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Jørgen
8 Dec 2009
Jørgen is somewhat disconcerted that his government has changed its laws regarding demonstrations. An individual can now be held in custody for civil disobedience and, more importantly, for being involved “in action that is blocking […] and refusing to move.” At the same time, Jorgen wonders if this law extends into the conference rooms at […]
It must be a FAB deal
8 Dec 2009
The attention of the world will focus on Copenhagen over the next two weeks, and eagerly awaits the outcomes of this conference. As we come together at this defining moment in time, the Climate Action Network (CAN) presents the essentials for a successful climate deal. It has to be FAB – Fair, Ambitious and Binding. […]
Fair, Ambitious & Binding: Essentials for a Successful Climate Deal
24 Nov 2009
Working in a coalition of roughly 500 organizations from nearly 80 countries can be tough. With so many different points of view and unique perspectives and expertise, coming to agreement on something as complex as solving climate change can be difficult to say the least. But then again, isn’t that what we’re asking over 180 […]
City preps and countries posture ahead of Copenhagen talks
22 Nov 2009
As Copenhagen prepares for December, a strange combination of Christmas lights, clean energy expos, evergreen wreaths, and security barriers have begun to crop up around the city. It’s an exciting time to be in Copenhagen reflecting on a year of intense pressure, activity, and engagement around the world. Over the past several months (and years), […]
Rumors of Copenhagen’s demise have been greatly exaggerated
21 Nov 2009
Originally posted on Grist.org on 16 November Waking up on a dreary Sunday morning this weekend in Copenhagen (where I’ve recently moved to prepare for the upcoming climate talks in December), I was met with a barrage of headlines, mostly from U.S. media, telling me that Copenhagen is doomed to total failure and I might […]
The final destination
6 Nov 2009
Commenting on the shared vision the other day, a negotiator who also happens to be a university professor noted that he tells his students to not write their conclusions before finishing the content of their papers. While that approach might apply to term papers, it has less relevance to climate negotiations. One cannot create activities […]
Saudi Arabia – you’ve got mail!
6 Nov 2009
ECO learned of a new type of urgent mail delivery system in the UNFCCC today. The recipient? A negotiator who, while not expecting a visit from the post office certainly should have anticipated some kind of message as a result of his country’s positions. And where was this message service are we speaking of? It […]
REDD haunted by LULUCF?
6 Nov 2009
A spooky story for the last day of negotiations: Once upon a time, ECO recalls, a list of LULUCF principles was determined and included the following: “That the implementation of land use, land-use change and forestry activities contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources.” Yet today, under the rules for […]
What price lives?
6 Nov 2009
Thursday marked another unedifying exchange in the KP “numbers group.” Annex I parties were questioning their abilities to increase their targets. Also on the table were two very important architectural elements: the 1990 base year and the system of 5-year commitment periods. Despite arguing rightly in the past that the cost of inaction is far […]