Category: Climate Change

We stand with Africa.

COA Admin December 7, 2011 0 Comments
by the team Today we took part in an illegal flashmob. Not illegal in any true sense of the word, it just hadn't been sanctioned by the draconian UNFCCC secretariat. The flashmob was, as you'll see in the video, simply a little sing-song. Passers-by joined in to clap and sing an adapted version of the famous song "Shosoloza" to show support for the African common position. That position, as...

Canadian Youth Ejected From COP17

Crossposts December 7, 2011 0 Comments
cross posted from http://canadianyouthdelegation.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/press-release-youth-turn-their-backs-on-canadian-government-during-opening-speech/  Members of the Canadian Youth Delegation were ejected from COP17 today as Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent delivered his opening address at the United Nations climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa. Just as Kent began his...

Elusive Unity

jvelez December 7, 2011 0 Comments
by Julian Velez Unity between the different groups is a key aspect for the outcome of these negotiations, because that is how strong positions on the decisions come about and also that is how agreements come forward. If each country only pushed for their agenda and their agenda only, nothing would happen. Countries work as blocks to find united positions that give strength to their statements....

A Manufactured Process

tzundel December 7, 2011 0 Comments
by Trudi Zundel Allow me to quickly clarify that I'm not an idealist about the UN; I know that the concept of a "fair" international negotiation is  contradicted by the presence of global hegemons--outcomes certainly don't reflect a middle ground between nations. However, the last three years of UNFCCC negotiations have shown us that although the power dynamics of negotiations may not lead to a...

The Great Escape

Anjali Appadurai December 6, 2011 0 Comments
Or "How they help us help ourselves lose the fight" by Anjali Appadurai Is the climate regime unraveling before our eyes in Durban? There are some scary indications that it is. Some Parties are "cautiously optimistic" (India), some are "reasonably optimistic" (Brazil) and some believe that this is all going down the drain (a different Indian negotiator). The truth is, expectations are all over...