November 2009 Mullen had been invited by Ecolo Japan, RH2 Network Tokyo and the Green Party of Japan to Lecture about sustainable policy and vision of global and domestic scale.
Mullen took part in a three part Open Lecture by ECOLO Japan at the Aoyama Gakuin University in Narita, the Lifestyle Forum 2009 at Shinjuku Gyoen Park, presentation at the Tokyo Olympic Youth Center and the “Transition Town Workshop” in Kamakura City.
She lectured at the Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo University of Art and Education, Keisen Women’s University, Tokyo City University as well as hosted many team building, media management meetings and seminars in Tokyo.
Here is a Japanese Indy-Media article on the Melanie Mullen Japan Tour 2009 , written by Shuji Imamoto:
http://www.news.janjan.jp/world/0911/0911253607/1.php
A Student at Tokyo City Univ. wrote about Mullen’s Inspiring lecture during Melanie Mullen Japan Tour 2009 on his blog at Ameba written by Cyber Agent:
http://ameblo.jp/my-earth-lab/entry-10389189741.html
Woman’s President.Net writes about Melanie Mullen as a Young Business Entrepreneur with her new Greenovations Consulting Firm (re)cover inc. Article written by Kyoko Yokota
http://joseishacho.net/modules/tinyd3/index.php?id=112
Free Lance Writter Minori Okuda writes about Melanie Mullen Japan Tour 2009
http://yummyseaweed.seesaa.net/article/132851966.html
http://yummyseaweed.seesaa.net/article/134645085.html
Some english blogging done by Green drinks Tokyo in Nov.2009
http://greenz.jp/en/2009/11/19/green-drinks-report-melanie-mullen-green-party-canada/
Some Pictures and a slide show of Mullen’s Green Drinks Presentation can be viewed on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenzjp/sets/72157622672461529/show/
English Video Interview by Mr.Tetra Tanizaki of Worldshift in Tokyo
http://blog.livedoor.jp/tetra_/
Yesterday I had a great lecture at Tokyo City University, which is the top University in Tokyo. After the lecture there were some questions regarding how and who to get involved with in the “real” green movement in Japan- and as promised here is some information:
- The Destruction of Minamiyama Mountain
Minamiyama, the closest natural green space to the center of Tokyo, is an 87 hectare oasis of greenery in a world of concrete. The benefits of sustaining this green space are endless; for the people’s health and spiritual well being, for the threatened and endangered species like the Nothern Goshawk and for the 4000 stone Buddha’s and gravestones moved from the temples of downtown Tokyo during WW2.
This gem has development plans and will soon be destroyed and lost forever. The Mayor of Inagi and the Governor of Tokyo need to understand that our survival and their peoples well being depend on saving even the tiniest of mountains. I beg the people of Japan to take serious action to notify these political officials that their role is to listen to the people and the peoples health is at stake.
Please contact Ageta Saori saoripeacejp@yahoo.co.jp to organize - any action is applauded by the billions around the world who, like you, are fighting one battle at a time to secure a diverse and globally sustainable future.
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Another way to get actively involved is with the RH2 Network promoting renewable Hydrogen energy. They are a driven group of young, fun people. They can be reached at http://www.RH2.org. or contact Halu at halu@greenz,jp who is involved with both Greenz and RH2.
I also met with the active group Greenz Japan. They organize monthly Green drinks along with the global community of young greens. This is an awesome night out where you can meet amazing people all being green in their own right, and this is a global event and happens everywhere, even in Toronto so Check out what’s next at http://www.greenz.jp
A graceful coincidencd happened today at the LifeStyle Forum http://www.lifestyle-forum.org/
In Japan they call these karma-like moments “en”!!!
Professor Tsuji Shin-Ichi, who actually is life long friends and co-author of “The Other Japan” with David Suzuki, was the moderator of the stage discussion between myself and a nationally elected young independent politician. He and I got chatting and he mentioned that his mentor Satish Kumar was coming to Tokyo, from the UK, for one week. I thought to myself, ” I would love to meet him” but my schedule is so busy I couldn’t dare try to fit that in with only two days left. Tsuji-son embraced the idea that we were all in Tokyo at the same time and asked my organizer where we would be Sunday morning- and it just so happenned that both my team and the professor with his mentor were going to be at a certain train station (1 hour away) at 10 a.m. ! So, I get to spend some time visiting the shrines and hopefully lunch with both the professor and Satish Kumar !
I am really starting to feel like I am on the right track… lets just see where that track leads us tomorrow…
Hello from Tokyo !
I have begun the Japan Tour 2009 full steam ahead- one thing I have to mention about the tour is .. man I am working hard! I actually wake up at 6 most mornings and lecture all day and into the evening. We barely have the time to eat, never mind breath and sleep ;)
The highlight so far was the 350 plus audience at Keissen University, where students skipped their classes to come to the lecture. Not only were they very attentive, they asked the most thought provoking questions afterwards, questions that reflected a great holistic understanding of development, our climate and our progression. I extent my gratitude to Dr. Sanae Sawanobori who not only teaches holistic green perspectives to the students but who was also influential in installing solar panels, rain water collection barrels, bio-diesel buses and an organic farm at the women’s university.
The RH2 Network, Renewable Hydrogen Network hosted a meeting and reception this evening. My interest and curiosity about renewable hydrogen was re-enforced. I asked the question about H2O (g), which is the only by-product, being a greenhouse gas and we have yet to get a factual answer on that. Other than that, RH2 seems like a great energy de-centralization tool based on renewable energies and it is certainly something I am going to continue to dive into. They spook about airplanes being fueled by hydrogen and about the research station in Prince Edward Island and Hawaii. I would love to generate discussion on this issue and welcome all comments.
GREEN JOBS FOR ALL -A community-Labour Coalitionand the Toronto and York Region Labour Council is hosting a GREEN JOBS FOR ALL conference today nov. 7th at the Allstream building.
My primary comment so far is that the conference is WELL ATTENDED !
The two first Speakers Tonika Morgan, Movement Builder and Member of Medina Collective and Peter Tabuns, MPP, Toronto Danforth were chanting the same very vague “green economy has grand potential” and I look forward to the workshop were we can actualize the grand potential.
At the workshop for Green Infrastructure Renewal it’s story time…
I am blogging real-time while I’m at this conference; so i will be highlighting the points made in the discussions and consensus building workshops and hopefully this will stimulate some thought process for you to get involved with the Labour movements’ Green Jobs for all Movement.
Infrastructure Use for Green Jobs:
—New Light Rail: Community use transit to have local employment targets met.
—Mayor’s Tower Renewal: 4 pilots are within Toronto Community Housing Corporation. (TCHC) They have already practiced local employment and green renovations. TCHC pilot has a local employment requirement, 25% Canadian content and community engagement.
—Sustainable Energy Strategy: Comprehensive energy retrofit programs and renewable energy development We recommended - research local sourcing of all materials and labours.
—Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act: now in regulations 50% local procurement for Wind. 60% local procurement for Solar PV installation
—Chemtrac: disclosing industrial use of toxic chemicals and helping polluters go green
Lets leverage these policies…
Issues to be addressed;
~Job Creation
~Identify Skills Gap
Green infrastructure Workshop
~develop a green charter to guide all our work
~Incentives; social enterprise
~Awarness, Educations and Public Transit
Empowering YOUTH Workshop
-Public School system using Volunteer hours to be skill building for youth for good green jobs
-Green Apprenticeship and Mentorships, Program accessibility and awareness
-encourage local green suppliers for school
-Implement enriched curriculum, how do we make sure our educators feel comfortable with the content enough to truly support.
-Youth holding our decisions makers accountable
-Re-investing in our local communities and neighbourhoods; ensure local apprenticeships local
-past students should come back and retrofit the school
-accountability
-public awareness and education
Green Manufacturing Jobs Workshop
- Aim at the re framing of our vision through an equity lens including discussion about infrastructure
-Education
-Advocating to government; retrofitting building, simplifying application process
-Green Transportation
-Access and outreach; multi-language campaigns making it clear that labor is for the green movement.
-Networking to ensure we are building a movement
Campaigns to be lead:
~December 12th Rally: Hitting the streets
~Pan Am Games; a great rallying point to build a global green solidarity and ensure the public transit and infrastructure is locally driven
~Municipal Election 2010; show us your position to ensure the candidates are behind a good green job strategy.
~Save Our Schools Campaign - keeping schools open if they are green
If we want local procurement and local training- we need a movement to fight for it !
1st place: Environment Minister Jim Prentice of CANADA! “for slandering the good name of the Fossils” (See the comment about Fossils in this article: http://www.canada.com/technology/Prentice+braces+mission+impossible+Copenhagen/2192140/story.html)
“Canada will not sign any deal that doesn’t force India, China and Brazil to meet negotiated targets for their greenhouse gas reductions– a demand that may well be rejected by those countries.
“These countries are responsible for 97 per cent of the growth in emissions,” he said. “Canadians don’t want us to sign on to something that obliges us to reduce emissions, but doesn’t impose obligations on principal emitters.”
So, as requested by their environment minister, we are going to BRING IT ON and give him his Fossil Award! It’s about “common but differential responsibility” Prentice- if it’s something you don’t understand then just ask.
2nd place: EU and Japan “for arguing for 8-year rather than a 5-year commitment period”, thereby locking us in to bad targets for longer and delaying the opportunity for scientific review
3rd place: Canada and Japan “for confusing the issue by supporting multiple base-years rather than just 1990.” Canada continues to try to blind the international community with this idea- we really need to get pass the trickery and start agreeing on solutions.
Supported by Anna Keenan
Fossil Awards ‘bring it’ to Canada
Environment Minister Jim Prentice issues the challenge
Barcelona, Spain, November 6, 2009: On the concluding day of the UN climate talks in Barcelona this week, Canada was named not only ‘Fossil of the Day’ but also ‘Fossil of the Week’, by the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) – a global coalition of over 450 leading non-government organisations who monitor progress at the UN talks.
The satirical award – said to be ‘as prestigious as it is dishonourable’ – is given daily at the UN talks to those nations judged to be ‘the best’ at blocking or stalling progress in the global climate negotiations.
FOSSIL OF THE DAY FOR FRIDAY, NOV 6, 2009
The first-place ‘Fossil of the Day’ award was given to Canada, for ’slandering the good name of the Fossil of the Day’.
In an interview yesterday, Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice declared : “Well, if the price of having strong, capable, tough negotiators at the table is being singled out and given ‘Fossil of the Year’ awards, then so be it. Bring it on.”
Anna Keenan with Avaaz.org, the flamenco-dressed game show-host presenter of the Barcelona ‘Fossils’, is very happy to take up the Minister’s challenge.
“’Bring on’ what exactly?” she asked. “More droughts in Western Africa and in the Canadian Prairies, more forest fires in southern Europe and in British Columbia, or more heat waves in India and in Southern Ontario? That’s what we’ll get if Canada keeps stubbornly blocking the UN climate talks.
“Canada is the single worst country in the industrialized world at these negotiations. One would think that they would show some sign of remorse for abandoning their Kyoto Protocol commitments, but no, not Canada. Not only do they refuse to tackle the massive pollution and GHG emissions arising from the Tar Sands – which is responsible for almost 50 % of the GHG increase in Canada since 1990 – but the government also has plans to increase tar-sands production 5 folds in the coming decades.”
“Canadians should start bracing themselves for climate impacts if the government that installed Jim Prentice – a dirty, tar-sands aficionado – as Environment Minister remains at the helm for too long. Remember – the next election is never too far away.”
The second-place Fossil was awarded to both the EU and Japan, for resisting a 5-year ‘commitment period’ for next set of climate targets, and pushing for 8 years instead. Many climate-vulnerable nations support the shorter period because it coincides with the 5-yearly publishing of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and allows scientific targets to be adjusted sooner rather than later if it is deemed necessary by the science.
“Eight years is a very long time in politics,” said Leon White, a young climate activist from New Zealand. “Locking in the weak targets for eight years is, quite simply, unacceptable, when we have the opportunity to review them sooner. Why block agreement on this matter when other countries agree a second 5-year commitment period is just fine?”
The third-place Fossil was awarded to both Japan (again!) and Canada, for blocking consensus on having only one base year in the Kyoto Protocol.
The Climate Action Network’s states that to make things simple, clear, and consistent, Annex 1 countries need to express their emission reduction commitments the way they now do under the Kyoto Protocol – compared to 1990 levels. Japan and Canada had proposed that multiple base-years should be used – 1990, 2000 and 2005.
“If Canada and Japan like spreadsheets so much, they should go play on Excel, not complicate what should be a straightforward commitment,” said Mr White. “Both Japan and Canada’s emissions have gone up, not down as they promised, since 1990. We won’t accept trickery with numbers.”
written by Anna Keenan
Gets You thinking :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWfb0VMCQHE
USA wins 1st place!
Named a ‘fossil’ for delaying global climate talks
Barcelona, Spain, November 5, 2009: On the penultimate day of the UN climate talks in Barcelona this week, the USA was awarded the ‘Fossil of the Day’ prize, by a vote of the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) – a global coalition of over 450 leading non-government organisations.
The satirical award – said to be ‘as prestigious as it is dishonourable’ – is given daily at the UN talks to those nations judged to be ‘the best’ at blocking or stalling progress in the global climate negotiations.
This is the second day in a row that the US – whose name regularly appears on the ‘Fossil of the Day’ leaderboard, alongside other nations such as Canada and Saudi Arabia – has received the Fossil Award.
Today’s award was given to the USA for their speculation that an international, legally binding climate agreement could be further delayed until well after the Copenhagen conference.
US Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern said in a statement before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on November 4 that an agreement could be reached: “perhaps next year or as soon as possible”.
Stern was appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in January as the Administration’s chief climate negotiator, to take the lead on crafting the US position within the UN climate negotiations.
In 2007, all UN nations agreed that a deal to address climate change, including all nations, should be negotiated and concluded at the Copenhagen climate summit this December.
“The US has been delaying for more than a decade,” said Damon Moglen from Greenpeace, “and now they’re trying to delay even further. Our climate isn’t going to wait for the US make up it’s mind. Ice-caps won’t put their melting on hold. Sea levels won’t quit rising. This further delay is truly deserving of today’s first-place Fossil.”
Stern also said, in reference to the Copenhagen talks: “We should make progress towards a political agreement that hits each of the main elements.”
A ‘political agreement’ in Copenhagen – in contrast to a legally binding and enforceable agreement - has been pushed by some nations as a possible outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.
With these two statements, Stern continued the lowering of expectations for the Copenhagen negotiations.
“We want the US to abandon its proposal for a non-binding ‘pledge and review’ type system, and instead make it clear to the world that the US will commit to a legally binding Copenhagen agreement,” said Moglen.
The satirical ‘Fossil’ awards were presented in a game-show style ceremony – complete with a presenter adorned in a bright Spanish flamenco outfit – at the conclusions of the day’s negotiations in Barcelona. The ceremony is attended by up to one hundred delegates and is describe as ‘the most fun you can have at a UN conference,’ where the dominant dress code is the grey suit.
written by Anna Keenan
Day 3 : USA is named a ‘Fossil’
at UN climate talks
Barcelona, Spain, November 4, 2009: At the halfway point of the UN climate talks in Barcelona this week, the USA was named as ‘Fossil of the Day’, with Canada coming in second, by a vote of the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) – a global coalition of over 450 leading non-government organisations. The daily award is given to those nations judged to be the ‘best’ at blocking or stalling progress in the global climate negotiation that day.
The first-place ‘Fossil Award’ was given to the USA for delaying passage of domestic climate change legislation.
The US ratified the UN’s ‘Framework Convention on Climate Change’ in 1992, promising to reduce its greenouse gases emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. But it has failed to meet this promise. The US delegation to the international negotiations now says they will follow the lead of the Congress – so the delay in climate legislation hamstrings the US delegation’s negotiating ability.
Earlier this year, when the House of Representatives pushed forward climate legislation, it seemed likely that domestic legislation would be passed before the crucial Copenhagen climate summit this December. Recent delay tactics in the US Senate – boycotts and commissioning redundant economic analysis – leave the world wondering whether the US will get it done.
“Other countries – developed and developing alike – have moved forward, committing to emission reductions and advancing prospects of a global deal,” said Sara Svensson, a youth climate activist from Sweden.
“It is time for the US Administration and for those on Capitol Hill to get the job done. Their lack of action undermines international trust in the UN negotiations and endangers the prospects of reaching a global solution to climate change.”
The second-place ‘Fossil of the Day’ award was given to Canada, completing a picture of north-American delay tactics at the UN. The award was given for the announcement of Environment Minister Jim Prentice that, for a third time in so many years, Canada was going to postpone the adoption of the regulatory framework for large polluters in Canada – until after the Copenhagen Climate Summit.
As recently as September, Minister Prentice promised a full suite of regulatory policies by Copenhagen. This additional delay prompted CAN-I to send a message to Canada: “Third strike, you’re out”.
The current Canadian commitment is to reduce it’s GHG emissions by 3% below 1990 levels by the year 2020, falling well short of it’s commitment under the Kyoto protocol. According to the UNFCCC, Canada has one of the worst emission records of all the industrialised world.
The satirical awards were presented in a game-show style ceremony – complete with a presenter adorned in a bright Spanish flamenco outfit – at the conclusions of the day’s negotiations. is described as ‘the most fun you can have at a UN conference,’ where the dominant dress code is the grey suit.
written by Anna Keenan
Canada named ‘Fossil of the Day!’ Again.
Barcelona, Spain, November 3, 2009: On the second day of the UN climate talks in Barcelona this week, Canada was named as ‘Fossil of the Day’ by a vote of the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I), as the nation to have performed ‘best’ at blocking or stalling progress in the negotiations.
Canada - a nation who regularly appears on the ‘Fossil Leaderboard’ - was awarded the first place Fossil for stating in an informal meeting that they “would not envisage loss and damage [due to climate change impacts] being addressed as part of the objectives on adaptation”. They also failed to say where they think it should be addressed instead, raising the suspicion they would prefer it to fall off the table completely.
Millions of livelihoods are threatened by the already unavoidable impacts of climate change, against which adaptation is no longer an option – such as sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion into groundwater aquifers or desertification.
“A Copenhagen agreement that does not recognise that such impacts exists and that does not includes resolute provisions to address these impacts, would mean that the extremely vulnerable people, namely those for which adaptation is not available, would be left out of the agreement,” said Antonio Hill from Oxfam International.
Second place today was a tie between the USA - the world’s historically largest emitter - and Saudi Arabia - the world’s largest oil exporter.
The United States was awarded the Fossil because of recent statements by the delegation that they do not think that compliance matters. In the view of the CAN-I, such statements by the US undermine a productive negotiating process, particularly in light of the US ‘pledge and review’ proposal. This proposal is to have a type of ’show and tell’ for each nation’s actions, in lieu of binding commitments to collective global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Saudi Arabia received the fossil, for its expression of concern in the Shared Vision contact group that they “are being asked to pay more than their fair share” in a Copenhagen climate deal.
Analysis by the International Energy Agency showed that while OPEC oil revenues over the next 20 years under a 450 ppm mitigation scenario would be lower than under a business-as-usual scenario, they would still be about four times higher than they have been over the last 20 years. Countries whose people are already suffering serious impacts from climate change may be excused for wondering who exactly is being asked to pay ‘more than their fair share’.
written by Anna Keenan Youth Climate Advocate
Opening Fossil of the Day Award
DENMARK!
Barcelona, Spain, November 2, 2009: Two Fossil of the Day Awards were presented this evening at the UN climate talks in Barcelona, to those countries who were judged - by vote of the global Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) to have performed ‘best’ at blocking progress in the negotiations.
As government delegates and observers from the negotiations looked on, young climate activists announced the winners. Much like the Oscars, the awards are kept secret until a colourful presentation ceremony, adding some life to the otherwise bureaucratic UN conference. The winners names are passed to the host in a sealed envelope before being announced before a large crowd of spectators.
1st place was awarded to Denmark - the host of the crucial Copenhagen climate summit this December. Denmark received the award for promoting the concept of a “politically binding” deal in Copenhagen as a possible alternative to a “legally binding” framework agreement.
“Instead of showing leadership, Denmark’s Prime Minister, Lars LÆkke Rasmussen is spreading confusion and insecurity,” said Tove Ryding of Danish Greenpeace. “Rasmussen is providing fuel for the many governments attempting to downplay expectations for a legally binding framework agreement coming out of Copenhagen.”
“The concept of a ‘politically binding’ deal is simply not adequate when the threat of climate change is so urgent. As the host of the Copenhagen summit, Denmark should be supporting a legally binding outcome this December, which would be the real win for our climate.”
Canada received the second-place Fossil of the Day award for its environment minister’s statement that it would be “irresponsible” for Canada to meet a -25% emission reduction target by 2020 - below the latest scientific recommendations.
The minister’s comments were in response to an economic modeling study that showed that Canada can significantly reduce emissions while maintaining healthy economic growth. The study found that real reductions would reduce Canada’s annual growth rate in the short term from 2.4 % to 2.1% annually.
Dale Marshall of the David Suzuki Foundation stated that “for the minister, apparently this is too much to invest in avoiding dangerous climate change and the economic damage that goes with it.”
“The minister was particularly worried about the economic impact on the oil industry in his home-province of Alberta, but the study actually showed that Alberta would still be the country’s fastest growing province.”
Written by Anna Keenan Youth Climate Advocate
