Category Archives: Behind the Scenes

Negotiations Breakdown?

Posted on by
COP 15 President Connie Hedegaard

COP15 President Connie Hedegaard about to start 3pm meeting after suspension of the plenary re-opening the session

The morning started out with a flurry of activity.  After some discussion about the logo and how certain parties felt it represented the end of Kyoto, the COP plenary commenced with the Tuvalu delegation proposing a contact group to review its protocol, which was proposed and tabled six months ago.  As proposed, the Tuvalu protocol is a legally binding agreement meant to complement Kyoto through amendments, as well as the creation of a new protocol entitled the Copenhagen Protocol.  In no uncertain terms, Tuvalu stated it was here to “seal the deal” and wanted nothing less than a legally binding document.

In response to the request for a contact group, many of the AOSIS countries expressed great enthusiasm noting they are the states most impacted by the effects of climate change.  As Cape Verde stated, “we will be the first to diasappear…in this climate crisis.”  Other countries strongly opposed the creation of a contact group, most notably, China, India, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.  The opposition was clear in expressing their feeling that the parties’ focus should not be on new texts.   The United States was unsurprisingly quiet.  Most alarmingly, however, countries within the G77 that had formerly been aligned were clearly divided.  Continue reading →

Most Vulnerable Nations Call for Financing Reforms

Posted on by

After a somewhat sleepy day yesterday, the discussions at COP15 are picking up in passion and intensity.  In this morning’s Plenary I (a meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation or SBI), one of the main topics was the status of the Global Environment Facility, i.e., one of the most important mechanisms for financing climate-related projects in the developing world.  A representative from the GEF (pronounced “Jeff”), which is implemented by the World Bank, recited a litany of successes, touted the billions of dollars spent to date on climate-related projects, and identified the many tons of CO2 emissions reduced or avoided.  He also acknowledged the need for reforms in the GEF and outlined a number of key reforms that are already underway.  In response, delegates from numerous developing countries commended the managers of the GEF for their efforts at reform.  However, many of these delegates, particularly those from the least developed countries (known as “LDCs”) such as Sudan, Nicaragua, Benin, Iraq, Antiga & Barbuda, passionately and firmly called for more fundamental and extensive reforms.  Continue reading →

View From the Plenary

Posted on by

The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) met today for the 1st Plenary II meeting.  (There are two major plenary, the other by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI).)  The SBSTA’s agenda for the day included issues surrounding the development and transfer of technologies, research and systematic observations, and how to reduce emissions from developing countries.

One of the largest programs potentially coming out of COP-15 is the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD).  I will be focusing most of my personal research on this program during my time in Copenhagen.  The REDD programme reports that “[d]eforestation and forest degradation, through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development, destructive logging, fires etc., account for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second only to the energy sector.”

With this in mind, many organizations and countries are eager to see an agreement about how best to implement and fund this program.  Today, the representative from the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) gave a call to action but reminded delegates that “Forests are more than carbon.”  He stressed the spiritual and cultural connection that indigenous peoples share with the forests, as well as their reliance on these ecosystems for their own livelihood.

Going Mobile in the Conference

Posted on by

So I’m experimenting with posting pics and videos on-the-fly.  If this continues to work, I’ll be bringing near-instant updates from relevant side events and happenings around the city.

If you have something you’d like covered or want more detail on please leave it in the comments and we’ll try to accommodate!

Check it out…

Initial Impressions

Posted on by

The Bella Center, where the conference is being held, is enormous and full of things to see.  There are green plant displays, internet stations, pamphlets on all aspects of climate-related issues, cafes, and more.  The variety of people from all over the world is exciting.  Standing in the “observers” line to get our registration badges we heard a variety of languages including English, Danish, Hindi, French, and Chinese.  For us, coming from Vermont, the weather seems relatively mild–low 40’s and damp.  For an Australian woman standing in line behind us, it was unbelievably cold (which she described using a more colorful vocabulary).  Tomorrow the real events begin–more to come then!!

Dramatic November Leaves Hope for Significant U.S. Contribution at COP15

Posted on by

Reading a recent article highlighting Sen. James Inhofe’s now-international obstructionism on efforts to stem climate change, I was struck by how eventful and dramatic the last few months have been for folks who have been paying attention and are holding their breath for actual progress at the Copenhagen Conference of Parties.

Beginning back in mid-November many of us were shocked when national news outlets casually threw out the dour headline “So much for Hopenhagen,” effectively calling off the push for a binding international agreement while at the conference. Continue reading →