7 a.m. Sunday December 11^th 2011

To quote a good friend Christiana Figueres, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, “This conference is like a duck in a pond. On the surface, the duck seems calm and boring, but underwater her little feet are kicking like crazy.”

In the past, especially at COP15 in Copenhagen, we witnessed huge expectations fizzle out with minimal effect. By contrast at COP16 in Cancun, there was surprising progress amidst abysmal expectations. This year, the recognition by the global community of the truly intimidating challenge we face has led the COP17 negotiations to develop what Ms. Figueres calls an equitable “global business plan”, to put humanity on a sustainable trajectory. The big question is “will it be enough and will it happen in time?”

In past years, we’ve learned from our attempts at climate mitigation and adaptation, and have become more holistic as we recognize climate change is also about food security, water security, and poverty alleviation. As a result, we’ve made strides toward international co-operation as our common understanding of our collective challenge grows. But in the face of a rapidly approaching deadline for extending the Kyoto Protocol, news that the Earth’s surface will warm faster than expected, and a shrinking four-year window to act before risking irreversible climatic change for our planet, all eyes were on COP17 to finally present a tangible, viable solution.

Canada and many other nations came to Durban with a hard-line approach, refusing to participate in the second commitment period for Kyoto (37 developed countries) unless there was an additional agreement that includes all major emitters, developed and developing, especially India, China, and Brazil. That was accomplished today, as Connie Hedegaard, the European Commissioner for Climate Action said, “we will now get a system that reflects the reality of today’s mutually interdependent world. And as we are interdependent, what we promise to do must have the same legal weight”. The problem is that we wont get that comprehensive system until 2020. By then, it may already be too late.

Called the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action: the new protocol is a framework for an additional legally binding agreement applicable to 195 countries, the details to be negotiated by 2015 and ratified and made effective by 2020. The Polish Minister of Environment, Marcin Korolec, whose country currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, said “This is a moment comparable only to, if not surpassing, the success of COP1 from 1995, when the Berlin Mandate was established, which led to the creation and adoption of the only legally binding international agreement to combat climate change – the Kyoto Protocol. Today, we adopted a Durban Platform, which will lead us to a legally binding agreement being completed by the year 2015 to engage all parties. A lot of hard work has gone to achieve this.”

On the positive front, the Durban Platform makes the Green Climate Fund (GCF) operational by agreeing on its design and management, to a new technology mechanism, as well as adaptation committees for the distribution of the Fund’s annual $100-billion budget, effective by 2020. The GCF’s purpose is to help countries deal with the negative effects of climate change, especially the poorer countries of the Global South, and for its part, Canada pledged $1.2 billion over three years to support meaningful mitigation efforts in developing countries.

But at the same time the Kyoto Protocol is losing support. Peter Kent, our Minister of Environment says, “Canada has been clear that we would not undertake a second Kyoto commitment period. Nor will we devote scarce dollars to capitalize the new Green Climate Fund - part of the Durban agreement - until all major emitters accept legally binding reduction targets and transparent accounting of greenhouse gas inventory.” Despite Canada’s position, the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is set to start on January 1^st 2013. Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, says this “will increase certainty for the carbon market and provides additional incentives for new investments in technology and the infrastructure necessary to fight climate change.” But this will only achieve its full potential if it enjoys widespread support.

Though one can view the Durban Platform as a foundation for a future legislative victory, it’s easy to criticize and say that COP17 fell short of what science and civil society hoped for from a conference hosted in South Africa (climate-justice tweeting that COP 17 succumbs to Climate Apartheid). What was agreed upon were only the principles upon which future negotiations will be based. But there was no commitment to how far and fast countries should be cutting their CO2 emissions, something that we’d hoped for back in Bali at COP13. Those targets still must be negotiated by 2015 and ratified by 2020.

How then do we arrive at an agreement, applicable to all, when some countries like Canada have a high living standard based upon a large carbon footprint that has already contributed greatly to climate change, while other countries like India, China and Brazil who emit far less per capita, are seeking to satisfy the aspirations of their citizens for a better quality of life? And how do we do so in the midst of a global economic recession when traditionally economic growth has been carbon-based economics and now, almost overnight, it must mean something else if we are to avoid all-out climate catastrophe?

The answers to this are not easy. But it is worth noting that the entire world, led by a last-minute deal between the EU and India, at least to finally greed to pursue a common path, despite our 195 nations each coming from very different places.

“While it is clear that these deadlines must be met, countries, citizens and businesses who have been behind the rising global wave of climate action can now push ahead confidently, knowing that Durban has lit up a broader highway to a low-emission, climate resilient future,” said Ms. Figueres, to whom I gave my sandals to in order to give her feet a break from wearing heals. I ended by walking home barefoot like the many do everyday on this continent.

In Africa, they say Ubuntu is the spirit of knowing “I am because you are”. Heaven knows I’m tired and disappointed. The last three nights ended at 1a.m., 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., respectively, and it’s not clear whether these negotiations will lead us to the future we need. But if they do, it will be from recognition of the spirit of Ubuntu. May that spirit continue to shine and guide us.

We graduated from Kyoto (37 developed countries) to a legally binding agreement of all 194 countries; to be ratified in 2015, implemented in 2020. Agreed to the Green Climate Fund and a new climate change regime which redefines our consumption patterns and development.

It’s easy to criticize & say it’s not enough. But, in my eyes, it is worth celebrating the fact that the entire world agreed to reduce emissions (incl China, India…) and create avenues to do so in a balanced way…. we are progressing as global citizens at the very least

Heavens know I’m tired, disappointed and beat - but there is nothing if there isn’t the spirit of Umbutu. In Africa, they say Umbutu is the spirit of knowing “I am because you are”

Alongside the 80% of women who tend the lands of Africa struggling in the face of climate change, we will keep trying.

The first 6 months of 2012 the secretariat is open for ideas and I just may go catch a surf to see what I can come up with…

Chatting with Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), last night I ended up walking home around midnight barefoot- I gave her my south african sandals to give her feet a break from the heels.

soul to soul

It is something.

It is really something so special to be alive at this time of our planet’s history.

President Zuma of South Africa reminded us tonight that, at no other time in the history of our planet, in the history of woman- and man-kind, has the entire planet agreed on a single issue.

Every nation representing all of the populations of the world agree that we should come together to stop climate change and look after our mutual home. We agree on the what, climate change; now we must agree on the how, a comprehensive policy mechanism. We really are working as a global family in the face of a very serious threat. There is a constant reminder that the women in the world will look after mankind, as they do their very own children, protecting tomorrow today.

I actually witnessed Peter Kent’s lips say “Canadians are proud of the Tar Sands” and then corrected himself to say we Canadians call it the oil sands! This was followed by a question noting NASA’s report on the oil sands concluding in a statement “if the oil sands continue, it will be game over for the climate”. Mr. Kent continued to preach it’s sustainable practices in the oil industry (not sure? but? I think it’s the $1.4 billion dollars a year in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry?) and then avoided the question by focusing on the $1.2 billion dollars Fast-Start Financing Canada is comiting to help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions (most of which are loans to developing countries under the same foreign aid money we have been contributing since forever)

Canada, like the US, Japan and Russia are also adamant about not signing a second commitment period for Kyoto even with the EU’s strong leadership and persuasive attempts. They want an agreement that includes all the worlds biggest emitters (ie china, brazil)– it’s fair to say they should be included in a climate agreement and Canada could/should lead that discussion– but we must first agree to a post 2012 Kyoto so that exact discussion is enabled.

It’s so important that we don’t have a gap and Kyoto (although not entirely successful yet contribution-al none-the-less) needs to secure a second commitment period so to continue the Global Business Plan to reduce Climate Change.

C. Figueres clearly states that the Business Plan is now on a triple bottom line model; mitigation, adaptation and poverty alleviation. Much discussion is towards reducing poverty by developing green renewable energy and resources- an immediate win/win situation.

If I ask Peter Kent the following question tomorrow

“Recognizing your current stance on Kyoto- if that exact notion is disabling the entire global progress- what would you need to see from your Canadian voters to encourage you to ratify a post 2012 Kyoto protocol, so to allow the multi-lateral negotiation process for climate change to continue?”

Would and could we answer his call before the end of the summit on the 9th of december????

Harper. Listen to your people. Not polluters.

Doing a massive March for the Climate… will write an very exciting blog right after…

FRIDAY was GOOD…

so much to write, not enough time.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=160299

Since 1999 countries have been watched with a very critical eye and those that perform badly during the negotiations are showcased by a “Fossil of the day award”.

Canada has had a terrible history.

 Canada’s Environment Minister, Peter Kent, stated yesterday that the fossils awarded to Canada this week came from the ‘uninformed’ and the ‘ideologically driven’. Yet, from the perspective of people on the frontlines of global climate change, it would seem that Kent is one of the most ‘uninformed’ Environment Ministers in the world. Rather than acknowledge its historical responsibility for climate change and work with other nations towards finding solutions, Canada seems to be ideologically driven to put polluters before people and profit before a healthy planet. When Canada’s fossils were announced in the House of Commons, a round of applause broke out. What is so funny?

If Peter Kent were in Durban right now, he would know that no one is laughing here. In fact, other countries are condemning Canada for negotiating.

Canada is leaving the world no choice but to leave them behind here in Durban

So I finally got settled in Durban, South Africa- got the right adapter and a pillow. The conference usually takes about a week to get sorted and so here we are Thursday night following the one women who can clearly outline our progress and especially our hopes. Christiana Figueres, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, is by far my fav female global leader. She takes this intimidating multi-lateral process with ad-hoc working groups, side negotiations and all these acronyms only to clearly outline what we are all doing here in Durban for the 17th annual meeting. (Because, we all know our survival is at risk - most of us know that we have to plant more trees & eat more local produce… but these negotiations take this global problem in it’s entirety and dissect it. These negotiations put the problem into perspective, then open up to the many avenues of solutions. We try to form cohesive global plans to stop climate change and help those who are being punished for a wrong doing done by their neighbors.) Mrs. Figueres calls for 2 clear steps to be taken here in South Africa.

1. Completing a comprehensive package to help developing countries adapt to climate change & to limit the growth of their greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Technology Mechanism and the Adaptation Committee agreed in Cancun can
be completed here in Durban so that they can begin benefitting people in
2012,” Ms. Figueres said. “And in Durban, the first phase of the design of
the Green Climate Fund can be approved, as a major step on the road towards
better supported climate action,” she stated.

Governments can also ramp up funding towards the 100 billion USD of long-term climate finance they have already agreed to provide by 2020 and need to work out the “what” and the “how” for a  review agreed in Cancun that will assess the adequacy of a below 2 degrees Celsius temperature limit, including in relation to 1.5 degrees Celcius.

2. An Outline as to how governments will work together to achieve their common goal of limiting the global temperature rise to a level which will prevent the worst ravages of climate change.

“This means, as a central task for Durban, answering the very important
question of the future of the Kyoto Protocol. At the same time, governments
will need to agree on how they want to pursue a broader framework to reduce
greenhouse gases under the Climate Change Convention,” Ms. Figueres said.