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December 16, 2009
COPENHAGEN HIGHLIGHTS
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark, said the presence of so many distinguished guests shows promise for an ambitious, fair and effective climate deal. He noted that “the world is literally holding its breath” and called on world leaders to translate the current political momentum into “a decisive moment of change.” He invited all world leaders to adopt a deal that will affect all aspects of society and includes decisions under both tracks.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted the long road to this “defining moment” and said that “we...
AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
A crucial principle embedded in the Convention on Biological Diversity is expressed in article 8(j):"Subject to its national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization...
SOME CRUCIAL BIODIVERSITY PRINCIPLES FOR THE CLIMATE DEBATE
If we are to tackle climate change, we urgently need to instil values established in the Convention on Biological Diversity into the climate debate. As well as the fundamental importance of biological diversity, these values include the ecosystem approach and the maintenance of the knowledge and practices of indigenous and local communities.ECOSYSTEM APPROACHThe ecosystem approach is particularly important, yet not always well understood:“The ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that...
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
In its Fourth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calculated that about 20% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions during the 1990s resulted from land use change, primarily deforestation, although 25% of total emissions are also estimated to have been absorbed by terrestrial ecosystems. Depending on the age of the forest, the management regime, and other biotic and abiotic disturbances (insects, pests, forest fires), forests can act as reservoirs, sinks (removing greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere)...
FOREST DAY 3 AT CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS
The third Forest Day event convened in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 13th December 2009, in parallel with the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, which convened from 7-18 December 2009. The event was co-hosted by the Centre for International Forest Research (CIFOR), the Government of Denmark and the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), a partnership of 14 forests-related international organisations formed in 2000 to enhance cooperation on forest issues.The first Forest Day was convened on 8 December 2007 in Bali, Indonesia, during UNFCCC...
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSINESS ISSUES
The Copenhagen Business Day event convened at the headquarters of the Confederation of Danish Industry, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 11 December 2009. Organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), together with the Confederation of Danish Industry, Copenhagen Business Day met in parallel to the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. This even was the third Business Day, and featured more than 40 speakers and panellists.Climate change is considered to be one of the most serious...
BRINGING AGRICULTURE IN CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS
By Claudia, Beyond Copenhagen Volunteer at COP1511th December 2009, ‘Bringing Agriculture in Climate Change Negotiations’During the meeting, it has been highlighted the relevance of agriculture in Copenhagen negotiations. In the agreements, agriculture is usually considered as an industrial agriculture, while the role of traditional agriculture is not taken into account. Only in Klima Forum agriculture has a main role, but in COP15 it is considered...
RENEWAL ENERGY
By Stefania, Beyond Copenhagen Volunteer at COP1512th of December, Niels Bohr: Renewable energy – the key solution to mitigate climate changeParticipants: EREC, European Renewable Energy Council, GreenpeaceHow can we establish a sustainable energy policy to fight climate change?It is fundamental to go from principles to practice, focusing on energy efficiency, structural change, and energy efficient transportation, by investing in electric vehicles.The 20-20-20 EU policy by 2020 forecasts to reduce energy demand and consumption together with greenhouse...
False Premise of Nuclear Energy
by Ambra, Beyond Copenhagen Volunteer at COP15Today the 12th of December 2009, a presentation was held by witnesses and experts from Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan and US on the topic of: FALSE PREMISE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY.The Australian biologist started the panel discussing about the issues that nuclear stations bear, she said that nuclear energy is the most dangerous and unhealthy form of energy; radiations are cumulative and they constantly cause cancer. Moreover she pointed out that the people who are living in the surrounding stations areas are...
Negotiations Undate
The African Group has blocked the negotiations in the morning, protesting against attempts of the developed country to "kill" the Kyoto Protocol. They ended the temporary boycott only after assurances that rich nations were not conspiring to reduce their commitments to cutting greenhouse gases. Informal talks resolved the impasse. "The vast majority [of countries] want to see a continuation of the Kyoto Protocol," Yvo de Boer said. Norway and Mexico join forces and propose a model for climate funding at the negotiations in Copenhagen. The model...
China's Position on Negotiations
China has accused developed countries of backsliding on what is said are their obligations to fight climate change and has warned that the UN climate talks in Copenhagen have entered a critical stage. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday there had been "some regression" on the part of developed countries, who had "put forward a plethora" of demands on developing countries. Beijing's view is that the US and other rich nations have a heavy historical responsibility to cut emissions, and any climate deal should take into account a country's...
PEOPLES CLIMATE ASEMBLY - RECLAIM POWER ACTION ON 16TH DEC
by Soumya Dutta, 15th December 2009The Official climate negotiations are becoming more and more exclusive, with thousands of people from the civil society being progressively barred from even entering the official negotiation venue - the Bella Centre in Copenhagen. The people's climate convention - the KLIMAFORUM 09, on the other hand, is getting more active, with clear calls to the governments of the world to respond to people’s voices and demands.On the 16th of Dec., a large number of environmental activists will peacefully march to the Bella...
Climate Change Negotiations and proposals
On Friday a draft proposal was sent to 192 nation conference, although it set no concrete goals on cutting the emission rate or the funding of finances. The document forced countries to hold on long-held posturing and focus on primary issues of global importance. Many countries voiced reservations about the structure of the document or some of its clauses. The United States and China — the worlds top two carbon polluters — even got into a battle of words. The former said the draft as "constructive" but singled out the section on helping poor countries...
Changes in Climate change negotiations
The approaching D-Day in the climate change negotiations has created giant strides. Thousands of people joined in a peace rally for two days to demonstrate for action on climate change. The main demonstration was led by dancers, drummers and banners proclaiming: "There is no planet B" and "Change the politics, not the climate." Some activists were dressed as penguins with signs reading: "Save the Humans!" The rally took a violent turn when demonstrators smashed windows and set fire to cars. The police detained more than 900 people around the Danish...
OUR WORLD IS NOT FOR SALE - ACT NOW FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
Soumya Dutta, Dec 14, 2009 Sunday 13th December, the official centre of the COP15, the Bella Centyre was closed for most business, BUT the peoples climate summit venue - the KLIMAFORUM, was a bee-hive of activities. Long and serious sessions on Debt, Trade, Financing etc, on the Cubak energy revolution, on rights to seeds & other BD for farmers, - many such lively programmes kept the huge but disorganized crowd of climate activists, farmers groups, indigenous peoples groups etc busy throughout the day. From around 3:30 pm, the People’s Assembly...
Copenhagen police accused of violating human rights at UN climate summit
Danish police have indiscriminately arrested hundreds of climate justice activists during a climate change protest made up of 100,000 people that took place today in Copenhagen. Questions have been raised about the fact that the arrests occurred in a different time and place to where some trouble had momentarily flared earlier in the day. Journalists have been restricted from reporting at the site of the arrests since 1800hrs.It’s estimated that 100 people are still being held on the road in extremely cold weather, cuffed and forced into seated...
Copenhagen police accused of violating human rights at UN climate summit
WATCH OUT SOME OF THE VIDEOS FOR YOURSELFClick on the following links or type it on address bar of your internet explorer1. Courtesy: Climate Justice Actionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivh5whWtAOo2. Unprovoked police charges and mass arrests of activists during dec 12 demo COP15, Copenhagenhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIjRHCy3FN8http://indymedia.dk/vid...
December 12, 2009
MARCH ON TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM NOT THE CLIMATE
Click the picture to view the slide show of the photographs of the protest march at Copenhagen on 12th December 2009 (Pictures taken by Soumya Dutta)For high resolution pictures contact soumyadutta.delhi@gmail....
THOUSAND RALLIED IN COPENHAGEN DEMANDING SYSTEM CHANGE NOT CLIMATE CHANGE
First Week of Climate Talks: A Predictable Failure At the end of the first week of the climate talks at Copenhagen, thousands of activists from the Climate Justice Action and Climate Justice Now! Networks are joining the climate march under the banner of System Change Not Climate Change to denounce the climate negotiations as a predictable failure. The protesters are demanding radical changes in economic and political systems in order to address the climate crisis. The coming together of the Climate Justice Action and Climate Justice Now! is an...
RESISTANCE getting STRENGHTHEN
By Soumya DuttaAs the Copenhagen conference is expecting the arrival of the Big players – the heads of states and their high power ministers - in the next few days, pressures from various quarters are also building up. As the various business lobbies are pushing for more and more "incentives" (like the controversial and as yet untested CCS - Carbon Capture and Storage commercial interests lobbying hard for its inclusion as a CDM entry), various peoples...
Jairam Naresh addressing Indian Media and CSOs
By Soumya DuttaIndia’s official delegation finally addressed the mounting concern and criticism from the poorer developing nations, the Small Island States and the African States, and in his first address to the Indian media and Indian civil society, Minister of Environment & Forests Mr. Jairam Ramesh told that – 1) We are with G77, and no question of breaking away, 2) We are talking with the African countries, and that the 'BASIC' draft jointly...
December 11, 2009
Politics at Play - III
A view of dias during COP-MOP PlenaryBy Bhaskar GoswamiOne cannot help but feel a sense of pity for Yvo de Boer, the UN Climate Chief whose cup of woes seems to be overflowing. First came “Climategate” which was followed by the leaked “Danish Text”, though it is debatable whether de Boer personally had much to do with drafting the text since it aims to strip his organization from most of the functions it has historically performed at the...
Proceedings at COP15
Tuvalu intervenes in the COP/MOP plenary and calls for establishing a contact group to discuss proposed amendments to the ProtocolTUVALU, supported by Grenada, for AOSIS, stressed the Protocol’s importance now and in the future and elaborated on its two proposals to amend the Protocol. He highlighted, inter alia, proposals on: the second commitment period and new commitments in Annex B; extending the share of proceeds; giving legal authority to...
From the Corridors
Much of the talk in the corridors on Thursday afternoon and evening was focused on the suspension of both the COP and COP/MOP, pending consultations on whether to establish contact groups to consider proposed new protocols under the Convention and proposed amendments to the Kyoto Protocol. As on Wednesday when the COP was suspended, Tuvalu led a group of African, Latin American and AOSIS parties in urging a formal contact group to consider the proposed Protocol amendments, and resisted proposals to move the procedural question to an informal setting...
Agriculture and Rural Development Day at COP15
With the theme The road after Copenhagen: priority strategies and actions for ensuring food security and rural development in the face of climate change, the Agriculture and Rural Development Day will bring together policy makers and negotiators, rural development practitioners, producers, civil society and the agricultural and climate change scientific community to highlight the importance of agriculture in climate change and to identify the ‘no-regret’...
Climate Change: A Human Rights Issue
By Justice Pana Chand Jain, IndiaThe Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter state that “poverty any where is a threat to prosperity everywhere”. Almost all the developed and developing countries in their constitution have provided for fundamental rights. These rights are divided in two categories – political and social and economic rights. Human Rights Council has recognized climate change as a Human Right issue. In fact all fundamental rights are part of Human Rights.It is India’s views that the planetary atmospheric spaces are a common...
Recognising and Protecting Human Rights within the Copenhagen Agreement
Speakers representing small island nations pointed out that the lower the emission reduction targets are, the more protection we are going to need for human rights. The 10 billion USD pledged as assistance is woefully inadequate for the 134 developing countries. The demands made were: 1. higher emission targets; 2. support for adaptation; and 3. rights of people who are going to be displaced by climate change impacts.It was stated that even in current texts we are not mentioning human rights; we are only pressing for emission targets. It was also...
FAO session on IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FOOD SECURITY
FAO organized a session on the Impact of Climate Change on Food security on 10th December 2009. It was heartening to see that the chairwoman of FAO considers poor farmers as part of the solution and that subsistence farming is a saving grace. She also emphasized on the urgency of the need of technology transfer for sustainable agriculture. FAO’s lack of position on GM food was disappointing and scary; on the one hand they promote organic agriculture and on the other GM foods.Brazil came across as better prepared strategy to deal with impact on...
Impressions of the day:
By Seemantanee KhotIndian delegations are dispersed, as NGO sector. There is a need to bring them together at a common platform in the cop15 meeting. Indian Youth are absent, how can we have them in bigger numbers for such sessions? Children of Indian origins are there, but they are representing other nations. Cultural expressions are powerful, we could have staged a powerful display of how issues of developed and developing countries are different and how India and China and Brazil etc. need to come together to take pro-poor stand....
New Proposals received from Five Countries
COP15 President Hadegaard indicated that proposals relating to adoption of new protocols under the Convention had been received from five countries: (i) Australia (ii) Costa Rica (iii) Japan (iv) Tuvalu and (v) the US.TUVALU outlined its proposed protocol, which he said would complement but not replace the Kyoto Protocol. He indicated that his draft protocol follows the elements of the BAP closely, sets out a shared vision and the goals of limiting temperature increase to well below 1.5º C and stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations at 350 ppm...
December 10, 2009
SMALL Island Nation – Stalls BIG Negotiations
Small Island nation Tuvalu, in imminent danger of getting obliterated from the map by the rising waters of the Pacific Ocean – comes out with strong demands and proposals for binding emission cuts by ALL Large emitter nations, and succeeds in stalling the climate negotiations.On the end of the 3rd day of the international climate negotiations – COP15, at Copenhagen, a bold and ‘controversial’ proposal by the very small island nation of Tuvalu located...
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