tagged w/ cop 15 blogger
-
By Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
The next United Nations climate change conference is almost a year away, and health care is still dominating the legislative agenda in Washington. That means climate reform opponents, from the coal industry to the global warming skeptics, have plenty of time to work, out of the spotlight, to derail progress. Here’s a glimpse of the enemies of reform—and the companies and individuals that are still fighting for change in 2010.
Take the case of Cape Wind, an offshore wind farm planned for Massachusetts’ Nantucket Sound, as an example. The project faced yet another roadblock this week, when the National Park Service said the site could be listed as a historical place, prized by Nantucket’s Native American tribes. But as Kate Sheppard writes in Mother Jones, the park service’s decision counts as a victory for a less sympathetic opponent as well. William Koch is the founder and president of the Oxbow Group, a privately-held group of companies, and he has laid out more than a million dollars to fight Cape Wind.
“Koch … has made his fortune off mining and marketing coal, natural gas, petroleum, and petroleum coke products,” Sheppard explains. “He’s the son of Fred Koch, founder of oil and gas giant Koch Industries, and brother of David and Charles Koch—who have supported conservative groups like Citizens for a Sound Economy (which later merged with another group to form FreedomWorks) and Americans for Prosperity, which has campaigned against both climate legislation and health care reform.”
Mother Jones is also on the case of the Atlas Foundation, a think tank that promotes climate change skepticism (and also receives funding from Koch). Josh Harkinson examines this group and other foundations that are supporting “a loose network of some 500 similar organizations in dozens of countries” and that are in turn financed by “carbon-spewing American industries.” The Atlas Economic Research Foundation alone has supported more than 30 other foreign think tanks that buy into climate change skepticism, Harkinson reports.
“The foreign groups’ finances are opaque, yet an Atlas Foundation spokesman acknowledges that some of them wouldn’t exist without dollars being pumped in,” Harkinson writes. “In the coming months, these groups will lead the fight in their own countries to derail the shaky deal made in Copenhagen—which will likely prompt American skeptics to cite widespread international opposition to taking action on climate change.”
Of course, the skeptics do have opponents, including the solar and wind power industries that stand to gain from climate change legislation. One group that can be added to that list: Farmers. Lynda Washington of the Iowa Independent reports that “most, but not all, [agricultural] producers will benefit from the package passed earlier this year by the U.S. House of Representatives,” according to a new study by Kansas State University (KSU) researchers.
The American Farmland Trust, which funded the KSU study, will have plenty of strange bedfellows as it lobbies Congress on climate change legislation. Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! reports that the groups joining the battle on Capitol Hill include “venture capitalists, the natural gas lobby, America’s most iconic soup maker Campbell Soup,” according to a new analysis of federal records.
“The sheer range of interests registered to lobby on climate change is expected to create further delays in the Senate’s effort to complete a successful bill to curb fossil fuel emissions,” Goodman explains.By Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
The next United Nations climate change... more
-
-
This video recap is my best attempt to explain in simple terms, "What is COP15 in Copenhagen supposed to accomplish? What was the Kyoto Protocol? And why are the talks at COP15 breaking down?"
This turned out to be my final video update from inside the Bella Center in Copenhagen, before NGO access to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Kyoto Protocol was once and for all revoked "for security reasons" despite largely peaceful, coordinated marches which, frankly were mislabeled "protests" and would have been more properly called "support rallies."
Anyway you can see my shiny forehead (sorry.. long day) at around 10pm on December 14th, after a day that started 14 hours earlier with crowded lines in the snow, followed by waiting... then rumors of the breakdown of the talks... more waiting... and then the confirmation of the G77 "threatened" walkout. Finally, my interview with negotiator Felix Dayo from the Nigerian delegation inside the African delegation offices helped shed light on what was going on behind the scenes.
It's still hard to find out what really happened inside COP15 the last few days. This is my best recap of what went wrong there while I was still able to access the negotiators.
I recorded this and all my videos with a cool little gadget called QuikPod. It's a hand-held mono-pod that attaches to any camera where the tripod goes, and lets you extend the camera an additional 18" and record yourself, allowing for better shots than a simple arm's length. Thanks http://quikpod.com for the lightweight solution.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://GreenMediaNews.com He advises on sustainability, CSR reporting, corporate transparency, and personal responsibility for climate change action. Evan lives in Venice, CA in a pod made from reclaimed materials in a communal living environment focused on sustainability and permaculture.This video recap is my best attempt to explain in simple terms, "What is COP15 in... more
-
-
At COP15 outside the Bella Center, just after my interview with Bill Becker who was scheduled to speak inside on a panel but was not permitted into the building, I met Jessie Robbins, a student from Georgetown University, who was also shut out of the conference. Access to the Bella Center was all but eliminated for NGO's during the final days of the conference, as the deal fell apart and ultimately a sham "accord" was put in its place. Jessie shares her feelings about how the actions of a few can severely affect the many.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of Green Media News. He advises on sustainability, CSR reporting, corporate, and personal responsibility for climate change action. Evan lives in a pod made from reclaimed materials. He gave up his luxury lifestyle to live in a communal environment focused on sustainability and permaculture in Venice, CA.At COP15 outside the Bella Center, just after my interview with Bill Becker who was... more
-
-
After a long Metro ride past the Bella Center, followed by a trudge in the snow with thousands of other delegates, Bill Becker found himself shut out of the Bella Center when he finally arrived there with his NGO badge and secondary credentials issued just the day before by the UNFCCC along with promises of easy security with the secondary cards.
Bill is Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Action Project and was scheduled to speak on a panel at a side event inside the Bella Center. This did not mean anything to security, who threatened to have him and the rest of the NGO delegates removed if we did not go willingly. Bill Becker was kind enough to grant me what became our second COP15 interview just moments after being shut out of Bella, where incidentally, my badge and secondary card did not get me in either.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.com - He advises on sustainability, CSR reporting, corporate, and personal responsibility for climate change action.After a long Metro ride past the Bella Center, followed by a trudge in the snow with... more
-
-
Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember 14th District, East Bay, CA across from San Francisco, is a true champion of the environment. I was fortunate to meet her at a party at the Hubculture Pavillion in the town square in Copenhagen. The party was crowded, and the only place we were able to find to do the interview was in the service hallway, which had a constant parade of cocktail servers coming back and forth from the kitchen. We talked about sub-national governments, in this case State governments, which are able to lead the country to achieve large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, while we wait for the UNFCCC to reach a meaningful agreement, which it seems unable to do.
City and State leadership can get us where we need to go, even in the absence of Federal leadership. Ideally, we get both. Nancy Skinner did her part in helping California lead the country. Mr. President, we're still waiting for you to do your part and help America lead the world.
Evan Kopelson in president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.com - He advises on sustainable business, CSR reporting, corporate and personal responsibility for climate change awareness and action.Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember 14th District, East Bay, CA across from San Francisco,... more
-
-
There's no interview here, just some cool Star Wars type visuals as I stand at the very front, then rear, of the Copenhagen Metro trains on my way towards the Bella Center, about halfway through the second week of the COP15 climate summit. The metro stop for Bella was shut down by security after a peaceful demonstration, necessitating a long walk in the snow... after which all NGO delegates were nonetheless refused entry, even with a badge and a secondary entry card issued by the UNFCCC.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.com - He lives in a pod made from reclaimed materials, in a communal living environment focused on sustainability and permaculture, in Venice, CA.There's no interview here, just some cool Star Wars type visuals as I stand at... more
-
-
Romel Pascual is Acting Deputy Mayor, Energy & Environment, for the City of Los Angeles. I spoke with the Deputy Mayor in Copenhagen about the role of sub-national governments in helping drive climate action, and he told me about a program in the City of Los Angeles to replace streetlights with more efficient LED lamps.
The Los Angeles LED Streetlight Program is the largest LED Streetlight retrofit program in the entire world. Los Angeles is replacing close to 140,000 streetlights across the City, with a reduction of about 40,000 tons of carbon each year, and a savings of about $10 million dollars each year in energy costs. This is a 5-year program with a total cost of $46 million dollars, and the Deputy Mayor says with a 7-year payback it just makes good economic sense, as well as being the right thing to do for the environment.
Romel says if cities across the world adopt this program and do LED streetlight retrofits, by city action alone the United States can reduce up to 40 million tons of carbon each year, just with this one program. Considering the ultimate failure of COP15 to produce a meaningful agreement, the LA program if adopted by cities across America can be a good demonstration of sub-national governments taking leadership and shaping policy, even while national governments fail to act.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.comRomel Pascual is Acting Deputy Mayor, Energy & Environment, for the City of Los... more
-
-
Paul Hardisty represented Green Cross Australia at the COP15 climate conferences in Copenhagen earlier this month. In this short video, Paul talks to me about the restrictions on access placed on the NGO's mid-conference, as more government leaders from around the world started to arrive in Copenhagen. As it turns out, the NGO delegates were banned completely from the Bella Center, even after being promised limited access.Paul Hardisty represented Green Cross Australia at the COP15 climate conferences in... more
-
-
As the day continued we were given limited but some information from the UNFCCC about the restrictions about to be placed on the NGO delegations. Secondary cards would be issued along with the badges to a limited number of delegates. This was instead of revoking badges but the effect was the same. Here is a more complete report.
It is interesting to note that the following day, NGO's were banned completely from the conference before the end of the day, even with their secondary cards. This included scheduled panel speakers. This banning of accredited delegates led some to decry COP15 as the "climate shame" conference.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.com. Evan recently cut his personal carbon footprint by almost 95% by giving up his luxury lifestyle and moving into a pod made from reclaimed materials, in a communal living environment focused on sustainability and permaculture. He advises on climate issues, sustainability, corporate and personal responsibility.As the day continued we were given limited but some information from the UNFCCC about... more
-
-
As the climate conference in Copenhagen heats up with peaceful demonstrations and coordinated marches with up to 100,000 people, the UNFCCC decides to severely restrict the number of NGO delegates permitted in the Bella Center. This is even with badges. Secondary cards were issued and even then, delegates were being refused entry to the conference. This was the day before the G77 walkout. The following day I would interview one of the Nigerian negotiators (see my interview with Felix Dayo). But that would also be the last day I was permitted entry to the Bella Center. The NGO delegates were banned completely for the last 3 days of the conference.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of Green Media News. He advises on sustainability and encourages corporate transparency.As the climate conference in Copenhagen heats up with peaceful demonstrations and... more
-
-
Copenhagen, Dec. 14, 2009. As the negotiations inside the Bella Center began to break down just days before the deadline to reach a binding climate action agreement among all the countries of the world, I heard the African countries were walking out of the negotiations, and so I busted a move over to the African Delegation's offices. After some waiting and a lot of persistence, I was able to score a brief video interview with Felix Dayo, one of the core negotiators from the Nigerian delegation. Felix gave me his perspective on the biggest problems likely to collapse the talks before an agreement can be reached.
http://greenmedianews.com/evan-kopelsons-exclusive-interview-with-core-negotiator-from-nigerian-delegation-on-the-trouble-at-cop15-and-potential-breakdown-of-climate-talks/ Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of Green Media News.Copenhagen, Dec. 14, 2009. As the negotiations inside the Bella Center began to break... more
-
-
Ruth Potts talks with Evan Kopelson at COP15 inside the Bella Center in Copenhagen, about the One Hundred Months campaign. Ruth says we had 100 months from August of 2008 to stabilize the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and the clock is ticking fast...
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of http://greenmedianews.com - Green Media News is Evan's blog about climate change, sustainability, corporate and personal responsibility. Evan recently gave up a life of luxury to move into a pod made from reclaimed materials, in a communal living environment in Venice, CA focused on sustainability and permaculture.Ruth Potts talks with Evan Kopelson at COP15 inside the Bella Center in Copenhagen,... more
-
-
At the Bella Center in Copenhagen, the COP15 climate summit continued as Canada received its 7th Fossil of the Day Award, for doing the most of any country in the world to BLOCK climate action. I spoke here with presenter Katherine Trajan of British Columbia, who was somewhat ashamed to have had to present the Fossil of the Day Award to her own country so many times. Katherine along with many other Canadians I interviewed in Copenhagen, urges Canada to change its ways.At the Bella Center in Copenhagen, the COP15 climate summit continued as Canada... more
-
-
I had the pleasure of dining not once but twice in Copenhagen with protector of the oceans Jean-Michel Cousteau. He was kind enough to grant me a short interview in between speaking events, and talks here about the true cost of climate change: the hundreds of millions of people who will be forced to relocate as their homelands are flooded by rising sea levels. Jean-Michel had faith that the COP15 would yield a meaningful agreement whereby the world's nations would come together and help solve the problem. Unfortunately, that did not happen. This means we're in danger.
Evan Kopelson is president of Green Media Consulting Inc and founder of Green Media News. http://greenmedianews.com is Evan's blog covering climate change, sustainability, corporate and personal responsibility. Evan recently left behind a life of luxury and moved into a pod made from reclaimed materials, in a communal living environment in Venice, CA focused on sustainability and permaculture.I had the pleasure of dining not once but twice in Copenhagen with protector of the... more
-
-
Jason Hartke is the Vice President of National Policy for the US Green Building Council (USGBC). In this brief interview, shot at the Bright Green Forum during the COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen, Jason talks with Evan Kopelson about the USGBC's policy imperatives, and how green building technology can help developing countries avoid energy inefficiencies we've made here at home.Jason Hartke is the Vice President of National Policy for the US Green Building... more
-
-
By Alison Hamm, Media Consortium Blogger
President Barack Obama’s much-anticipated arrival in Copenhagen today has turned from a hopeful sign of success into a grim reality check. Immediately after arriving this morning, Obama joined an unscheduled meeting with 18 other world leaders before the most high-profile session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop15) began. The deal depends on the United States and China, the world’s leading emitters of greenhouse gas emissions to reach an agreement on a course of action.
At this morning’s session, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jibao hailed his country’s efforts to curb greenhouse emissions. Wen implied that China would keep its emissions voluntary and unilateral, which was out of step with suggestions that China place its reduction goals within a binding treaty. Then, Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva complained about the Cop15 negotiations’ lack of progress.
A visibly frustrated Obama took the stage immediately after (video below), saying he was in Copenhagen “not to talk, but to act.” The question is no longer the nature of the challenge, Obama said, but leaders’ capacity to meet it: “For while the reality of climate change is not in doubt, I have to be honest as the world watches us today. I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now and it hangs in the balance. I believe we can act boldly and decisively in the face of a common threat.”
David Corn of Mother Jones wrote that Obama’s speech “signaled a global train wreck… Obama was clearly venting. … If an accord is not reached at this summit, Obama remarked, ‘we will be back having the same stale arguments month after month, year after year, perhaps decade after decade all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.’”
Although Obama didn’t mention China directly, he “took a dig at the way the country has resisted transparency measures for monitoring emissions cuts,” as Jonathan Hiskes writes for Grist. “Is this a sign that the Copenhagen talks may fail to produce even a weak, tentative accord—a so-called ‘fig leaf’ deal that would provide world leaders the barest of cover? That’s one line of speculation. Of course, that could be out of date within a few hours.”
Obama reminded the delegates of the United State’s commitment to action on climate change, reiterating Hillary Clinton’s statement Thursday that the country plans to mobilize $100 billion in financing for developing nations by 2020, but “if, and only if, it is part of a broader accord.”
But is a broader accord still possible in Copenhagen? Grist reports that in a one-on-one meeting after Obama’s speech, Obama and Prime Minister Wen discussed “three of the most contentious areas blocking the path to a climate deal on the last day of the summit: Verification guarantees, financing to help developing nations deal with climate change, and permitted emission levels.” Afterward, they asked their negotiators to meet to search for an agreement.
Although China and the U.S. are the biggest players in these talks, it would be remiss to ignore the work of the G77 block of poor nations who are “still playing hardball,” as Jacob Wheeler writes for In These Times. “They’re on the front lines, their people are already dying in the hundreds of thousands due to climate change, and they don’t have the infrastructure to greenify their infrastructure.”
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.By Alison Hamm, Media Consortium Blogger
President Barack Obama’s... more
-
-
It's 1 AM and I'm sitting here in a mostly abandoned conference center on the outskirts of Copenhagen at the UN Climate Talks with May Boeve of 350.org and a group of about 30 youth who have been staging a sit-in in the main hall of the conference. It's been a tough and frustrating day at times. After a day of speeches by heads of state -- many of them in favor of 350 ppm -- it still feels like we're not getting much closer to a real deal. According to the carbon simulator over at Climate Interactive, when you add up all the proposals on the table, we're still shooting for around 770 ppm.
That's a tough number to face, both for the planet and personally. I've been pouring my heart and soul into this campaign for last two years. And it's been completely life-changing. Every time I look at the pictures in our Flickr set, or up on the slideshow here on the homepage, I get an incredible sense of hope. "Anything is possible," seems to be the message of those pictures. I'm thinking particularly of that one of the lone girl in Iraq, standing by herself at the Ishtar Gate in Babylon. She walked through security check point after security check point to take that photo, even after her friends went home because they were (rightfully) to afraid to continue.
Her bravery gives me hope. And helps me keep fighting, despite the odds.
So here's a quick update on where we're at: May and I have spent the day meeting with as many countries as we can to strengthen support for the 350 target. Over 100 countries now support the target, which is an incredible testament to the hard work that you all did on October 24, last weekend, and over the course of this entire year. We've spent the day trying to meet with them all to let them know that we've got their back, provide them with any updates, listen to how we can help, and perhaps hand off a 350-tie or two. I've also been busy talking with the media, working on getting them to help tell the story of this new "survival coalition" that's emerging amongst vulnerable countries, trying to convince them to help amplify the voices of those who aren't being heard. And this evening, we've been working with a great team of youth who were hosting the sit-in here at the center to demand a great voice in the process.
It's been a day of protests and anger, tension and frustration. At the same time, it's been a day of hope. Just moments ago, I talked with a delegate from the Association of Small Island States and she told me to pass on a message that I've heard time and time again from countries around the world: "Tell everyone: thank you. We couldn't do this without you."
These countries aren't just fighting for their survival, their fighting for all of ours. They need our support, they need our hope, and they need our willingness to stick it out to the end with the same sense of determination, focus, and yes, creativity and spirit, that defined this effort from the very start.
We're keeping up the fight.
--
Jamie Henn is one of the co-coordinators for 350.org -- an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand. Join us! http://350.orgIt's 1 AM and I'm sitting here in a mostly abandoned conference center on... more
-
-
By Alison Hamm, Media Consortium Blogger
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop15) turned ugly today when police officers beat back hundreds of demonstrators, including a group of 50 to 100 delegates that were trying to meet with the protesters.
More than 250 people were arrested, including spokespeople for Climate Justice Action (CJA), a global network of NGOs that organized a walkout at the Bella Center today. CJA’s spokesperson Dan Glall told Mantoe Phakathi at Inter Press Service that “as a condition for going back to the negotiations, we demand industrialized nations uphold the Kyoto Protocol, commit adequate funds to adaptation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly.”
OneClimate has video (below) of today’s walkout.
“More than 1,000 people have been arrested, detained and released over the course of the past week,” Jennifer Prediger writes for Grist. “Some were made to sit on freezing sidewalks for six hours in a nasty version of time out. The people who threw rocks and set cars on fire were rightfully detained. But the droves who were dragged in last night for dancing awkwardly in Christiana? Seems like overkill to me.”
The chaos outside reflects the increasing pressure inside the Bella Center, as delegates turn to the United States and China for leadership in the final days of the summit. Together these countries account for 42 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.
In order to finalize a global climate agreement in Copenhagen, both countries need to take a big step forward, as David Doniger and Barbara Finamore report for Grist. For the U.S., this means aid for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people; for China, this means making steady progress to meet the country’s carbon reduction goals.
The U.S. has already committed to pay its share of a $30 billion fund to last through 2012. “But to lead in Copenhagen, the U.S. needs to back even larger investments to meet these core needs for the longer-term—2015 or 2020,” Doniger and Finamore write. “China has the opportunity to enhance its standing as a responsible world leader by building global confidence in the implementation of its carbon reduction goals.”
But as David Corn reports for Mother Jones, China and the U.S. are apparently “stuck in a standoff.” An Obama administration official insisted that it’s not about the money: “‘We have to get the developing nations into an international agreement,’ the official said… Yet China has forcefully resisted the idea of incorporating their self-professed emissions goals (essentially, slowing the growth rate of emissions) into a binding agreement. China has also repeatedly said that it will not submit its performance to official outside vetting.”
Corn writes, “But with 115 heads of states beginning to arrive, the Copenhagen talks have left some fundamental gaps for the last minute. Even if those gaps are bridged, the resulting agreement could fall far short of what experts say is necessary to redress the dire consequences of rising global temperatures. Just ask the scientists roaming the halls.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Copenhagen today in a last minute appearance. Clinton has booked a full day of meetings on Thursday and will join President Barack Obama in negotiations when he arrives Friday. Like Obama’s schedule switch at the conference (he originally planned to be there last week and instead will arrive Friday), Clinton’s arrival could indicate the U.S.’s intention to seal a deal by the end of the week.
For live updates of the negotiations and protests, check out The Uptake’s live video stream from the Bella Center.
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 TwitterBy Alison Hamm, Media Consortium Blogger
The United Nations Climate Change... more
-
-
NGOs and civil society groupings are reacting with anger and disappointment to a joint appeal by France and “Ethiopia, representing Africa” for a so-called ‘Copenhagen Accord’ to result from the current COP15 negotiations being held in the Danish capital. The French / Ethiopian proposal appeared on the French Presidency’s website today. (http://j.mp/4psSdI)
The proposed accord, which would be binding on all parties immediately on signature and lead to a ‘legal international instrument’ to be agreed ‘as early as possible in 2010’ ignores the latest science, fails to put forward greenhouse gas concentration targets that will be insufficient to prevent dangerous global warming, and makes a mockery of calls for sufficient funding for climate adaptation and mitigation.
In what looks more like conspiracy than coincidence, the announcement by President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Zenawi of Ethiopia comes on the same day the White House is reporting that President Obama called Zenawi to discuss the UN climate talks: “He expressed his appreciation for the leadership role the Prime Minister was playing in work with African countries on climate change, and urged him to help reach agreement at the Leaders summit later this week in Copenhagen.” (http://j.mp/8OxSyl)
“The ugly and overt pressure on developing countries to sign an agreement that will put their very survival in jeopardy has begun,” said 350.org founder Bill McKibben. “It’s very tough to stand up to the Americans, especially Barack Obama. But even the U.S. president can’t protect nations against rising waters, withering droughts, and dried-up glaciers. This is the moment for Africa, for island nations, for the developing world to insist on a future.”
By calling for an upper limit of temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius, the Zenawi and Sarkozy proposal ignores the threat that this level represents to Africa: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report says that should the average temperature of the globe rise by 2 degrees C, Africa’s “median temperature increase would be between 3°C and 4°C, roughly 1.5 times the global mean response” – an extremely dangerous rise. (Source: Contribution of Working Group I to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, Chapter 11, Regional Climate Projections, at page 866-867)
“The IPCC science is clear – 2 degrees is 3.5 degrees in Africa – this is death to millions of Africans” said Mithika Mwenda of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance.
The proposal also makes a mockery of calls for sufficient funding for climate adaptation and mitigation to flow form rich to poor countries. The proposed “fast start” fund, which would pay out $10 billion over the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, is wholly insufficient to address the needs of African countries, many of whom are already suffering massive losses due to climate change. Although it calls for larger and more sustained financing to flow to climate-vulnerable countries from 2013 onwards (paid for by a possible tax on financial transactions and sea and air transport) this call will not be a binding part of the French / Ethiopian proposal.
“If Prime Minister Meles wants to sell out the lives and hopes of Africans for a pittance – he is welcome to – but that is not Africa’s position” Mithika Mwenda.
“Every other African country has committed to policy based on the science. That means at least 45% cuts by rich countries by 2020 and it means $400 billion fast-track finance not $10 billion” said Augustine Njamnshi of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance. “You cannot say you are proposing a ’solution’ to climate change if your solution will see millions of Africans die and if the poor not the polluters keep paying for climate change.”
Contact Jamie Henn in Copenhagen for interviews with PACJA spokespeople or more information: Jamie@350.org, +45 52 68 47 65
Originally posted on It's Getting Hot in Here -- http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/12/15/corruption-sarkozy-obama-pressure-ethiopias-zenawi-to-betray-africas-futureNGOs and civil society groupings are reacting with anger and disappointment to a joint... more
-
-
Over the weekend, church bells rang across the globe at 3:50 p.m. in their respective time zones, up to 100,000 people marched through the streets of Copenhagen and about 1,000 were detained, and here in San Francisco, a soggy, stalwart band of Center for Biological Diversity supporters, along with Organizing for America volunteers, Greenpeace, and the Mobilization for Climate Justice, came together under a single banner: WE NEED A REAL DEAL IN COPENHAGEN NOW!
What’s a real deal? One that’s ambitious and grounded in science, and that means no more than 350 ppm of CO2. One that’s just and fair, and that means nations largely responsible for carbon pollution need to take the lead in curbing that pollution and cleaning up the mess. And one that’s binding, meaning political promises without legally binding commitments won’t fly.
Before our vigil in front of San Francisco’s City Hall, we had meetings with the staff of Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. We delivered a Center petition with nearly 30,000 signatures on it calling for 350 ppm, maintaining all of the Clean Air Act’s capacity to curb carbon pollution, and eliminating or greatly reducing offsets.
We also delivered a letter from nearly 100 organizations supporting the Center and 350.org’s petition to the Environmental Protection Agency to cap carbon pollution at no more than 350 ppm under the Clean Air Act’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards program. If you belong to an organization, please consider asking your organization to sign on!
From the Senate offices, we marched through the constant drizzle to City Hall, passing several painfully cute holiday displays of polar bears as we went. These holiday depictions could soon be the only polar bears left on the planet if we don’t translate our symbolic love of the bears into concrete action to save their lives. Let’s keep up the pressure for a real deal in Denmark.
Check out our daily blog: The World On Thin Ice: Live From Copenhagen 2009 http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/350_or_bust/copenhagen/index.htmlOver the weekend, church bells rang across the globe at 3:50 p.m. in their respective... more
-
