Frustration and hope at COP13

by EMILY LAWRENCE Decisions, decisions, decisions! – as an Australian Youth Delegate, decisions play an integral part in our functioning – as opportunities arise, equally as many decisions must be made. Who will present when, who will meet who, who will do what? Today, an AYD verdict allowed me the opportunity to participate in a meeting with the COP13 UNFCCC President – Mr Witoelar, the purpose for which was unsure. Delegates from 5 regions discussed our meeting tactics and formulated some form of plan for our 15 minute contact with this influential figurehead! Expecting a private conversation with the president where we could present our views as representatives of youth and generally engage in an important dialogue, the meeting turned out to be more so publicity stunt for the president who smiled agreeably for the cameras and said uncontroversial statements about the need for “the world to do more”. Although the meeting was staged more so as a photo-opp than anything with real bite, it was a significant milestone to be allowed to meet with him and important in the promotion of the International Youth Climate Network, a global youth partnership in conception at COP13. Of late, there has been a feeling of intense frustration within the youth caucus – while the fate of our world hangs on the line, negotiators and decision makers seem intent on creating innumerable obstacles to prevent progress in the negotiations. Among others creating controversy, Japan threw a spanner in the works of immense proportions when it announced that we must “move beyond Kyoto”, that is – to throw in the towel and take even bigger backward steps from saving our planet. Amongst this bureaucracy, the youth have been attempting to maintain our hope and sense of empowerment. Tonight’s Youth Side Event was our much-needed elixir. In packed house, youth delegates from Japan, Australia, Canada, the US and Indonesia showcased the incredible things youth are achieving against institutional constraints, closed doors and apathy, day in, day out, all around the world. Personally, the event inspired hope that indeed we are not lost in this fight. As young people, carrying neither historical baggage, nor vested interests in anything other than our future, we present a unified front that is nothing less than a force to be reckoned with. The pace of change at COP13 is extraordinary – an hour passes by and you could be looking at a very different future. Tonight’s youth event was an hour well spent and it is hours like this are that will get us through the frustration to come, as we fight for our fate.

The human face of climate change

by Ellen Sandell

Last night the International Youth Caucus here in Bali held a Side Event that showcased the activities that young people are taking all around the world to halt climate change. It was an inspiring event, with examples of education, outreach, direct action, lobbying and more from countries such as Indonesia, Japan, the UK, Canada, the US and, of course, Australia.
But the most heartfelt (and heartbreaking) moment came after the youth finished presenting their stories of success, when a young woman from Kiribati stood up and told her story. Kiribati (pronounced Kir-ah-bass) is a Pacific island, the majority of which is only two metres above sea level. As this woman explained, her people are already feeling the devastating impacts of climate change. As we listened with heavy hearts and tears in our eyes, I realised that this was one of the first times I had put a human voice to the climate justice issues the world will face if we don’t do much, much more to halt climate change.
Many of us here are becoming frustrated with the slow progress of the UNFCCC negotiations, as countries spend hours debating whether certain agenda items should be adopted or not. Meanwhile, many low-lying islands are drowning, and the culture and way of life of their people are disappearing.
The global community must wake up and realize that climate change is not only an economic, environmental or trade issue – but it is an issue of fundamental human rights. The countries which have contributed the least to climate change are the ones being the most affected, and they have the least amount of resources to cope with the impacts. Most popular debate surrounds targets of 2 degrees of warming from pre-industrial levels, whereas the effects on nations such as Kiribati are already devastating. 2 degrees of warming, therefore, will be disastrous for many people around the world. Seeing as the international community seems unwilling or unable to cope with the number of refugees currently seeking asylum around the world – what will happen when tens of thousands more are displaced from Pacific Islands due to even greater sea level rise, storms and other effects of climate change?
It is imperative that we re-conceptualise the debate around emission reduction targets and the consequences of climate change. 2 degrees is far too much, and we must be reminded of this every time we look at the faces of our Pacific neighbours who are already likely to lose their homes.

What targets?

It’s now day 3 of the UNFCCC climate change conference, and we’re all still on our feet despite a lack of sleep and an overload of information. One thing that has been particularly interesting of late is the discussion around which targets we need to aim for to really address climate change. There are phrases floating around such as “as far below 2 degrees as possible” and “in order to avoid dangerous climate change” but is this enough? What do we need to actually save the planet?
We must draw a line in the sand, a threshold of global temperature increase that we should not cross. We must set a target in global emission reductions that gives us the best chance of averting climate disaster. While there is no global consensus on what this should be, it would be prudent to err on the side of caution and choose a stringent target that minimizes the risk of the worst climate impacts.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change puts this threshold at two degrees global warming. It is anticipated that this temperature increase would have catastrophic impacts on natural systems that support human life. To have a reasonable chance of preventing warming of 2 degrees requires global emissions to peak in 2015 and then be reduced globally by 50-80% by 2050. Given Australia’s emissions are four times the global average, Australia will have to reduce its emissions more significantly, by a minimum of 30% 2020 and 80% 2050. However, recent evidence suggests that this is too conservative. James Hanson, a NASA Scientist, has demonstrated that warming above 1.5 -1.7 degrees is likely to cause the melting of both the West Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets. If these enormous blocks of ice melt, global sea level would rise by 25metres, flooding major cities and river deltas – the world would be a very different place. To prevent this warming will require reductions of at least 100% by 2030.
If we are to prevent catastrophic changes to the earth’s climate systems we need targets based on what the science says is necessary for a safe future.

by Amanda McKenzie

Dispatch from Bali: Joining Leaders of the Global Youth Climate Movement

Cross-posted from It’s Getting Hot in Here – dispatches from the Youth Climate Movement

We are forging our future here in Bali. I think it’s incredible to meet so many youth from around the world are here in Bali. Leaders of the youth climate movement from Canada, Australia, US, UK, India, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Germany, Holland, and Japan are here and calling on world leaders for a strong commitment to action.

On Saturday, we kicked off our international youth coalition in Bali in preparation for the conference. To step up our impact on the negotiations, we organized ourselves into four working groups: Communications & messaging, Creative action & outreach, Policy, and International youth network. The four groups are now meeting daily to coordinate their own projects during the conference.

Bali Talks Underway, Fossil Fuels… Here to Stay?

Cross-posted from It’s Getting Hot in Here – dispatches from the Youth Climate Movement

After many months of anticipation, the United Nations climate change negotiations are finally underway in Bali, Indonesia.

The meeting opened yesterday with a formal plenary, along with a parallel flurry of press conferences, side events, exhibitions, and creative advocacy efforts. The energy at Bali is palpable, and the mounting momentum is a testament to the significance of this conference.

UN climate bigwig Yvo de Boer- formally, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, set the tone for the process in his statements:

To the dismay of many here in Bali, de Boer’s message was punctuated with a reference to the permanence of fossil fuels.

And so begin the negotiations, the skillful weaving of a web of interests and rhetoric. But we’ve all come to Bali for a breakthrough, not for business as usual or lip service.

Is a climate regime that caters to the fossil fuel industry really the best we can do?

US Youth Head to Bali Climate Negotiations to Fight for Their Future

Youth delegation raises concerns about U.S. position as dangerously out of touch and articulates clear vision for a clean energy future

For immediate release: December 3, 2007
For more information contact:Brianna Cayo Cotter, Energy Action Coalition, 415-305-1943 -brianna [at] energyaction.net; Yochi Zakai, SustainUS, 202-276-0330—yochi.zakai [at] sustainus.org

Bali, Indonesia- On Monday, December 3, 2007 a delegation of twenty youth leaders will begin two weeks of negotiations, meetings, and actions to demand that world leaders take the bold, global action necessary to avert a climate crisis at the UN Climate Negotiations in
Bali, Indonesia. This youth delegation, organized by SustainUS and representing a diverse group of young people from across the United States, are in Bali to advocate for their generation’s right to a clean energy future and denounce their government’s continued efforts to block progress on capping and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“There is no more time to debate, even though the Bush administration refuses to take action on climate change, our generation must work together on the most important issue that has ever faced humanity. We need action right now. We have spent months working to get here, and we want to engage in the negotiations and make our presence known,” said SustainUS delegate Logan Yonavjak.

These twenty youth delegates represent a burgeoning American youth climate change movement that is paving the way towards a clean, just, and sustainable future in spite of political leadership to the contrary. While the Bush administration has stymied efforts both domestically and internationally to seriously address climate change, the US youth
climate movement, through the Energy Action Coalition, has achieved considerable clean energy victories on their campuses and in their communities. The Bush administration’s positions in Bali do not represent American public opinion and the youth delegation to the
negotiations is intent on representing what America, and the world, want and need from a global climate agreement. Recent polls in the United States show that an overwhelming majority of Americans support clean energy initiatives and believe that America should be doing more to stop climate change.

“The decision-makers gathered in Bali should rest assured that those of us not in attendance are back home in the United States making sure that young people elect a President that will enforce a binding, mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jessy Tolkan, Executive Director of Programs at Energy Action Coalition. “Over the next two weeks, listen to the US youth delegation. They represent our country’s future, and they care about climate change.”

The U.S. youth delegation is part of a larger international youth delegation of over 100 young people from around the world calling for strong international cooperation and action in addressing climate change. United by the reality that young people and future generations will be most impacted by climate change, the international youth delegation will push hard for a variety of policy recommendations, which include strategies for education on green living, sustainable development for industrialized and developing countries, land use change, mitigation, adaptation, deforestation, and the socioeconomic effects of climate change. The most important policy they are calling for is an international, mandatory agreement to put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our message to world leaders is clear: support a strong, binding agreement to protect young people’s future and build a world that you can be proud to pass onto your children,” said Erin Kenzie, chair of SustainUS.

Is Your Government Listening?

Cross-posted from It’s Getting Hot in Here – dispatches from the Youth Climate Movement.

On December 3, representatives from over 180 countries are meeting at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali to make critical decisions about our future. If we want to avoid dangerous climate change, they must start planning for a post-2012 climate agreement NOW. Please take a minute to send a message to YOUR government!

Avaaz.org, in partnership with SustainUS, Greenpeace Solar Generation, CYCC, and AYCC, is calling for youth around the world to join the global movement and send a message to their governments. Are you concerned? Do you know what needs to happen to stop climate change? So, share your vision of safe world with those who will be deciding on your future in Bali!

UN: World has only 10 years to fix climate

The world has less than 10 years to stop global warming, or climate change will cause irreversible ecological catastrophes as well as large-scale human and economic setbacks, according to a new UN report.

But the US is only there to push “… for a framework for further negotiations and said Wednesday they will make no commitment to specific reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

Sure, ten years, lots of time for more consultation – let’s just keep on talking.

Hi, mother earth? Hey, its the US calling, yah, I was just wondering if we could push off that whole global warming thing until we’re done talking. Really? Okay… um, could someone call Condi we got ourselves a situation.

Canada’s burned at Bali by Own Country

Ouch.

Headline: Quebec to voice dissenting view at Bali

“The Quebec government will voice its dissent over Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s anti-Kyoto policy at next week’s United Nations climate-change talks in Bali, Indonesia.”

Quote from the Globe and Mail.

New Australian leader prepares to ratify Kyoto

Kevin Rudd – doing more on climate change, than John Howard did in 11 years.

“Australia’s new leader Kevin Rudd can expect a rock star’s welcome to the world stage at crucial UN climate change talks in Bali next month but faces some headaches first, analysts said Tuesday.”

Quote from AFP.