ClimateDebate

As we enter the final day of negotiations at COP15, it seems like we are only waiting for China and USA to enter the negotiations with substantial promises. They are the major emitters of greenhouse gasses globally and without them in a climate deal, there will be no real deal – it will be impossible to ensure that temperatures will not rise above 2 degree Celsius (and far from the 1,5 degree Celsius which is necessary for the environment according to the President of the Maldives).  

But while we are waiting for China and the USA, why does the EU not take action and commit to 30 % reduction – why not stop the “we will, if you will” rhetoric and show real leadership? Although “it is politics”, the EU can not leave the negotiations without committing to a 30% reduction – they have said that they can do it, and it would be hypocritical if they do not commit to it.

The President of the Maldives put it all in perspectives yesterday during the Greatest Debate on Earth: when President Kennedy announced that the USA wanted to go to the moon, they did not have the technology – but 7 years later the USA were on the moon. It is a matter of will – from the EU, from the USA, from China – and all the other major emitters of greenhouse gasses. It is necessary that all take part in the deal – with only the industrialised countries committing to reduce emissions (even if they are substantial), and the developing countries (including China) continuing their unsustainable growth and thus increase in emissions, temperatures will still rise far above 2 degrees Celcius.

Are the world leaders ready to cease the moment and make substantial commitments – both in emission reductions but also with financial commitments to help the developing world with a green development – in order to ensure the survival of countries like the Maldives and Kiribati? I hope so and look forward to see what this crucial Friday brings us.

Is Copenhagen the place where a global ambitious agreement on climate changes will be made or is it the place where all parties in the climate negotiations will agree that now is the time to act, but by the end of the day, they fail to agree on how to act upon climate changes in an ambitious manner? Day 1, week two – we are getting closer to the end of the conference and the question is how it all looks on Friday.

I was lucky to attend the side event today on “Greenland Ice Sheet – Melting snow and ice: Calls for Action”. Prominent people like Al Gore, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Per Stig Møller and two well known scientists Dorthe Dahl-Jensen and Bob Corell were among the speakers at the event. All the speakers at the event agreed that it is necessary to act now, and the findings presented at the event left the audience without a douth, that actions must be taken now. Recent findings on the smelting of the ice cap in Greenland shows that, apparently, the predictions from the IPCC report in 2007 have shown to be too modest. The ice is smelting with an alarming speed not seen before – 3-4 times quicker than previously predicted. According to Bob Corell a sea level rise of 1 meter, which can be a reality within the next 50-90 years will result in 145 million people having to move from their homes – they will be climate refugees. The ice in Greenland, on the North Pole and in Antarctica is getting smaller and thinner – and when the permafrost is melting, the global CO2 emissions will double, according to Al Gore. Furthermore, increased temperatures and less ice in the Himalayas greatly affects the 7 great rivers in Asia which supply water to 40 % of the world population.

No matter how you twist and turn it, the numbers from the scientists tell the story of how pressing it is to reach an ambitious agreement in Copenhagen. The question is if the leaders are ready to go all the way to make sure that we will not see the consequences of these predictions. Are we gaining momentum in Copenhagen or not?

First time at a UN Climate Conference, and when I left late Tuesday afternoon from Bella Center, it was with a feeling, that I had just attended something very important. Thousands of people gathered in one place to discuss the climate – although with different agendas: people fighting for rights of indigenous people, people showing new climate friendly technologies and others ensuring, that the participants were entertained with happenings, where they showed their point of view on whatever topic they were interested in. But all were, in some way or another interested in the climate.

 My own interest, forestry, brought me to sessions about REDD – reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; an initiative rewarding developing countries financially for avoiding deforestation and forest degradation. The statements from the countries were positive in regards to REDD, yet, as we all know, there is a long way from positive attitudes to a decision on REDD that has positive impacts on local forest dependent people in the developing countries. As a spokesperson from an organisation for indigenous people said: there is a need to involve indigenous people in the development of technical and implementation issues of REDD – otherwise the benefits from REDD will not reach this group of people. And although, statements from some of the countries mentioned involvement of forest dependent people in regard to REDD, only time will show, if the further development of REDD will become inclusive.

 My Climate Conference experiences in Bella center will continue next week, and until then I will join the rest of climate interested people in Copenhagen in some of the many other activities that are taking place these two weeks in Copenhagen. This Thursday I am involved in a mini climate conference (www.muncc.dk) with the Danish United Nations Association, which I am looking forward to.