Singing, dancing and lack of decision at COP17 Climate Change Summit
By Ian Sullivan of Oxfam
So the first week of #COP17, Durban Climate Change Summit is done. There has been energy and vibrancy outside the meeting rooms to focus our leaders on taking the action necessary to safeguard the future of our planet.
Outside the centre there has been a range of workshops, conferences and a lot of energy calling for new approaches to tackling climate change and supporting those affected. I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the Rural Women’s Assembly. It had a fairly standard set up but it wasn’t a run of the mill meeting.
The women arrived with what you might describe as a splash. They sung, they danced and they cheered their way into the tent. Speeches were interrupted and the speakers adopted the mantle “if you can’t beat them join them”, as the room erupted into a carnival with every new arrival. There were a fair few parties as the five hundred women arrived. These women are at the forefront of climate change. A warming planet and increased extreme weather will hit them hard.
Inside the conference centre there has been a mixture of stalling, prevarication and business taking place, as talks about emissions cuts and climate funds rumble along. In amongst the rounds of “thank yous” that constitutes diplomatic speak, there has been very little on how emissions will be slashed, or how the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be paid for. My head’s been spinning at times.
After the Oxfam opening stunt of a dinner party, without food, we were back out in force to help keep the conference delegates cool. As the hot Durban sun beat down we kindly handed out fans - so they couldn’t use the heat as an excuse for not thinking clearly about the decisions that they need to make. The fans also had a clear statement about the need to fill the GCF, with a contribution from a small charge on shipping emissions. The fans have been popping up all around the conference centre and even caused a stir in the meeting rooms.
On Friday we greeted delegates as they entered the negotiating centre. This time with a strong message about the need to make sure that support for women, in particular women farmers remains at the heart of the GCF. This money is vital to help developing countries adapt to the effects of a changing climate.
The delegates need to take on board the energy and dynamism that the Rural Women’s Association showed, as they approach the final critical stages of COP17.
Follow #COP17 on with Oxfam on Twitter
Over the two weeks of COP17, The Daily Durban provides a resource guide as well as a collaboration of writers and social media teams to provide 24x7 coverage of live events, news, side events, videos and radio shows from the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban, South Africa.
Contributing content for coverage of COP17 @ Kos are Kelly Rigg (GCCA); Franke James (Canadian enviroartist); Janet Redman, (Institute for Policy Studies); Bill McKibben (350.org); Nichole Ghio (Sierra Club); Polly Higggs (environmental attorney and ecocide mock trial author); and Victor Menotti (International Forum on Globalization).
eCOP is also sharing content from the People's Conference C17 and Occupy COP17.
Cartoon credit - Climate Progress
COVERAGE @ KOS
Monday 12/5 : Bill McKibben : The Most Important News Story of the Day/Millennium
Tuesday 12/6 : Nicole Ghio : Report from Durban - The Sierra Club at the Climate Change Conference
Wednesday: Ian Sullivan: Oxfam
Thursday: Victor Menotti (IFG), FishOutOfWater
Friday: Wrap
Sunday 11/27: Kelly Rigg : GCCA. Darwin Comes to Durban: Overcoming "Survival of the Fittest" Mentality at UN Climate Talks
Monday 11/28 Morning (Durban Time): Franke James
eCOP: Why would Canada censor artist, Franke James? See “Banned on the Hill”
Monday 11/28: WarrenS : Drowning Songs, Drying Songs, Dying Songs,
beach-babe-in-fl: Macca's Meatless Monday...Come Together in Durban
Tuesday 11/29: citisven : eCOP: HOT STUFF! From Durban to Rio - Introducing International Ecocity Framework & Standards
Sierra Club International: Durban's Dirty Energy Week
enviro writer : eCOP: Building US Leadership from the Inside
Wednesday 11/30: Janet Redman : Institute for Policy Studies: 1000 Durbans: Occupy the COP!
Thursday 12/1: FishOutofWater : Arctic Enters a New State
Throughout the talks, Daily Kos Eco writers are also re-posting relevant diaries at The Durban Daily.
Earthship Week One
Earthship Intro
|
|
7:36 PM PT (boatsie): Watch live video from OneClimate on www.justin.tv
7:37 PM PT (boatsie): above video is recap of Tuesdays develpoments
9:01 PM PT (boatsie): http://pwccc.wordpress.com/...
9:02 PM PT (boatsie): above link to negotiating document and problems with text as of early morning Durban time 12/7
10:42 PM PT (boatsie): India dampens Europe's hopes of a new climate change agreement
India's environment minister reiterated her challenge to rich countries to ratify second commitment period of Kyoto protocol
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...
10:42 PM PT (boatsie): COP17 documents all on @adoptnegotiator: #UNFCCC Daily Program, ENB & CAN Eco http://t.co/...
10:43 PM PT (boatsie): @BusinessDayDigi: Ban Ki-moon says securing a deal will be a challenge #COP17 http://t.co/...
10:45 PM PT (boatsie): #UNFCCC’s daily schedule for December 7th at the UN Climate Change Conference in #Durban bit.ly/vBe61F #COP17
18 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
10:47 PM PT (boatsie): Earth Negotiations Bulletin Issue COP17 #8
http://adoptanegotiator.org/...
10:49 PM PT (boatsie): Future of the planet is at stake – Ban Ki-moon
http://www.independent.co.ug/...
11:00 PM PT (boatsie): watch live http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/...