Muting of Civil Society

Civil society has begun to be shut out of the conversation.  Just when we realize that we have only five days to push countries to act, our access is limited.  Yesterday, sometime during the afternoon the Bella Center stopped letting people in.  Today and tomorrow, only 30% of observer organizations will be let in.  On Thursday, 1,000 people total out of 35,000 registered will be allowed in, and on Friday, just 90 people will be let in to the negotiations.  

We are angry, but this shut out comes as a catalyst for even more action.  As activists, we realize that WE are the ones who are here in Copenhagen, and thus the duty to act falls on our shoulders.  Unfortunately, as Americans, my friends and I are dually burdened.  It is imperative that Americans understand that the United States’ inaction on climate change is dooming millions of people and full nations to death.  The rest of the world is looking to us go join the debate in a meaningful way.

If something isn’t done about climate change, the reality is that people will continue to die in greater and greater numbers.  Yes, at first it will be small island nations and countries prone to drought and floods, but soon all of us will be affected.  To ensure the survival of all nations, we must pass a treaty that is based on science: one that will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350ppm or less, with a global temperature rise of no more than 1 degree Celsius. Our futures are intrinsically bound together, and we must stand together in an unequivocal call to action.  

Call Obama and your senators to demand action on climate change today.  

-White House Comment Line Number: 202-456-1111

-Senators’ Numbers: www.senate.gov

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

I'm sitting in a room in the Bella Center called Leonora Christina waiting for the COP 15 president (Connie Hedegaard)'s briefing for civil society.  I arrived at the Bella Center not too long ago after some much needed sleep!

Apparently one of the big stories in the US is about Bella Center security - which I think is kind of funny because it took me like 7 minutes to get through security this morning, lines and all.  Next week, though, is when the (more than 100!) heads of state will begin to arrive, and I'm sure that security will begin to ramp up soon in preparation for that.

Yesterday was exhausting.  After our Cascade Climate Network meeting (follow us here!), I met with the international youth adaptation policy group.  We spent four hours reading the actual text being negotiated and picking out areas we want to support.  In UN negotiations, you will have the text of the treaty, and any portion of the text that is still in contention will be [bracketed].  Based on the policy principles we had already agreed to support, we chose about ten portions of the text that we are going to advocate to be unbracketed.  We sent our recommendations to the YOUNGO Spokescouncil meeting to be approved by representatives from all the youth groups who are here.

After snagging a free dinner (a fairly foul hummus & zucchini sandwich at a reception... I am the worst vegetarian ever, I know), I went to this awesome event between Chinese and American youth.  There are about 40 young people from China here, and we had a shared visioning session together.  It was really powerful to talk about our governments' roles in these negotiations and how we can work together to build a relationship of trust and mutual understanding between our two countries.

Well, Connie never showed up for the briefing (that's the way things go here - the schedule is always being changed) so now I am eating a carrot cake (what is it with the Danes and carrot cake??) and drinking a coffee at one of the many busy cafes throughout the Bella Center, prepping for the next meeting.