Denmark prepares to welcome Obama

Lisa Williams-Lahari, Climate Pasifika media

Sunday 14 December 2009, COPENHAGEN-- The impending visit of American President Barrack Obama (right) has created a hype of its own in addition to meeting the needs of an already comfortably full COP venue work. With numbers of government delegations expected to spike as leaders arrive into the next few days, the behind the scenes work is expected to step up in presence, with the security price tag alone estimated to be at least 100million USD. Much as Pacific leaders would like to claim a special audience with the Hawaii-born President, there's no sign of that happening or even any information on whether such a meeting has been requested.  

Back in  logistics, team members expect the dimensions of security will go smoothly at least, in the Bella Centre. "Yes of course it creates an interesting hype when the head of the most powerful nation in the world comes to Denmark. We have hosted US presidents before so it's an enormous task, but it's doable," says Logistics Chief Svend Olling.

The US will be providing their own security detail in cooperation with the Denmark Security and Intelligence services.  But Olling says apart from some separate entrance and exit areas for world leaders, the impact on those inside the Bella Centre is going to be dwarfed by comparison with those outside the COP15 venue. 

The capacity of the international airport is limited and with the arrival of world leaders as well as commercial flights, air traffic controllers will be dealing with 100 or more planes in a time-window of a few hours. 

"That's an enormous pressure on the airport," says Olling, who says linked to the air traffic, roads will also feel the increased VIP landings.

" We are talking about 100-120 motorcades between the hotels and airport, so traffic will be congested." 

The last time a US President visited COP was in Montreal in 2005, when the logistics work around former President Clinton and his travelling entourage of 40-plus security staff put the venue and any public transport links in the vicinity into lockdown.

Given this COP will welcome a President in office, and the historic manner in which Obama came into power; it's likely the security, crowds, and media hordes following his every move will ensure that disruptions to public transportation may be the closest many Danes and their COP15 guests come to Obama's attendance without switching on the TV or going online.

INsideINsights: Rachna Lal Climate Pasifika Team Member

 
Copenhagen, Denmark 14 December - Rachna Lal a senior journalism student at the University of the South Pacific is a member of the SPREP Climate Pasifika team, currently in Copenhagen, Denmark assisting with communications and media work for AOSIS and the Pacifici islands nations.  Today she takes us INsideINsights, giving us her perspective of the conference.

More empathy, less guilt needed at COP15

 
TRANSCRIPT: "On the one hand it's great because I see a lot of very inspiring and intelligent people but it's also very hard because one of the things I am feeling is that we are missing the train and one of the things I think is very important is that we get the climate empathy we need: since he (her son Francis) was born I was asked frequently by people "aren't you feeling what you are doing now more deeply than before?" I was really astonished about it because for me the empathy with mothers in Bangladesh or your country does not  depend on being a mother myself-- and we need to act for the outcomes of this conference based on this empathy."-- Anja Kohne

Lisa Williams Lahari, Climate Pasifika media - photo and filming by Lisa Williams Lahari

Monday, 14 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--Mothers of the world will find they have a sister in Anja Kohne, (above)  and it's a timely hat for the longtime European environmental activist to wear. Having recently given birth to son Francis, she is attending COP15 with him while on maternity leave. The symbolism of bringing the generation who will live with the decisions from the COP15 into the building is not lost on Kohne, she says perceptions of her activism have changed since she gave birth:

"Since he was born, I was asked by people "aren't you feeling what you are doing now more deeply than before?" I was really astonished about it because for me the empathy with mothers in Bangladesh or your country does not depend on being a mother myself-- and we need to act for the outcomes of this conference based on this empathy."

Kohne, a first class honours graduate student working on her PhD thesis on environmental policy integration in EU foreign policy, has 15 years behind her in governmental and non-government work. Enough years to convince this environmental policy consultant that the only way for the world to come to a common agreement is for the negotiators on all sides to ditch the guilt trips, acknowledge failure and responsibility, and have some compassion for each other's point of view. 

"We need to go into a state where we can take on responsibility without feeling guilty.  It needs to be a friendly confrontation."  

Confrontation is something COP meetings seem to have in abundance.  Whether you are doing it diplomatically in the plenary and working group negotiations, or loud and proud with the NGO activists staging events in the wings of the negotiations, the clamour is likely to heat up as December 18 nears.  And while the locking horns and colliding positions may be more tuneful to newshounds than mutual support and unison, there are also many examples of how North-South NGO activism and partnerships are stepping up last-chance messages to the COP leaders.

From acronyms like CAN (Climate Action Network) and WWF to an Australian youth coalition campaign called Project Survival, the indicators of that activism being successful -- or a failure, will come through in next week's decisions.  A 'People's Forum' on climate change this week in Copenhagen Central town has also attracted some 10,000 people and will deliver a declaration  to the COP15. 

For Kohne, NGO activism has a large role to play in ensuring governments in the developed nations allow space and input from civil society into the agenda setting.  Kohne's conviction that a global sense of citizenship is what is needed doesn't stop at climate change.  She says worry by developed nations over the economic pressures from constituents is creating a new 'economic racism' which is over riding the scientific proof that urgent and drastic action is needed to avoid the peak and tipping points predicted to take place.

"I was once on a panel with a multinational and he was telling me how he tells his children to do their homework because people in China and India are waiting to do theirs for the same jobs.  I would hope that by the time he (Francis) is 20, he's not thinking anymore about whether it's a German or an Indian or a Chinese he's competing for a job with, he's just doing some work anyway."

But the pace of climate change and its impacts even as the world's leaders meet is creating a new sense of urgency, a demand for a change of mindset and new modes of framing our worlds.  And the fact is that the world is changing so fast that we have to relearn our ways of thinking even as our children are struggling with new environmental realities.

Given that political leaders and their negotiaters are hardly going to start spouting Edward de Bono's six thinking hats method to mapping solutions through the minefield of agendas at COP15, it's easy to become cynical about calls for fresh vision and new thinking when old politics from older men are so much in play.

But Kohne shares two pinpoints of optimism amidst the fear that the 'Hope' in Copenhagen may come to nothing. 

"I have two main sources of hope," she says, "firstly, there is a shared anguish amongst people in developed countries who share the goals and the values of the people who are the so called most affected.  The problem at the moment is to pool the voices of the South with the voices of the North to really have the same perspective.  And I really really hope the G77 and China are going to stand together and are going to insist on deep emission cuts because that's what we need.  If they don't bring this meeting to a positive outcome I think we are all in a bad state."

I'm here to deliver says Solomon Islands minister

Evan Wasuka, ONE News TV, Climate Pacific media

Sunday 13 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--As negotiations at the UN Climate Change talks enter their most critical phase this week, the head of the Solomon Islands delegation says he will deliver on the expectations of his people. Hours after arriving on a long haul flight from Solomon Islands –
Environment and Conservation Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo told his delegation members that he would do all he can to ensure that the goals of the government are met in the final week of talks.

“I will deliver on what is expected of me and support our people,”

said Darcy. Solomon Islands have been affected by rising sea levels with communities in areas such as Walade, Fanalei and Ontong Java sitting on the frontline of climate change. Throughout the past week of negotiations Solomon Islands has given its backing to a proposal by the Alliance of Small Island States, AOSIS. The proposal includes a seven year extension to the Kyoto Protocol, the establishment of a new protocol agreement and the reduction of emissions to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees celsius.
AOSIS wants these to be underpinned in a legally binding agreement. On Sunday night the minister was hosted at a dinner by the Solomon delegation, as leaders from around the world converged on Copenhagen for the final stage of negotiations. The minister said he was supported by a well resourced delegation, which also happened to be the biggest sent by Solomon Islands to any climate change talks. Lilo said he was now stepping up to the plate to ensure that their good work was continued into this final week of talks. He said Solomon Islands would continue to enter the negotiations in good faith. “The theme of this for us is survival – because if we don’t reduce emissions some of our islands will be underwater.” Lilo says the negotiations to set up an agreement on climate change have come a longway since the Bali Accord in 2007 and he hoped that leaders would come up with a deal at Copenhagen. With several drafts agreements on the table leaders this week will now have to choose one or settle on a compromise.--ENDS

PNG rejects AOSIS text, holds out for 'non-paper'

Ahimsa Kibikibi,NBC, Climate Pasifika
Sunday 13 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare arrrives to join climate change talks in Copenhagen this week and will present the country’s position to the umbrella group the Alliance of Small Islands States. 
PNG’s chief negotiator, Kevin Conrad bluntly stated in Saturday’s plenary session that PNG does not support the AOSIS proposed Copenhagen Protocol. His reaction caught AOSIS members off guard.
TRANSCRIPT: “There were some delegations that held out that there was a proposal by AOSIS, Papua New Guinea does not support this we believe there is a draft document, a non-paper that should be considered,” he said.  While delegates from other smaller Pacific Islands expressed anger and disappointment to this move, PNG delegate Joe Pokana agrees with Conrad, stating that the non-paper was already initially agreed upon, even though the new proposal builds on strenghtening of the Kyoto Protcol and the implementation of the Bali Action Plan.
Pokana said PNG is adamant that Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Deforestation or REDD, a scheme that will see forest owners be paid for avoiding deforestation, be officially recognised and endorsed in the text by the United Nations,
And that it will be up to Sir Michael, head of the PNG delegation to take this up this week during the high level segment, before the conclusion of talks on Friday the 18th of December. Meantime, AOSIS members are also awaiting an explanation for PNG's timing, because it had room to comment and make changes in the groups two daily meetings held in closed sessions throughout the week.TRANSCRIPT: “ We are depending on the Prime Minister now to deliver in the second week, our position and hopefully we get some attention and carry on what we are fighting for,” he said. It is not sure how AOSIS will deal with this situation or if members can withdraw or be expelled.--ENDS

Half-way to a COP outcome, the islands take stock

Lisa Williams-Lahari, Climate Pasifika media team
Sunday 13 December 2009, COPENHAGEN-- The Sunday half-way lull in COP15 activities at the Bella Centre is a deceptive one. Most Pacific leaders are already into the 30-plus hours of air travel and transitting involved in getting here early next week. Behind the scenes and away from the public eye, their delegations and other Pacific participants are planning how to negotiate their way through the remaining working group, side sessions, activist meetings, and press conferences as the pace picks up towards Friday's deadline. As the busy first week draws to a close, one of the three AOSIS vice-chairs, Ambassador Colin Beck of the Solomon Islands, and environmental scientist Dr Al Binger of Jamaica, take stock of a week where all eyes have been on the parties to the UFCCC Conventon who have the most to lose at these negotiations. Says AOSIS scientist-turned-activist Dr Al Binger, "We are slowly progressing towards all the things we hopefully will achieve: a good agreement on a legally binding framweork for all the commitments on the table-- right packaging of financing to support adaptation needs and mitigation, agreement on a good insurance system to protect the losses in the SIDS, a dedicated window for us to access finansing and other aspects and platforms from New York".

"We will not accept two degrees. We will not agree to our own demise. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."

Given it's only been a few months since the New York sessions where the AOSIS position on 1.5degrees Celsius was launched, Beck says the time of "talking past each other" has passed and at this COP nations are finally talking TO each other. "We have moved past all that (talking) and now need to be talking numbers and finances and know where the resources and have more detailed discussions rather than trying to advocate for where we are; but really to get things on the table and sign the dotted lines," he says in a quick on-camera moment below. 
Meanwhile, Tuvalu's call for a contact group remains off the agenda but on the table, pending 'further discussions'. The country's chief negotiator Ian Fry became the international media's most sought after interview -- and up until he tabled a heart-felt call for the Chair on Saturday, still insisted the much misunderstood and misinterpreted roar from Tuvalu over rules of procedure had more to do with the billions who live in the AOSIS regions, and was not in fact about the 11,000 or so clinging to their livelihoods in the former Ellis Islands. Despite that, Tuvalu and Kiribati as well as a canny and upbeat cadre of young activists from the Pacific, have helped embed the 'call to conscience' perceptions of AOSIS which have earned the support of so many green activists from the developed world. Along the same lines, Pacific activists such as Fei Tevi of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Ulamila Wragg of the Pacific WAVE Media Network, and Malia Nobrega of an indigenous peoples NGO in Hawaii, are in turn ensuring that the churches, human rights, gender and other civil society concerns are on the radar of the AOSIS leaders teams. But united as they may be on '1.5 to stay alive', island nations are not immune to the same frictions dogging the powerful Annex-1 nations who will ultimately decide the fate of this event. Papua New Guinea's chief negotiator Kevin Conraud, who rocketed to international media headlines in 2007 for telling the US in no uncertain terms to step aside and 'leave it to the rest of us' after a particularly draining exercise in wasted time, earned a few bleeps himself this week within the AOSIS grouping for remarks which distanced PNG from the AOSIS consensus.The position of Papua New Guinea, where three quarters of the Pacific's 8million and growing population are living,  will take on heightened weight next week as it deals with environmental issues on a scale unmatched by anyone else in the Pacific forum family.--ENDS

REDD could be better than gold but safeguards needed says Solomon Islands

Evan Wasuka, Solomon Islands One News

The Solomon Islands delegation say the rights of resource owners and communities need to safeguarded in the text of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, REDD, agreement in Developing Countries.

Dr Wairiu says the carbon trade has the potential to create wealth for countries like the Solomon Islands but he warned if mismanaged, it could also lead to further exploitation if it is not looked after properly.

Officials at the UN Climate Talks in Copenhagen are currently drafting the text for REDD.

The main sticking point has been the financial mechanisms of the system but officials are optimistic that the agreement will be adopt at this meeting and will allow developing nations to enter the carbon trade.

For countries like Solomon Islands that have a limited economic base and rely heavily on logging for their main revenue source, the carbon trade provides a potential boon.

“Carbon is the next gold, it will be listed on the stock exchange and traded internationally,” says Dr Wairiu.

He says the returns will be much better than the logging industry but he warned that if it is not managed properly it could also lead to further poverty.

“From the Solomon Islands experience it is the logging companies that have benefitted from our forests…that is why we need safeguards.”

Dr Wairiu says protecting the rights of resource owners and local communities is vital for the final REDD outcome which officials expect will be part of any agreement at Copenhagen.

“We need to ensure that there are safeguards in place that will not be manipulated by individuals and companies.”

Since the 1970s Solomon Islands forests have been logged out by mostly Asian companies with minimal returns to landowners.

Dr Wairiu says Solomon Islands has learnt its lesson the hard way and is taking its experience into the drafting of REDD. For its part the Solomon Islands government will also have to put in place measures for its participation in the REDD programme.

The priority for the Solomon Islands government is to come up with a national framework, which would also contain safeguards that are part of any international agreement.

Dr Wairiu says this include outline how the benefits are shared, who will handle them and how resource owners will benefit.

The preparation phase for Solomon Islands he says could take up to four years while Melanesian neigbours Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea already have projects in place and are in better position to implement REDD.

The REDD programme which run by a multitude of UN agencies aims to deal with the 20 per cent of  emssions that are caused by deforestation.

The remaining 80 per cent of emissions are caused by industry and are the main subject of the two weeks climate change talks in Copenhagen.

Relocation a harsh reality for Pacific: PCC

Ahimsa Kibikibi, NBC PNG, Climate Pasifika
Saturday 12 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--The Pacific Conference of Churches' General Secretary, Fei Tevi has expressed concerns that resettlement does not feature in the mandate of sovereign Pacific states but is the harsh reality the region has to face up to. He said climate change is already taking its toll in the Pacific, with many small lying atolls being forced into resettlement because of raising sea levels. He said churches play a major role in the Pacific and Copenhagen must produce a legally binding agreement otherwise the economic cost of rebuilding and resettlement will be just too much. The Pacific Conference of Churches will be facilitating those that are forced to move, he said. The Pacific Conference of Churches, Fei Tevi has expressed concerns that resettlement does not feature in the mandate of sovereign Pacific states but is the harsh reality, the region has to face up to. He said climate change is already taking its toll in the Pacific, with many small lying atolls being forced into resettlement because of raising sea levels. He said churches play a major role in the Pacific and Copenhagen must produce a legally binding agreement otherwise the economic cost of rebuilding and resettlement will be just too much. “The role of the Pacific Conference of Churches is to ensure those who move, move in dignity,” he said--ENDS.

EU keen to know of priority issues in the AOSIS region

Ruci Mafi, SPC - Copenhagen, Denmark 12 December - The European Union has been closely monitoring climate change discussions within the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) plenary to identify priority issues in the region.

European Commission Director General for the Environment, Karl Falkenberg said with the EU’s
commitment to ensuring climate change development issues were placed on the agenda at the COP 15, it was also important to know what AOSIS will come up with.

The EU currently supports projects in fisheries, agriculture, food security and forestry in the Pacific region.

Mr Falkenberg emphasized the need for a unified approach and voice to strengthen proposals and ensure financing is guaranteed.

By Friday last week over half of the EU’s 27 member states had indicated they would contribute about £1.35 billion a year between them for the next three years to climate change.

This amount includes nearly £265 million a year from the UK.

The European Union continues to received offers from within its members targeting a astronomical £2 billion a year on the table at the Copenhagen next week.

The largest contributions came from Britain at £800 million over the next three years and Sweden, at £690 million between 2010-2013.

In a statement deleivered earlier, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso indicated the need to deliver to Copenhagen a substantial EU offer of "fast start" funding towards a global kitty to help poorer countries.

While discussions are looking at financing, the EU has had to put on the table its carbon emission target.

However, reportrs noted that the French president Nicolas Sarkozy is ready for the EU to move to 30 per cent unconditionally.

Your voices @ COP15 Project Survival

Geoffrey Smith, FijiTV, Climate Pacific media
Sunday 13 December 2009, COPENHAGEN-- Over the past week a handful of Pacific youth have had the unique opportunity to have their voices heard at COP15. This has been largely possible the pioneering efforts of a small but growing youth group based out of Australia. Realising after COP14 last year that the voice of our Pacific youth was obviously absent, in May this year a select group from the Pacific was handpicked to represent their respective communities as the world began planning for COP15. Born in Fiji and now living out of Australia, youth activist Shobazdeep Kand is articulate, full of energy, and represents a wave of hope for visionary Pacific leaders. He explains why the voice of our Pacific youth is critical at an important climate change summit such as COP15.


TRANSCRIPT: Project Survival Pacific was started at last years COP14 and we noted that there was a lack of representation from the Pacific and the Pacific voice really needed to be heard. And that voice included the youth voice. So the Australians went back to Australia and we set up in May of this year an organisation in which I'm now part of called Project Survival Pacific and our aim is to really to try and build a pacific youth network of environmentally concerned youth who can come to things like this and lobby their governments and talk to western governments like Australia and New Zealand in the region to tell them why it is important for them, their communities and their future that we act on climate change. So here at Copenhagen we have 10 Pacific youth, two from Fiji and several from other countries and what they're trying to do this week is to meet with their governments and we met with Peni Wong yesterday to lobby her on behalf of the Pacific and also try and get into the media and get the Pacific voice out. Because we find that youth from the western world like Australia and New Zealand, have these opportunities to come and talk to their leaders but the voices of the Pacific Islanders is not there. So the next phase of our project is to go back home and send the delegates here to try and support them in building those organisations back home.--ENDS

Cook Islands vacates seat in UN expert group

Ulamila Kurai Wragg, Cook Islands Government Delegation, Denmark

Copenhagen, 12 December - The Cook Islands is vacating a seat, it held for three terms, on the Expert Group on Technology Transfer within the United Nations Framework Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC).

Climate change negotiator and Environment’s International Manager Tania Temata says that the Cook Islands, through Tom Wichman, served on the Expert Group for three terms. He was nominated by Government as an expert from the Pacific to represent Asia and the Pacific region on the group.

“That seat has now come up for re-election. Last year we received a counter proposal from another Asia-Pacific country for this position, and given that our Asia Pacific Group is such a huge group, Cook Islands will not be seeking for re-election,” says Temata.

"Given the length of term the Cook Islands has served on the EGTT, it was only appropriate that other Pacific Islands be given the opportunity as well.”

The Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) was established with the aim to enhance the implementation of this framework and to advance the technology transfer activities under the Convention. Over the last five years, the work of the EGTT has become results oriented, with the production of targeted and instructive products that Parties can use as they formulate their specific climate change mitigation and adaptation technology strategies.

Technology needs and needs assessments are a set of country-driven activities that identify and determine the mitigation and adaptation technology priorities particularly of developing countries.


"The Cook Islands is lucky to have someone like Tom Wichman, who has a passion for simple technology development and innovations for small islands, and his representation on the EGTT was widely supported by our Pacific neighbours,” says Temata.

“We have very high regard for him for the knowledge he has in this field and is highly respected within the climate change circle"

Elections will be carried out at the UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen.

INsideINsights@COP15: Matelita Ragogo

Saturday 12 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--Fiji journalist Matelita Ragogo is currently London-based pursuing postgraduate studies in Gender, and was excited to be able to join the media mix at COP15 thanks to a UNFCCC scholarship. Ragogo shares her media insights from the Bella Centre as our INsideINsight coverage continues.

Your voices @ COP15: Espen Ronneberg, SPREP's Climate Change Adviser

Geoffrey Smith, FIJI TV, Climate Pasifika

Saturday 12 December 2009, COPENHAGEN-- The Climate Pasifika team managed to catch SPREP's Climate Change adviser Espen Ronnenberg between meetings:
TRANSCRIPT:  Well the Pacific has really been engaging in the negotiations. They've been really trying to get their point across in the different negotiating groups. They're also working together with AOSIS to develop an alternative proposal for a legally binding agreement which they've tabled. So there's quite a lot going on and the Pacific is being very active and I think they're making a very big impact this time.

Your voice @ COP 15: Peter Emberson Pacific Council of Churches

Geoffrey Smith, Fiji TV, Climate Pasifika

Sunday 12 December, COPENHAGEN -- As COP15 wraps up its first week of intense negotiations in the lead up to the arrival of over a hundred world leaders, the 43 member Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) hopes they can add a unique Pacific spiritual dimension to the climate talks.
Consisting largely of all the major religious denominations in the Pacific, the PCC says in an international summit of this nature, valuable input from bodies such as theirs can also serve as a conscience above some of the competing interests that have become obvious.



TRANSCRIPT:The churches are basically the conscience of meetings like this.  In the rush for deals to be struck that has financial implications and a lot of other profit hidden agendas, we liken ourselves to the conscience so we come in and remind our leaders that for issues that have high implications like climate change, rationalisation along profit and purely focusing on the financial aspects of things is very short sighted. Because in order to safeguard our natural resources and our human resources we need to look beyond and take courage and not only focus on these kinds of financial implications and neo-liberal economies.-- ENDS.

Small Island states call for financing

By Evan Wasuka, Solomon Islands One News TV

Copenhagen 12 December - The vice president of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which includes all Pacific Island countries say developed nations must do good on their pledge to provide financial support to developing countries on climate change.

Cape Verde Ambassador Monterio Lima says the developed nations have caused climate change and they must pay the price.

“We didn’t put the rubbish in the atmosphere but we are the first to suffer. They must clean it up.”

Lima says developed countries have yet to finalise the amount of money they will giving out but he says this needs to be done urgently.

“I’ve heard around $7billion maybe – its not enough but it’s a start,” the diplomat told reporters at a press conference organized by non governmental organization 350.org.

His comments follow the launching of the AOSIS’s proposal for a legally binding agreement at Copenhagen.

Key to the proposal is the call by AOSIS to reduce the level of carbon in the atmosphere from 389pm to 350ppm.

The AOSIS proposal provides the toughest restriction for industrial countries and will be the subject of negotiations over the weekend.

The founder of environmental and anti-poverty group 350.org described the text as the first attempt to follow what scientists have been saying.

“This is the first rational attempt to do what needs to be done,” says Bill McKibben.

Meanwhile non governmental organizations have taken action with vigils being staged around the world to mark the launch of AOSIS’s text and a call for world leaders to accept the proposal.

On Saturday a march will take place from Denmark’s Parliament to the Bella Centre – the venue of the UN Climate Talks – where South African Archbishop – Desmond Tutu will hold a vigil.

Lima says world leaders should accept the proposal, if not future generations will be forced to pay the price. AOSIS is made up 43 countries from around the world including Pacific Island countries.

The grouping has so far given developed countries the toughest line on reducing emissions.

“We are not negotiating economics , we’re not negotiating business, we are negotiating our survival.”

Some of those countries will disappear if we go beyond 1.5 degrees in global warming, he says.

Climate Change Christmas Carol

Copenhagen 12 December - Nanette Woonton, SPREP, Climate Pasifika - Those who arrived early to the Conference centre this morning were heralded by Christmas carols with a climate change twist!  The “Plantations are not forests” choir sang the 14 days of Climate Change as part of their protest to remind negotiaters that plantations are not forests and that REDD must protect intact natural forests.

“On the seventh day in Denmark

The UN gave to me

Endangered species

Forests converted

Crap MRV

Too much fossil fuels

Trees chain sawed

No strings attached

And a big fat logging subsidy!”

Pressure mounts on reaching a fair and equitable new global climate deal

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS, Climate Pasifika

Copenhagen, 12 December - As negotiations reached their midway point at COP15, the pressure on countries to strike a fair deal before their Head of Sates arrive next week is intensifying.

Amongst these group of nations is the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS) that is trying to push for its ‘legally binding and ambitious’ proposal, called the Copenhagen Protocol.


AOSIS chair, Ambassador Dessima Williams admits that, “we cannot agree on everything.”

“We are group of 135 nations at the United Nations and we are so different in so many ways.

“But the AOSIS would like to see the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol and we call on the developed countries to honor their commitments under the Convention. We are unified in calling for an adequate response to climate change. It should commensurate to the damages we have suffered.

Ambassador Williams said most of her small vulnerable island nations seek adequate financing for the short and long term.

“For us, being adequate is really that it should be responsive to the damages done to our islands as a result of the impact of climate change.

“Some countries need a dose of reality here and our AOSIS proposal brings that, said Ambassador Williams.

Her sentiments were echoed by the chair of the Conference of the Parties, Ms. Connie Hedegraad who called for a ‘spirit of flexibility, compromise and reality’ as negotiators begin negotiations in earnest on the proposed draft text.

AOSIS represents 43 members and observers, many of whom are small island developing countries. Most of them are using the negotiation process of the Conference of the Parties to raise their specific vulnerabilities.

Tuvalu has been very vocal right from the start of the climate change talks here in Copenhagen, especially on its proposal to amend some provisions of the Kyoto Protocol.

Debate on Tuvalu’s proposed amendment was moved to Saturday for consideration by the Conference of the Parties on the Kyoto Protocol (COP) after its chief negotiator, Ian Fry refused to give in to pressures from India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

At the resumption of the plenary session on Saturday, COP President, Connie Hedegraad announced that ‘progress was being made but more consultations needed to be done.’


“We hope to come up with a consensus decision next week, said Ms Hedegraad.


Mr Fry commended the chair for her effort and asked that ‘Tuvalu’s proposal is not swept under the carpet.’


“We seek substantative discussion on our proposal. Let me clarify, Tuvalu’s position is to preserve the architecture of the Kyoto Protocol and we don’t want it to merge with another agreement.


“If our proposal is not adequately discussed than we consider that as a grave injustice. And we plead with the chair not to impose this injustice on us, pleaded Mr Fry.


Ms Hedegraad assured Tuvalu that its proposal will not be swept under the carpet.


India, China and Brazil oppose Tuvalu’s proposed amendments because they claim it calls for very specific emission reduction from them. The three countries are classed as major emitters from developing countries that are not required to commit legally binding emission reduction under the current Kyoto Protocol.

Similarly, the United States wants emerging economies to bring their national mitigation actions under ‘international wraps.’  United States chief climate negotiator, Todd Stern said, the draft text as it is does not force developing countries to take action.


“It’s not an acceptable position and for the U.S that is the basic element of a deal here. Mr Stern said the mitigation aspect of the text is ‘unbalance.’

“We believe that developed and major developing countries must reflect their strong action in a new agreement.

“In the draft, developed nations shall take action, whereas developing countries may take action…It comes down to the difference between shall and may,” said Mr Stern.

The United States, he said does not deny its responsibility as the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gas emissions and it’s taking action to meet its legal obligations.

"But all the growth of emissions or 97 percent come from developing countries. This is not our figure but from the International Energy Agency in Paris. They need to step up too, said Mr Stern.

The six page draft text, produced by Michael Zammit Cutajar, chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long  Term Co-operative Action (AWG-LCA, may form the core of the new global agreement to combat climate  change beyond 2012.

Most of the figures in the text are shown in brackets – meaning that there is not yet agreement on specific emission reduction targets. The draft states that emissions should be halved worldwide by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, but it also suggests at least 80 and 95 percent reductions by that year as possible alternative options. The other emission target is between 75-85 percent. All these figures are still in bracket and currently being negotiated.

On the call by AOSIS for global warming to kept below 1.5 degrees Celsius, the draft text mentions it must not exceed either 1.5 or 2 degrees (both in brackets).


Most Heads of the State will arrive in Copenhagen by the middle of next week with the hope that negotiators will come up with an agreement ready to be initialed.

Satire and smiles help get climate change message across

Geoffrey Smith and Lisa Williams-Lahari
Saturday 12 December 2009--COPENHAGEN: COP15 might be a serious affair but for career cartoonist Erik Petri, there is another way of getting all the serious messages across.  Every morning,  Petri puts his mind into overdrive as he sums up the key highlights of the last 24 hours through his sketches which could range from anything from the intense lobbying of the G77 or the odds faced by other groupings like AOSIS.  For Petri, the cartoons are aimed at making people laugh and hopefully at the end of that ponder the satirically serious message behind it all.  "A lot of times it is easier to discuss from an image than just with words," says Petri, "it's a lot easier when you have symbols that you could talk from - so hopefully people will be able to see the satirical approach.  They will laugh first but then the seriousness of the message will get to them afterwards - and they will act on it. That's my hope anyway.--ENDS.

COP15 delays verdict on Tuvalu's contact group call: webcast

Papua New Guinea breaks ranks with AOSIS and supports Brazil

Papua New Guinea, one of the members of the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS) has broken ranks with the group and supported Brazil’s position. This decision has not gone down well with some Pacific AOSIS members.

Solomon Islands head of delegation, Rence Sore said he was shocked by PNG’s position, which was relayed to the Conference of the Parties plenary session on Saturday.

“It is disappointing to hear statements from PNG during the plenary. It disunites the Pacific Islands and their priorities here at Copenhagen.

“We would have appreciated if PNG came openly to AOSIS meetings and conveyed their disagreement to the submission, said Mr Sore.

“If they had any bilateral disagreements with another country, it is best done dealt with bilaterally and not taken to the main plenary session, affecting the good intentions of AOSIS.

Papua New Guinea’s lead negotiator, Kevin Conrad, dropped the bombshell while speaking on the proposals by parties under Article 17 of the Convention at COP plenary session.

“We wish to associate ourselves with Brazil. However, we are seeking a legally binding agreement as soon as practicable.

“Some delegations have held out an AOSIS position. We do not support AOSIS. We believe there is draft non paper that should provide the basis of some discussion here, said Mr Conrad.

Jotham Napat, head of Vanuatu delegation said they are here to sign a deal and complete these negotiations in support of AOSIS.

“ Vanuatu is a member of AOSIS and we stand by the proposal made by AOSIS. We would like all the parties, particularly the developed countries to accept our proposal and endorse a legally binding agreement.” Mr Napat said.

Despite opposition from other countries as to the AOSIS proposal on the table, Cook Islands remains optimistic.

“We have to remain optimistic, once you start giving in, people start giving up their positions, said Myra Moekaa.

She said there appears to be some change of heart, especially in the big groups like the G77 and China.

“We can’t just hold on to our positions, we have to give up some of what we want in order to get something and vice versa. Other countries will also have to do the same.

“If we hold on to our positions too much, we aren’t going to get anything at all, said Ms Moekaa.

Cook Islands is keen to see an agreement to ensure ‘our survival.’

For the Federated States of Micronesia, the AOSIS position embodies the aspirations of its people.

“We support the AOSIS text. The critical part in the text for us is the numbers - 1.5 degrees ceiling of global warming, 350 ppm and the issue on financing.

“It’s a fight that we will continue because we are speaking from the perspective of reality, said Jackson Soram of FSM.

Joint statement today between Nicolas Sarkozy (President of France) and Gordon Brown (Prime Minister of Britain) in Brussels on 11 December 2009

We agreed:  

To work for an ambitious deal in Copenhagen, consistent with a maximum global warming of two degrees, to which all parties contribute, and which enables the EU to reduce its emissions by 30% by 2020. 

To enable immediate implementation of the Copenhagen agreement we support the establishment of a 'fast start' launch fund for 2010-12 which achieves $10 billion annually in 2012.  A large amount of this should go to adaptation, especially in Africa, small island states and other poor and vulnerable countries. France and the UK will each contribute their fair share among the advanced economies – around €400 million euros ($600 million dollars) a year. The UK is prepared to go further and contribute up to $800 million dollars a year in the light of offers from others.  

To ensure the predictable and additional finance in the medium term to 2020 and beyond, we should make use of innovative financing mechanisms, such as the use of revenues from a global financial transactions tax and the reduction of aviation and maritime emissions and the auctioning of national emissions permits. We will work together on this.

Rainforest countries need the security of finance now and for the coming years. We believe around 20% of early finance should be allocated to forest protection. We want the Copenhagen agreement to agree a reduction in deforestation of 25% by 2015, leading to a 50% reduction in 2020 and a halt in 2030. The developed world should pay for the majority of this, supporting developing countries' own efforts.   

To this end we will work with developed countries and rainforest nations over the next few days to deliver an equitable and effective agreement on forest finance and governance. We will jointly attend a conference of rainforest countries of the Congo basin next week in Paris. 

That long term financial support is needed to assist developing countries meet the costs of mitigation and adaptation, estimated at around €100 billion, in 2020. 

We are determined that Copenhagen agrees to put in place stronger global environmental governance.

There is much at stake at Copenhagen. We will be doing all in our power to reach the ambitious and comprehensive global agreement the world needs.

http://www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/en/ambition/achievements/december/11-dec-uk-and-france-finance/

Time to deliver Obama, urge Tuvalu & Greenpeace

Makereta Komai, PACNEWS, Climate Pasifika

Copenhagen, 12 December - Tuvalu has joined calls by Greenpeace and other international NGO’s for President Barack Obama to deliver a fair and legally binding climate change agreement in Copenhagen.
Addressing the COP plenary session on Saturday, Tuvalu’s chief negotiator, Ian Fry urged the U.S President to honor his Nobel Peace Prize and address the greatest threat to security – climate change.
“Last week President Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize. Next week he should show leadership and honor his award through a climate change deal that is acceptable and legally binding.
The environmental group Greenpeace has urged the US President to show that he is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize by showing leadership in Copenhagen next week.
“He won it, and now is the time to earn it,” commented Damon Moglen from Greenpeace USA.
President Obama and about 110 heads of state and government will gather at the UN climate conference at the end of next week to try to agree on a political deal on how to limit global warming to a maximum of two degrees Celsius.
Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday in Oslo.

Security tightens as Copenhagen prepares for world leaders next week

Makereta Komai, PACNEWS, Climate Pasifika

Copenhagen, 12 December - Tight security measures are now being imposed, as Copenhagen prepares for over 100 world leaders expected in the Danish city next week to initial a new global climate change deal.

Bella Centre, the venue of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) has a capacity of only 15,000 people and the UNFCCC secretariat is monitoring the level of  access.

“This is progressively moving towards the limit, said an announcement made in Saturday’s daily programme.  The secretariat said ‘additional measures’ regarding access will be put in place.  To facilitate this security measure, all inter governmental (IGOs) and non governmental organisations (NGOs) will be issued with secondary cards in addition to their conference badges.

Only designated contact points of the admitted observer organisations and heads of delegations for these organisations will permitted to attend COP15.

IGOs and NGOs will be given a quota per organisation and these cards are transferrable.

“The quota per organisation will be recorded in the badge scanning system, so that the number of representatives entering the premises can be accurately counted.

Part of Bella Centre, close to where the main plenary sessions, where world leaders will speak is expected to be on lock down from Wednesday (16 December) when leaders make their country statements. 

Most of the powerful nations of the world – United States, China, Japan, United Kingdom, France and Germany will be represented  by their heads of states. 

President Barack Obama will address the Copenhagen climate change talks on 18 December, the day world leaders are expected to sign the new climate change agreement.

Heads of 11 Pacific Island Countries are confirmed to make their country statements next week.  They are Emanual Mori (President of the Federated States of Micronesia), Jurelang Zedkaia (President of Marshall Islands), Marcus Stephen (President of Nauru), Johnson Toribiong (President of Palau), Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare (Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea), Commodore Frank Bainimarama (Prime Minister of Fiji), Tuilaepa Sailele (Prime Minister of Samoa), Jim Marurai (Prime Minister of Cook Islands), Anote Tong (President of Kiribati), Apisai Ielemia (Prime Minister of Tuvalu) and Edward Natapei (Prime Minister of Vanuatu). Tonga and Vanuatu are represented by cabinet ministers,  Dr Viliami Tangi and Gordon Darcy Lilo, respectively.

Mitigation options will save Pacific islands from sea level rise: IPCC

Cherelle Jackson, Environment Weekly, Climate Pasifika

COPENHAGEN, 12 December - Pacific island countries such as Kiribati and Tuvalu may just be spared from experiencing further effects of climate change if immediate mitigation efforts are implemented by the international community.

This is according to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

In a Press Conference today in Copenhagen, the Chairman of IPCC DR.Rajendra Pachauri said: "If we were to take action, the cost of mitigation are really much much lower than what anyone had anticipated. Whats even more significant is that fact that there are huge core benefits in taking mitigation action."

According to Pachauri, the responsibility to reverse the impacts of climate change lies in the outcome of the United Nations Conference of the Parties and scientific findings should be considered.

"I think this is an issue that the negotiators have to come to grips with because there is value based judgement.  What I  would like to say is, the limit that we set as a target globally, in my view should

also depend on which parts of the world are going to be hit by the impacts of climate change to specific degrees."

IPCC identified sea level rise as an immediate concern for low lying islands, and this will only become greater by the decade.

"The temperature increase of two to 2.3degrees celsius if we were to limit temperature to that level, we would get sea level rise due to global expansion alone of 0.4 to 1.4 meters, for some parts of the world, that can be life threatening, lets accept it."

According to the IPCC Synthesis Report Increases in sea level are consistent with warming'.  The global average sea level rose at an average rate of 1.8 mm per year over 1961 to 2003 and at an average rate of about 3.1mm per year from 1993 to 2003.

Ocean temperatures in the Pacific are also changing according to the Physical Basis Report by the IPCC.  Trends towards increased heat content in the subtropical Pacific are expected, although the northern Pacific ocean is cooling. 

Oceanic currents and circulation are also affected, IPCC reports: "The strength of the South Pacific subtropical gyre circulation increased more than 20% after 1993, peaking in 2003, and subsequently declined." 

In an interview with Vice Chair of IPCC, Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, the full impact of sea level rise for the Pacific was seen as not so drastic in the short term.

 "In the present rate the average sea level by about 3 to 4 centimeters every 10 years. Now 3 to 4 centimeters is probably not a catastrophe even if you have a low altitude, but on the longer term after a few decades it starts to matter."

He added that drastic changes could be triggered by severe weather events: "During the twentieth century we have had already about 15 to 20cm increase in average sea level, which means that if there is a storm for example, the starting level, when there is a tropical storm the level can increase temporarily over the average level.  If the starting point is slightly higher, the risk of overflooding is much higher. In the coming decades the increasing sea level is certainly a source for concern, but it won't change radically in the next ten years."

Ypersele explains more weather events may occur.

"Climate itself changes slowly, but it also means that the probability of strong events is affected, and changes for example, the frequency of extremely high rain events, precipitation is increasing, the frequency of heat waves is increasing as well. With warming climates some extreme events," he said.

At the national level IPCC identified some mitigation options such as the integration of climate policies in broader development policies, introducing financial incentives to stimulate the development and diffusion of new technologies and voluntary agreements between industry and governments on climate friendly initiatives.

At the community level IPCC recommended and noted evidence that changes in lifestyle and behaviour patterns can contribute to climate change mitigation across all sectors. 

Examples that can have positive impacts on mitigation include changes in consumption patterns, education and training, changes in building occupant behaviour, transport demand management and management tools in various industries.

Pacific multi-billon dollar Fisheries sector faces harsh future: Commonwealth report

Geoffrey Smith, FijiTV, Climate Pasifika media
Saturday 12 December 2009 COPENHAGEN-- Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands who both depend on their fisheries industry as a major source of foreign income risk losing their entire industries to climate change impacts, according to a  joint study by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD).  
Scientist Dr Allan Stewart explained that with current temperatures shifts, it's likely that common tuna stock found in the central tropics of the Pacific will shift towards the poles.
Nations are already heavily dependent on fish not just for foreign exchange but also for daily sustenance. They now face a sobering reality, the World Fish Centre says. The ICTSD has reinforced the need for small island pacific states to diversify their economies.
Aid for Trade is now increasingly becoming common in the region with large trading blocs like the European Union signing trade agreements with Fiji and Papua New Guinea only yesterday here on the fringes of COP15. The ICTSD says it's an approach the region must also tread very carefully on.--ENDS


TRANSCRIPT:Gloria Carron - Program Officer, ICTSD
Because small island economies in general are highly dependent on specific sectors like banana and sugar etcetera, this makes them extremely vulnerable to shocks like the financial economic crisis as well as climate change challenges.  So this is one of the ways that these countries can build climate resilience that will be needed to face the concerns that are coming with climate change.  Crop mixing can also be supported with aid for trade resources for climate change objectives.
Dr Allan Stewart - World Fish Centre
Fish are going to move away from the tropics and into more temperate areas as our tropical oceans warm up. If you look at current fish populations and project whether they will be in the same conditions they will move towards the poles and so you are likely to see an increase in fish production in temperate areas and a decrease in the tropics.  That picture is complicated by the nature of ocean currents so in some cases you will see lateral movements east to west as well as north to south.In this report we looked at the Solomon Islands but the SPC is now doing a big study on climate change impacts across a whole range of sectors including fisheries and in fact the work I quoted is based on what their scientists have projected which is that common tuna species will shift into the central Pacific and away from PNG and the Solomon Island areas away from the eastern Pacific and further into the central Pacific.--ENDS

Strong support behind AOSIS

Rachna Lal, USP Journalism, Climate Pasifika
Copenhagen 11 December- 350.org fully support the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) who is the "David" battling the "Goliath" at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.  Yesterday, AOSIS proposed what has since been dubbed the Copenhagen Protocol designed to safeguard the Earth’s climate system and to secure the survival of its members.

In a joint press conference with AOSIS and 350.org, the founder, Bill McKibben said the text presented by AOSIS was the first really rational attempt to do what needed doing.

“The text grapples in many ways what science has been telling us over the last couple of years.  The AOSIS draft backed by all kinds of countries talks very specifically about a target 350ppm, a number which millions of people all around the world have been endorsing for the last 18 months precisely because science supports this."

He claims this AOSIS "Copenhagen Protocol" will prevent every kind of disaster that is breaking now, aswell as save the small islands nations.

“Some people will say these are small nations. But they have an army behind them with millions of people endorsing the efforts of AOSIS at 3000 vigils in every corner of the world," said McKibben.

"This weekend they will back the draft text to the hilt.  We will not back down, we will do this over and over until we win this fight.”

McKibbens perspective of AOSIS was further endorsed by Ricken Patel the Avaaz Director who believes that people have been looking for a champion and they found it in AOSIS.

“It is a really clear deal that we set for our leaders and that is what AOSIS calls for – it requires a legally binding treaty – an enforceable treaty. It requires a level of ambition to bring us down to a safe level of 350ppm,” Patel said.

“It also requires a fair amount of funding at least $200 billion by 2020 in finance.”

Ambassador Lima Joins, the joined both Bill McKibben and Ricken Patel in a joint press conference at COP 15.

“We are not negotiating business here, we are negotiating our survival,” said Joins.

“We are here to let them know we do not want to be forgotten and if we do not get 1.5 degrees, we will die ignored by the world.”

Joins, like his counterparts in AOSIS, is adamant not to leave Copenhagen without a legally binding agreement.

“If we leave Copenhagen without a strong commitment, how can we go in front of our children and tell them we could not do anything to save their future,” he added.

His disbelief was that the major emitters of the world could not see the disasters raging caused by climate change and how they would be prepared not to do anything about it.

“It is not us who have put the waste in he atmosphere yet it is us who are the first to have to suffer. So those who put the waste in the atmosphere have to clean it up.”

“Uh, hello? We live on this earth too” : Pacific missing from COP15 World Globe exhibit

Nanette Woonton, SPREP, Climate Pasifika media
Saturday 12 December 2009, COPENHAGEN--A huge standing exhibit featuring the nations of the world in the main hall of the COP 15 Bella Centre has irked island nations leaders here. Pacific islands countries bar Fiji and Papua New Guinea are already invisible, with NGO delegates loudly asking about the absence of the Pacific Islands from the globe exhibit. Ambassador Dessima Williams of Grenada, who chairs the Alliance of Small Islands States, has also mentioned this affront in her public meetings with the press.
However, come day six of the 12-day meeting, nothing has been done to paint in the Pacific countries and others that are missing on the World map. “It’s an insult. That is like somebody telling us that we are ready to be wiped off the face of the earth,” said an indignant Andrew Yatilman of the Federated States of Micronesia. “Our country is big – the territorial boundaries are huge, so how could someone not recognise FSM?” 
He and others are worried the large public centerpiece within the conference hall of the World’s biggest UN Climate Change Conference is symbolically wiping smaller countries off the face of the Earth, and smaller countries, already feeling this within the heated negotiating environment of the current meetings, are not taking kindly to the constant reminder of their invisibility.
Said one Pacific technical official, "The Alliance of Small Islands States are being given plenty of opportunity to be heard at this conference, their voice is coming across loud and clear through actions of members, the media and the NGO’s -- but the concern is whether or not they are being listened to by those from within the room compiling the text which will ultimately form a solution to our climate change problems."

"Anyone looking at this art piece, including the artist who made it, obviously thinks the Pacific islands which are members of AOSIS, don’t even exist at all." “I don’t know if it’s a sign of things to come, that we are going to be obliterated from this earth, it is insulting!” exclaimed Myra Pukaia Moekaa of the Cook Islands.
“It’s a disgrace to me. Vanuatu is a party to the convention and I expect these people to actually include all the Pacific Islands countries and we have every right to exist. We have every right to live so I was very disappointed to see that Vanuatu was not included in the globe,” said Jotham Napat of Vanuatu.  While it's possible the exhibit may have been produced to scale, it did not use a 'magnifier' box as is usual practice, zooming in on the small island nations missing from the COP 15’s version of the World.
"Goodness knows there’s enough white blank space on it," was one caustic remark, "THAT's all the space where the Pacific Islands is meant to be."--ENDS