It is very easy to be critical, particularly since Canada won the annual Colossal Fossil for obstructing progress within the UNFCCC process… it is our moral and ethical obligation, as Canadians, to ensure we move towards a sustainable future with the rest of the world.
What we, Canadian’s, need to do is change our government’s position on Climate Change before COP 17, where in South Africa many nations will come to the table with great progress and established means of contribution. If only the Canadian government could share the same drive as Quatar with their R&D efforts for aviation sustainability, or share progress with Norway with their global forest conservation through the REDD+ program, or at least find common grounds with the European Union on Kyoto.
We are blessed to have been born in a country where we can run for politics and not get kidnapped by the farc like in Columbia, I’m living proof ;) But, we are at a point were we all have to get political! Teachers, engineers, doctors, journalist, everyone has to get political before COP 17 - so that Canada can positively contribute as a team player in our global survival. Sure, Canada might have warmer days- but there will be environmental refugees and food/water security issues that go beyond our personal comforts and are we really that selfish to begin with?
Lastly, I would agree with Sir Nicholas Stern and conclude that the green revolution is an incredible opportunity. We, as a nation, are risking getting left behind. He told me himself, we have a lot of catch-up work to do… let’s do it before COP 17 in South Africa.
The negotiations went all night until 7 am the last day of the conference and my recovery period (in a tepee) took longer than I had expected… but here is a final Cancún Agreement blog. Note, the secretariat continues to work and has promised to work tirelessly until South Africa COP 17.
Today Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) says ”Nations must follow up their successful UN Climate Change Conference in Cancún with higher global emission cuts and the rapid launch of new institutions and funds to show the world that a new era of international cooperation on climate change is an established fact. Cancún was a big step, bigger than many imagined might be possible. But the time has come for all of us to exceed our own expectations because nothing less will do.”
A strong basis for the largest mitigation effort the world has ever seen as well as a comprehensive system of mutual accountability towards these goals was established in Cancún. The Cancún Agreements call for countries to list under UNFCCC the emission reduction targets and actions which they announced in 2010. What’s disappointing is if all these targets and actions are fully implemented, the UN estimates show it will only reduce 60% of the emission needed to stay below the 2 degrees rise in global temperatures. On top of that the two degrees does not guarantee the survival of the most vulnerable peoples.
We can also talk money- even though Evo Morales would hate this…
The Cancún Agreements have developed nations contributing (between 2010-2012) 30 billion of fast-start finance. This is independent of the long-term finance programme of 100 billion a year by 2020. The Green Fund finance programme establishes a climate finance institution for the first time under the oversight of the Parties to the climate change Convention & with a 24-member board (of course balances representation between developed and developing nations).
We can be always be more critical, and nothing is ever perfect… but we are moving forward and our job as Canadians is to make sure Canada moves with the rest of the world.
Elizabeth May has infiltrated the conference with clear and creative ways in which Canada should and could move forward. She is admired and loved with every question asked and comment she shared on the international stage. She sat with the Canadian Youth delegation around the pool side, followed by breakfast with the Green Parliamentary leaders in Europe, Mexico and Brazil. She speaks to Canadian in a language we understand “ The difference between the Kyoto agreement and the Copenhagen accord is comparable to getting married or sending a Halmark card that says “I Love You”. John Baird wants to send the world a Halmark card”. In the picture Elizabeth accompanies a very powerful women leader Marina Silva, native Amazonian, successful Politician and environmentalist in Brazil and other Green Party members internationally. The world will continue to boycott North American products if we continue to lie as we did today (about having Coal regulations) and impede the negotiations with distractions. Our team really needs to negotiate with honesty and integrity… and sure a bit of love.
H.E. Ban Ki-moon also express support for the Green Fund (which he is doing in the picture), which seems to be a possible success in Cancun, particularly since the President of Mexico is the back bone. The Green Fund has many options for capital investments; they include developed country donations, fuel subsidies to be transferred to the green fund, carbon auctioning and more. Fuel subsidies are a big topic amongst civil society whom persistently reminds the negotiators how much money they are donating to progress climate change.
CANADA: John Baird arrives and Jean Charest leaves saying Climate Change better be a major issue in the next federal election. Quebec’s emissions had dropped 1.2 per cent below 1990 levels (review done in 2008) all the while the rest of Canada’s emission grew like cancer.
Opening remarks by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
When I became Secretary-General, I made climate change one of my top
priorities. The reason is simple.
Climate change affects everything the UN does – peace and security,
development, and human rights.
We cannot sustain gains toward our Millennium Development Goals… or
preserve the ecosystems that sustain us … we cannot ensure safety and
stability for the poor and vulnerable … without progress on climate change.
But let us not think just of the risks, or how we are gambling with our
future. Climate change also presents compelling opportunities.
For cleaner air … better public health … short-term economic recovery and
long-term growth … new jobs in the green industries that will power the
global economy.
In just four decades, there will be nearly nine billion people on our
planet.
How will we meet the needs of nine billion people while at the same time
reducing emissions by 50 per cent or more, as scientists tell us we must?
We need to fundamentally transform the global economy — based on
low-carbon, clean energy resources.
We need to invest trillions of dollars in better energy infrastructure,
starting today.
The longer we delay, the more we will lose — economically …
environmentally … and in human lives.
Some important decisions are ripe for adoption: on protecting forests,
which account for 17 per cent of global emissions … on climate adaptation
…. technology … and some elements of finance.
We also need to see progress on the challenging issues of mitigation,
transparency and accountability, and additional clarity on the future of
the Kyoto Protocol.
Let me say a word on climate change financing. First on fast-start
finance.
In Copenhagen, developed nations made political commitments to provide
developing countries with $30 billion dollars for the period from 2010 to
2012 for adaptation and mitigation.
So far, pledges have been encouraging, and are approaching the target of 30
billion dollars.
However, we need to make progress on the actual delivery of funds, along
with a transparent and robust accountability system.
We can also advance the discussion on long-term financing. In Copenhagen
developed countries agreed to pursue $100 billion annually by 2020.
In order to advance this agenda, I convened a very distinguished group of
eminent personalities to develop the thinking further. The group, led by
Prime Ministers Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Stoltenberg of Norway – who
are here with us in Cancun — concluded that $100 billion annually will be
challenging but feasible, and presented a range of options for how it could
be achieved.
The range of options have been introduced to the Parties here in Cancun and
it is now up to them to build on these in the negotiations.
This is not a sprint, but a marathon.
It is important to keep taking determined steps forward.
People around the world are watching. They need their governments to act
in their best long-term interests.
Also:
Our Oceans are 30% more acidic, however we have yet to see serious discussion during the UNFCCC process- Ocean acidification really is ‘man made climate change’s’ twin sister, the science is strong. We are collapsing our entire ecosystem- I’m so scared.
“Canada has a long way to come.” Sir Nicholas Stern
Sir Nicholas Stern, author of the stern report: a direct translation of ecology to economy clearly emphasizing the need for nations to understand the opportunity that is the industrial green revolution. Like in all industrial revolutions there are challenges in change - but the opportunity is unparalleled. Building a society on efficiency, smart engineering and resource management is prosperous and ‘business as usual’ is absolutely costly. We have heard from farmers, scientist, civil society and Darryl Hannah how the world cannot wait to embrace this opportunity. How can Canada not see the financial gain in a green economy? When jobs are shipping out to China day- by day, Canada truly needs to recognize that we have the academic infrastructure to be innovative and creative leaders in the green revolution. Developing and small island nations are distracted with surviving the changes in climate, they are distracted with adaption. It is our responsibility as nations whom have caused the problem and whom will be affected least to do our research, establish our pilot project, launch new ideas, develop the green economy and share that technology. We are global citizens- no matter how much you travel or even how much you understand- by living your life you are contributing to a global society.
So far, we have international mass boycotting of North American products -a nice kick in the butt from our international friends.
Canada also seems to be siding with Japan as the “anti-Kyoto” losers. Recognizing that without a post Kyoto commitment, the framework that we have been working on is ‘null’ - we have been setting up measuring systems, funding and deliverance agencies, capacity building programs, implementation teams, technology sharing processes, forest management protocols and endless ways to guide nations and international relations through the steps to a greener future. We need positive discussion regarding the post 2012 Kyoto commitments and Canada needs to recognize it’s role in making progress on man made climate change.
Shouldn’t we be building our legacy ?
The government of Norway, for example, has already pledged 1 000 million and contributed greatly to the REDD+(Forest) programs in Brazil, Indonesia and DR Congo managed by the UNEP. Canada has developed their tar sands.
Also, danced a bit with my new favorite person Christiana Figueres on Saturday night and I found my dear friends Adam, Mika and Krista at the NGO party. I may or may not have also crowd surfed for the first time in my life ! I was the only one who did it, (and I’m sure it was terribly unprofessional) but I felt like I was flying and I totally believe that: if you have the opportunity to fly carbon free, you should always take it- right ? RIGHT ! (link)
AWESOME : I just learnt that directional solar power is more sustainable for mass energy production than solar panels. I have always struggled with solar panels in that they have a life cycle of only 20 yrs and require such energy and silicon to create – but directional solar is more on the passive solar design scale- of which I am an ABSOLUTE FAN. Rather product, maintenance and consumption … I would prefer being smart. Throw some mirrors in the desert, direct them to a pot of water (salt or fresh); water boils, steam spins our turbines, kinetic energy to AC/DC et voila – I read a study that directional solar gets expensive through the cost of steal, but with smart basic engineering design we can accommodate by using bamboo for structure and god- we can sure get creative.
On a side note; this week will get loud
We have reached our first consensus at COP 16 !
Surprise surprise we are moving forward together. Our first success was lead by the Dominican Republic, acting as coordinator of the G77 group +China.
The European Union, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the “Umbrella Group” compromising Canada, Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Norway, Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States have unanimously agreed to Article 6 “Education, training and awareness of the public about climate change”. Lucky number 6 speaks of the promotion of the participation of young people and all the major groups in the processes of climate change, the development of national and regional projects of Article 6, national strategies as well as the promotion of formal, non formal and informal education. The proposal is ready now to be adopted by COP 16.
photos taken by yours truly from the Brazilian Diversity Display
Since today was Youth and Future Generation day I want to highlight my strong women friends from Africa - this is a picture of their first experience with sushi (Jennifer almost made the wasabi mistake).
And here we have Jennifer Dube Zimbabwe, Me, Jose Ricardo Enchilada Ramirez, Yanel Venado Jimenez Indegenous from Panama and Anyaka Ugochi Nigeria all looking so United Nations…
I spent most of the day in workshops and then with the World Bank… more blogging to come about that.
Cancun CAN! Now that I have shared time with the Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres I am convinced that Cancun will accomplish big goals.
In her opening ceremony she spook of Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of the moon and of reason, creativity and weaving. Whether you can grasp the grandeur of these negotiations or not, you would have to comprehend that we are here in Cancun cooking from scratch – and that always takes absolute creativity. There are no precedents to follow and the entire world, all 192 nations and cultures are sitting at the dinner table hungry as hell !
Because we are literally inventing a way to save the world we have to be careful, accountable, transparent and fair. With that we are reminded of the Spanish proverb “perfection is the enemy of good” and in Copenhagen we hoped for a perfect agreement and we aimed too high too fast. We aren’t just establishing targets here like we had in Kyoto, with the framework convention we are designing a way to get there together. To understand it- stick to your cook book; we are at a stage in Cancun where we are to agree on MRV (Measuring, reporting and verification), even India and China publically announced their supported in recent days. So we are creating the idea of measuring 2 teaspoons, 3 cups and 4 liters of sugar, in the form of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have created ways to measure, report and verify GG emissions across the globe – with that base we can clearly move forward. This step is dramatically important in a world where corruption and government volatility is just as real as climate change. Before we agree to other aspects such as the Green Fund of 100 billion dollars, we need to have trusted ways to measure who needs the funding, who should provide the capital and how the finances will change with over time. The overall objective is to create a sense of collective ownership, where all countries contribute to the MRVs and green fund, with common but differentiated responsibility based on emissions, GDP, etc. (Beware that the green fund may collapse with inadequate revenues if nations are not held accountable with enforcement- I’m right now sitting with the World Bank finding way to truly create new politics on how to be accountable with the funds. )
p.s. I love you
