[Cheiron]

Today COP15 started in Copenhagen. (COP stands for Conference Of the Parties) and is a UN led event. The UN COP meetings started in 1995 and is a global effort to do something about climate changes. Last year COP14 was held in Poznan, Poland and next year COP16 will be held in Mexico.

The conference is actually just under 2 miles from where I live and the whole capital is buzzing with activity.

It is the biggest conference that UN ever have held. 34.000 official delegates, 193 nations are repesented, countless activists, ngo's etc and next week 110 leaders of states will join, of course at the crucial center of this leaders from USA, China and India. Countless meetings will be held during the 12 days... they estimate around 2000 meetings actually.

Four headlines are at the core of negotiations:

CO2 emission (a reduction in rich countries and a control of increase in developing countries)

Money (it will cost trillions)

Climate adaption (the climate IS changing... lots of places are feeling that very concretely already... what can be done to help?)

Green technology (investment and research in alternatives to fossile fuel etc.)

Also... parallel to this, mayors from 70 of the biggest cities in the world will meet and discuss what can be done. E.g. Mike Bloomberg from NYC is very interested in Copenhagen bike lanes and our plans... our mayor of Copenhagen has declared that we plan our city to become CO2 neutral in 2020.

Lots of other important fora like G77 (the organization of developing countries, consisting of about 140 countries) are gathering all over town to give input.

In short.. the whole world is here... from Fiji to Spitsbergen.

Some people are still sceptical about all this... there are even people lobbying against trying to make a climate agreement.. (usually on the payroll of gas and oil industry)... but let's agree... even if some of climate changes are NOT manmade... a big part is... so what's to lose?.... IT IS OUR HOME, and ONLY HOME... this is global and we all sit in the same boat. We just can't risk doing nothing, the option of doing nothing is logically stupid... there is actually a bloody long haul to find another planet like this one if we don't grasp the moment and do something, and the political momentum is now... and I personally find that this blue planet is a pretty neat thing to live on.

As a dane and a native resident of Copenhagen.. I will try to help lost and stray foreigners if I see them wander aimlessly around ... and of course say to all:

WELCOME !

... let's get it done... seal the deal !
_________________
Cheiron
______________________________
"Any scientist with respect for himself should start
the day by rejecting his own pet hypotheses".
(Konrad Lorenz)

"Wir müssen wissen
Wir werden wissen"
(David Hilbert)

[Cheiron]

Fear and Loathing: On the Climate Campaign Trail, 2009


Thursday morning I had to take metro to a meeting across town.... bloody hell, snow, delays in transport and people... tons of people... it was a nuthouse... we stood like fish in a barrel and everybody had an expression like: "oh, get it over with... just shoot me".

One thing was snow that delayed our metro (I wonder why, since 90% is underground...oh well...) but of course having most of world leaders dropping in at airport like snowflakes does create a bit of traffical chaos too, with all the security needed, whole of Copenhagen feels like some police state dictatorship... in fact IT IS, right now.

Anyhow... it seems the danish attempt at leading negotiations have failed miserably. Nations just can't agree, prolly no signed deal before COP16 in Mexico. However they will work on it through the night.

Obama will arrive tomorrow like some angelic presence from the sky (Hillary is already here)... Ban Ki-Moon (UN chairman) co-led the banquet the danish Queen held for state leaders, which against usual protocol of court was turned into a less formal "work"-dinner, and Russian Medvedev and Indian Prime Minister Singh landed this evening.
The Chinese president Wen Jiabao is allegedly here, but clouded in mystery. Private talks between Obama and Jiabao will be conducted tomorrow.

I like president of Brazil (Lula da Silva), he seems like a decent guy, at least very amiable.... and Prime minister of Bangladesh (Hasina), she seems nice, as some of few politicians I would ever put any trust in (which I prolly would regret)

The whole circus is big, annoying and tedious. It's wheeling and dealing... all the interestgroups rooting for their stances.

Meanwhile... we sit and watch the world statistics on how the climate changes. I think it is too late, personally... but well no options really than to do what we can and cross our fingers.

Big debate on TV here was a bit touching. An assortment of world leaders on panel, and President of the Maldives said the most honest thing after hearing all the money discussions in a quite emotional tone:

"Look all of you... this is not negotionable... you can't negotiate with Mother Nature, we HAVE to do something, even if it has limited impact ! My nation is under threat of vanishing if not, and I'd like my people and grandchildren to live and grow up there!"

.. well at least that came from the heart.

Anyway, they will work through the night, but I doubt anything will be accomplished unless the big three get their heads together fast. Those type of top level agreements are known to create a tidal wave of very fast action...but prolly just a political writ will be done declaring intentions, but not a legally binding one.

Heh, on danish TV tonight, three women from Kenya delegation was interviewed in the snow never having experienced it before. They were in awe... "What the heck is this?... it's like being inside a big refrigerator, we've seen snow on TV in cartoons...but experiencing it like this... BRRRRRRR..."
Asked if they would like that weather, they went: "Heck NO... GEEZ... I have three pairs of socks on, two pairs of pants, and 4 layers of sweaters... HECK NO, I AM STILL FREEZING."
They did however found out how to make a snowball and throw it at camera and eachother and found it hilarious.

They also said: "How on earth the people here cope with this and how much they have to spend on keeping warm in their houses beats me !"

Personally I would invite them to Siberia or Antarctica to experience what winter really is. It was just -5 C here today.... hehe

Well... the big questions however are many of course.
Will USA fail again to live up to it's role as in Kyoto?
Will China play tricks once again, and hide under their developing country status?
Will India be able at all to do anything about things?
Will the oil producing nations and the oil industry be successful in creating havoc and block everything?

and the biggest question:
What will happen if they don't get some useful and effective deal?
Is it all just hot air? (pun intended)
_________________
Cheiron
______________________________
"Any scientist with respect for himself should start
the day by rejecting his own pet hypotheses".
(Konrad Lorenz)

"Wir müssen wissen
Wir werden wissen"
(David Hilbert)