--ground zero for climate change. The police also took into custody an activist from Belgium who had been working at our Climate Defenders Camp there.
Despite the validity of their travel documents and the absence of any wrongdoing, two of the activists and both journalists are now being deported by immigration authorities on questionable and seemingly contrived grounds, even though no formal deportation permits have been issued. Just a few days before, immigration authorities deported eleven other international Greenpeace activists who participated in a non-violent direct action on November 12th, in a concession where APRIL, one of Indonesia's largest pulp and paper companies, is clearing rainforest and draining peatland on the Peninsula.
We set up the Climate Defenders Camp to bring attention to role of deforestation as a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions in advance of December's Copenhagen climate negotiations. If we are stop climate change, we must end global deforestation by 2020 and bring it to zero in priority areas like Indonesia by 2015. A drive through the Kampar Peninsula reveals acre after acre of forest conversion from healthy rainforest to palm oil plantations. There is no sign of animal life or biodiversity -- just row after row of palm. The destruction of the peatlands helps to make Indonesia the world's 3rd largest emitter go greenhouse gases, just after the US and China.
In the interest of the environment and human rights, Greenpeace is calling upon world leaders and concerned citizens to contact Indonesia's President Yudhoyono to ask him to stop these repressive actions by the Indonesian Police and Immigration authorities. The tactics currently being used by the authorities are likely to adversely impact upon the Indonesian government's international reputation as well as the country's reputation as a vibrant democracy.
It is not Greenpeace activists or journalists who should be the focus of the authorities, but the companies who are responsible for this forest destruction. We are working to make President Yudhoyono's recent commitment to reduce Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions a reality and the journalists are telling that story.
You can take action at www.greenpeace.org
Related links:
Activist 911: Activists drop Tar Sands banner over Niagara Falls
Activist 911: Death zone in EcuadorThis guest post comes via Daniel J Kessler, Media officer at Green Peace.
On... more
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It's a crisis in story telling. Most main stream media sources are not effectively communicating the importance or relevance of the Copenhagen Climate Talks. It might also be a crisis in marketing: since the general terms being used to describe the most important climate talks in history (to date) are being referred to as Copenhagen (makes me think of beer and vacation) and cop15 (makes me think of... well...nothing).
But do not fear!! The internet video is here!!!
I have two favorites at the moment that I want to share. I think this one (just released by Do The Green Thing) does a great job of giving explainer about what is going to happen at Copenhagen climate talks:
Then there is this video. Frankly, it didn't do much for me, but it touches on one the most important issues that is under communicated: By the time Copenhagen rolls around, the negotiators will already have their marching orders. If you want to enjoy any idea of hope of influencing the potential outcome of the talks...NOW IS THE TIME.
And then there is this video produced by tcktcktck. It's got star power and drama and makes me think back to Live Aid when I was a sweet young teen and believed anything was possible...that we actually can change the momentum of the way things are headed and save the problems of the planet. I enjoy living in that moment: I hope you do too and enjoy this video.
It's a crisis in story telling. Most main stream media sources are not... more
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I don’t know about you: but the situation of Copenhagen blows my mind on a daily basis. The fact that it is very possibly one of the most significant decision making processes of this time re climate change policy, and the majority of people I know do not know it’s significance, or the impact of the decisions making process. It’s not their fault. It’s a failure of media makers.
So what are we doing? For starters we are working on a series called 360 Degrees of Copenhagen, to show the various perspectives in order to gain a better understanding of the relevance of the climate talks.
But for now, I am posing the question to you: can you explain Copenhagen in plain English? Do you have a blog post, a quick phrase that you use to tell your friends and family the relevance of the Copenhagen climate talks? And why people should care? Leave a comment, and we’ll compile share.
I like to tell my friends if they were going to pick one particular moment in history to engage their political leaders on climate change: THIS is that moment.
Meanwhile~tcktcktck is rocking the world via their dedication to communicating the urgency of the moment:
I don’t know about you: but the situation of Copenhagen blows my mind on a daily... more
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The final round of climate talks in Barcelona began today, and the activism has begun.
The TckTckTck campaign woke up negotiators in Barcelona with alarms clocks this morning, while Greenpeace climbers dropped yet another banner, this time from Barcelona’s famous cathedral, Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, calling on world leaders to
step up their political action on climate change.
From Greenpeace:
The 26 activists are currently in the process of hanging a 600 sq m banner saying “World
leaders: make the climate call.”
Barcelona is host this week to the final round of climate talks before
December’s Copenhagen UN climate summit – this week the stage must be
set for the world to agree a fair, ambitious and binding climate deal.
“A good deal for the climate is still possible. All that is missing is
political will, not least from the US, which under President Obama has
fallen far behind the rest of the world, and is threatening to undermine
a planet-saving agreement in Copenhagen,” said Damon Moglen of
Greenpeace US.
“Negotiators at these talks can only get so far without strong direction
from their heads of state. This is the week for global leaders to make
the climate call.”
A recent Greenpeace analysis of the pending US climate legislation (1)
shows that the bills have been compromised by loopholes and handouts to
the fossil fuel industry and undermine President Obama’s pledge to lead
the world in a solution to the climate crisis.
“Frankly, it’s an embarrassment that President Obama has allowed oil and
coal companies to set the terms of the US response to climate change. If
America is to kick its addiction to fossil fuels and join the
international community in averting a climate catastrophe, President
Obama must put forward commitments in line with climate science and not
bow to political expediency.”
There is now decisive movement from the developing world. Brazil,
China, India Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea are preparing
to announce strong quantifiable plans involving serious cuts in emissions.
“The time for finger-pointing is over,” said Ailun Yang of Greenpeace
China. “It is clear that right now developing countries are making a
much greater effort to solve this problem - while industrialised
countries seem to be spending more time in downplaying the possibilities
of a good deal than they are in trying to get one.”
“The lives of hundreds of millions are on the line, along with the fate
of countless species, if the climate crisis is not solved now. Knowing
who is to blame will be of little consolation to future generations.”The final round of climate talks in Barcelona began today, and the activism has begun.... more
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This week in review. So much happened!
Well for starters, the largest climate event in history happened. Plenty of discussion ensued. It felt like it unified people around the planet around a common goal, and created plenty of healthy discussion about the state of the environment and activism.
Given that 350 was designed to make sure that the Cop 15 negotiators knew that their countries were behind them as they prepare for negotiating an ambitious global agreement..now I'll stop here: it there was language in there that didn't make sense, you are not alone. Much of Copenhagen, the process, and the issues at stake are minimally understood, hence we bring you 360 degrees of Copenhagen. AKA as Copenhagen in plain English. This week, Joshua Weise, affectionately referred to as a climate stalker (by Karl Burkart of Green dig.net), gives us a brief update of what happened at the recent Bangkok climate talks, and whats to come in Barcelona this coming week (the last round of talks before Copenhagen).
Twitter was a flurry this week (oh~ that's not news) but there were plenty of hashtags to watch if you wanted to watch bloggers report out from the Senate hearings. @BeThatChange took on the twittermission to bring @Barackobama 2 copenhagen via the #hope2cope hashtags. You can also follow #cop15 for all things Copenhagen on twitter.
A very fun call out was placed on our site by award winning photographer Ian Shive: he has said that he will review anyone's photos and provide feedback about how to make them into work that you can use to preserve the land you love so much. Deadline in November 3rd.
Two reports of interest came out this week: American's are getting better at conserving water and apparently bloggers are haters...or at least, hate on the climate science according to Pew's latest report.
David de Rothschild and his co-skipper Jo Royale came by our office to talk about the adventure they are planning to take across the Pacific on their boat made of plastic. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard while talking about depressing facts about the state of the ocean (David nick named me Debbie Downer between a long string of off colored pirate jokes and explanations of how men are getting limp fin sydrome after eating shark) and yes of course, we discussed the state of plastics, garbage, the ocean, vertical gardening on the ship, and how to undress a rabit. Stay tuned for the interview. (Oh! And they answered everyone's questions, so thanks for asking!)
Lots of discussion about how to present the message of climate change to the people. So step right up and pick your viral messaging! Sexy images of young supermodels undressing:
or heart wrenching music and small children getting beat up by policemen (anyone else wonder if the children in this video will be permanently damaged?) A nickel goes to the first person who guess which video has 240K views and which one has 5K views.
Janforgore wrote a beautiful guest blog post on biodynamics. And life would not be complete if we didn't leave you with a few puns inspired by the news that cow farms are converting manure into electricity (and bless every single one of you who wrote in comments that included puns and jokes. You made my Friday!)
Next week~ Hawaii! (Someone had to take one for the team). I'm very honored to be asked to lead a pannel at the Re:Think Hawaii conference on sustainability and report back on the sustainability efforts of Hawaii. More on that....soon. Have a great weekend, and take care.
This week in review. So much happened!
Well for starters, the largest climate event... more
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On December 7, 2009, the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy will gather delegates from all over the world to meet in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, (aka COP15). The goal of Danish government is that the “COP15 conference will result in an ambitious global agreement” that include every country of the world. This will be the global green event of the year and is controversial taboot.
Current Green will be keeping you up to date on all the latest developments and will provide a 360 degree point of view of the conference via guest bloggers over the course of the next few months. Today our guest blogger is Josh Nelson is a blogger, activist and new media consultant living and working in the Washington, D.C. area. His website, EnviroKnow.com, exposes the source documents behind environmental news headlines.
Senator Inhofe to Lead Anti-Science Delegation to International Climate Talks
Several members of the United States Senate have a serious credibility problem when it comes to climate change. Chief among them is Senator James Inhofe, whose career highlight was saying on the Senate floor that global warming is the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.”
Mr. Inhofe’s most recent assault on the debate over domestic climate legislation was his insistence on repeating a misleading analysis of the costs of climate legislation, despite all evidence to the contrary. Incredibly, when I asked Senator Inhofe’s staff to respond to the fact that his statements on climate legislation were clearly factually inaccurate, they responded with the single-most convoluted statement I’ve ever seen. This is what we’re up against folks, and it is neither logical, credible nor reality-based. I would engage in a point-counterpoint back and forth with Mr. Inhofe’s staff — as I recently did with Senator Murkowski’s staff on the same issue — but it would clearly be fruitless. Rather than respond to Mr. Dempsey’s largely irrelevant arguments, I’ll simply refer you to this FactCheck.org refutation of the crux of his argument. Flail away, Mr. Dempsey, but reality is on our side.
Now, obstructing domestic legislation is one thing, but taking the anti-science freakshow on the road is something else entirely. Sadly, this is apparently what Senator Inhofe intends to do.
Mr. Inhofe — who is widely considered the least credible member of the United States Senate — recently announced a plan to take his anti-science antics to dizzying new heights. Senator Inhofe intends to lead a truth squad of climate change deniers to the international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen this December with the specific intention of embarrassing the United States and undermining President Obama.
Predictably, Senator Inhofe broke the news to the arch-conservative National Review:
“Now, I want to make sure that those attending the Copenhagen conference know what is really happening in the United States Senate. Some people, like Senator Barbara Boxer, will tell the conference, with Waxman-Markey having passed in the House, that they can anticipate that some kind of bill will pass EPW.” Such statements, Inhofe says, deserve a bold response. “Look,” he says, “there is no bill that is bad enough to not pass out of our committee. There may be enough votes to get a bill out of EPW, but there is far from enough support in the Senate. The Democrats don’t have the votes. There are too many newly-elected Democrats in the Senate who don’t want to go home and tell voters that they just voted for the largest tax increase in American history.”
This is not the first time Senator Inhofe has embarrassed the United States at an international climate discussion. As The American Prospect reported years ago, Inhofe pulled a similar stunt in Milan in 2003 and was met with mockery:
Inhofe’s Milan appearance triggered considerable controversy, as well as some fun at the senator’s expense. The National Environmental Trust (NET) whipped up posters showing Inhofe’s picture and his famous quotation, displaying them for the delegates present. “The reaction in the halls was — well, they just believed it was lampoonable,” notes one Democratic Senate staffer.
Although Senator Inhofe’s frequent delusional outbursts are ripe for mockery, the subject matter is deadly serious.
Mr Inhofe’s embarrassing and irresponsible behavior on the international level raises important questions. Eric Kleefeld at TPM DC phrases it well:
It’s nice to see how seriously foreign policy is taken these days — when a member of the political minority will send his own delegation to an international conference, in order to undermine the government and tell other countries that they can’t work with the United States.
I can’t help but recall Speaker Pelosi’s March 2007 trip to Syria and the chorus of insults from media outlets and conservative politicians that accompanied it. I’m sure all of those who took Speaker Pelosi to task for undermining President Bush on the international stage will be setting their sites on Senator Inhofe in the days to come.
Related Content:
The Green Road to Copenhagen
360 Degrees of Copenhagen: Adopt a Negotiator
Video post cards from Hawaii (VIDEO)On December 7, 2009, the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy will gather delegates... more
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leahl
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3 years ago
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On December 7, 2009, the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy will gather delegates from all over the world to meet in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, (aka COP15). The goal of Danish government is that the “COP15 conference will result in an ambitious global agreement” that include every country of the world. This will be the global green event of the year and is controversial taboot. Current Green will be keeping you up to date on all the latest developments and will provide a 360 degree point of view of the conference via guest bloggers over the course of the next few months. This week our guest blogger (unbeknown to him) is Stephen Thomson, a Current Green community member who used the format of video rant to express his opinions about what's on the line at Copenhagen.
Related Links (aka more sound offs my Stephen)
The Robin's Nest: A New Set of Circumstances (video)
What Would Jesus Call It? "Govt Plan" or "Public Option" (video)
The Road to Copenhagen: Are We On Track? (video)On December 7, 2009, the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy will gather delegates... more
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International policy experts discussing the future of climate change policy said they aren’t optimistic about achieving a comprehensive legally binding agreement at the COP16 meeting late this year in Mexico, and they’re not too optimistic about COP17 in South Africa in 2011 either.
The problem seems to be that trust between developed and developing countries was severed at Copenhagen in December during the last big meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“For Mexico to succeed, a few issues have to be addressed. The main one will be the building of trust,” Bruno Sekoli, chief negotiator for Lesotho and the COP15 chair for the least-developed countries group, said at a forum held Thursday by the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) at London’s Institute for Physics.
“I do feel that Mexico may be too soon for us to reach a legally binding [agreement], we need maybe a little bit more time,” he said. “Damage from 2009 will take sometime to heal.” ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100228/climate-policy-experts-not-optimistic-about-binding-agreement-year-or-nextInternational policy experts discussing the future of climate change policy said they... more
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On the 16th December 2009 people united in Copenhagen to demonstrate about Climate Change and at the start of the high-level ministerial phase of the two-week summit, the movements for global justice attempt a take over of the conference for a day and transform it into a Peoples Assembly.
The goal was to disrupt the sessions and open a space inside the UN area to hold the Assembly. The assembly will give a voice to those who are not being heard, it will be an opportunity to change the agenda, to discuss the real solutions, to send a clear message to the world calling for climate justice.
The Peoples Assembly, in opposition to the false solutions being negotiated at the Climate Summits, highlight alternatives that provide real and just solutions: leaving fossil fuels in the ground; reasserting peoples and community control over resources; relocalising food production; massively reducing overconsumption, particularly in the North; recognising the ecological and climate debt owed to the peoples of the South and making reparations; and respecting indigenous and forest peoples rights.On the 16th December 2009 people united in Copenhagen to demonstrate about Climate... more
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Check out a short trailer for a film we are working on following the stories of people traveling from the South West to Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Summit.Check out a short trailer for a film we are working on following the stories of people... more
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