From sunrise to sunrise this city is saturated with warm hearts trying to stop the warming of our planet. When I witness this kind of commitment by the thousands, phew I’m speechless

The first week was “an important step-change in the negotiating process” says UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer,  appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The first week of the conference was focused on refining the complex and layered text of a draft treaty. Global scientist continue to report that without such a treaty, our planet will suffer the chain reactions of ever-rising CO2 concentrations in our atmosphere; more extreme weather events, drought, the spread of diseases, extinction of plants, animal species and entire nations due to rising sea levels. They are constantly reporting new scientific findings such as the fact that the oceans, our main CO2 sink, has dissolved so much CO2 already to increase the ocean acidity by 30% compared to 200 years ago.

This coming week we need to focus on actual and applicable longterm cooperative action and of course we need to agree on 2020 and 2050 targets. I would strongly suggest that we need to add legally binding and enforceable targets, of which is being discussed in smaller working groups. On that note, Canada’s emissions were up ~26% since Kyoto even though they signed a legally binding agreement. We need fair global enforcement to persuade compliance. Harper seems understands the need for legally binding and enforceable targets as stated in this quote “We’ve been through the exercise in the past decade or so of setting targets that were idealistic or blue sky and no one went out and actually achieved them (…) so I think modest, achievable targets – particularly in the short term – will get the planet on the right track, which will allow us to make a longer-term transition,”  but he very obviously doesn’t understand the scientific  IMMEDIACY and URGENCY of Climate Change. We have one chance to stop a soon to be un-stoppable chain of reactions, what will he say when it’s too late.

With Harper and Obama joining the negotiations near the end, hopefully we will have hammered out most of the foreplay and get into sealing real targets and plans as to how to make the targets a reality. This coming week is were Canadians have to use the power of democracy to get their leaders to actually participate and commit to the negotiations. So far, Canada is following the US like a lost puppy. Harper states “We may make some minor adjustments, but that (the US’s target) will essentially be our target. We believe it is essential, given the integration of our two economies, that our targets remain in line,”  The Conservative climate strategy is to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020 using a 2006 baseline year. The rest of the world uses the Kyoto 1990 baseline year.

FYI: Of course Canada won the Fossil of the Day Award of Friday, but surprise surprise; David Miller was their to receive the awards. Reported by the fossiloftheday.com “Canada’s Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, said yesterday that, quote, “it’s in Canada’s interests to replace the Kyoto Protocol with a new agreement.” He didn’t explain whether that’s because he’s scared to face Kyoto’s compliance committee

It also appears that Canada’s environment minister is suffering a serious case of CAN envy. Yesterday, he invented his own prize, the Hot Air of the Day Award, and tried to give it to a Canadian environmental group. It’s a true honor to be recognized for hot air by this government, the world’s acknowledged masters in that area. But even though imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we’d be even more flattered if you actually signed on to a fair, ambitious, and binding deal instead of trying to wriggle free of the climate promises you’ve already made and broken.”

Beyond setting targets, we have made some progress towards mobilizing short-term and long-term financial support. It is hopeful to think that Canada will follow a great example set by Europe to commit 2.4 billion euros per year for three years as part of their short-term financial assistance to Climate Change. We have also been faced with expected challenges; finger pointing by China and the US; the US doesn’t see China as part of the developing nations although they are clumped in that category. US announces that America does not “owe” anything to the world from their historical contribution to climate change and there will be no financial assistance to China. These type of conflicts are reasonable and need to be discussed and met with progress.

This week-end will bring parades ”The change we need in society can be seen as the change from a march to a parade.” A large vigil in concert with thousands of vigils around the world on Saturday. I also get to see Archbishop Desmund Tutu for the second time (first time was in New York at the Millennium Development Goals Awards Ceremony) and many elected Green Party officials (good friends from the Federation of the Greens of the Americas and the Global Green Conference in 2007) from around the world during the Global Green Discussion Forums.

Wish you were here to feel the warmth.