From Copenhagen

I've had a few emails inquiring whether I've been detained by the Copenhagen police during Saturday's protest. Thanks for the concern - it was amazing to see, but sad that an overall very peaceful event turned partly sour with over 1000 arrests. The above picture shows the march in central Copenhagen.

I've been meaning to sit down and complete a blog, but keep getting interrupted by interesting things to see and people to meet here in the Bella Center. Right now I'm sitting in a room waiting to hear Al Gore speak about sea level rise. I am lucky enough to have attended the event here before on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) in the Amazon region. On my way Eric, from Norway, a representative of the International Natural Gas Union, informed me that Al Gore will be speaking and that I shouldn't go get lunch. I am starving, but think I can manage...

Before I sign off, I'll post my half-written post from last Friday....

I'm sitting here in one of the many COP 15 cafe areas watching hundreds of groups of people huddling around laptops as thousands of others meander by on their way to meetings or to wander around the NGO exhibits. Of course the most important part of this conference is the actual negotiation of an at least politically binding agreement, but since you can get all the up to date info on this by logging on to the NY times, BBC, or COP 15 website, I thought I'd talk a bit about what it's like just being here. First, I should say that, as part of an observer organization, I don' t actually get to go in the closed negotiation rooms that are reserved for official party members - but, I do get to be in the conference center, attend a lot of amazing talks, meet interesting people, and watch 30,000? people hustle about. I also stopped by the People's climate summit yesterday, an alternative event in Copenhagen that is focusing on grassroots approaches to mitigating climate change. While it's easy to be frustrated about how slow change comes about, it is really amazing to see so many people rallied around coming to an agreement of how to lessen the impacts of climate change.

The highlight of my experience here so far has been having lunch with Vilma (I didn't get her last name), a Jamaican diplomat. At a crowded cafeteria, she randomly sat at my table and I asked her about how the negotiations were going - she told me about her views, as diplomat of an island nation, on what she would like a final agreement to look like. Basically, they (G77 countries and island states) are supporting an extension and strengthening of the Kyoto Protocol - they would like to see developed countries commit to reducing emissions 45% below 1990 levels and also offer substantial financing to developing countries for forest conservation and sustainable development. While the EU has agreed to cut emissions by 30% below 1990 levels, the U.S. suggests a cut of 17% below 2005 levels (4% below 1990 levels) and neither are offering near the funding that G77 countries would like to see. Vilma expressed her frustration, as part of an island nation extremely vulnerable to climate change, at the low level of commitment by developed in agreeing to effective emission cuts and financing mechanisms. She told me about the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, a Pacific nation with the highest point 4 m above sea level, tearing up while presenting his stance on his island nation's future given climate change-induced sea level rise. For small islands, like Tuvalu, Palau, Jamaica, Maldives, etc., climate change isn't trendy or an abstract theory, it has the potential to completely destroy their homelands, leaving them no where to go. Unlike continents, where people can move inland, in these islands, they will have no where to go. With this, comes the other point of contention among developed and developing countries - The countries who have historically emitted the least amount of carbon, are the ones who will suffer most from climate change leading to the question of should and how should industrialized countries who are responsible for the vast majority of carbon emissions be held responsible.

Another highlight so far has been Jane Goodall's talk on the potential of carbon markets to provide alternatives to deforestation through REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation)! I'll attach more pictures soon!