Copenhagen Climate Negotiations Blog

Watch out leaders, here we come!

brinkleyhutchings — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:05:59 +0000

As the days have passed and I have had more time to process my thoughts, I am not feeling so down. I’m actually not feeling down at all. I am more fired up than ever. Watch out, world leaders! Here we come! I have turned my frustration, anger, and sadness into proactive action. I am not really sure how that happened, but I’m sure glad it did. I realize there is so much we can do. Our system won’t change and our government won’t listen until we force real change and progress. Stick with me, everyone! Don’t give up. This will be a long fight. If we want to see real change, it’s up to us to make it happen. Although I had trouble getting my voice through in Copenhagen, I realize I can be a lot louder here in Wilmington, NC. with the help of the fantastic student group I work with (UNCW ECO-check out our website www.uncweco.com) and my community. I am so pumped for this semester. There are going to be some big things happening this year. 50 state marches or sit-ins are a definite possibility. We are going to be louder and bolder than ever this year. If you haven’t already found some way to get involved in this climate movement, please do. We need everyone’s participation to win this one. If you want advice on how to get involved and be an effective clean energy advocate, please email us at uncweco@gmail.com. We’ll hook you up!

Reflections

brinkleyhutchings — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:12:37 +0000

I have been waiting to write this blog until I had my thoughts together about the conference. For the last day of the conference and the few days after, I really wasn’t feeling up to writing. I wasn’t ready for the flood of tears that was built up, waiting for any moment to be released. To tell you the truth, I was kind of a wreck after the conference. When I thought about what our leaders (I don’t want to call them leaders. what do we call them?) didn’t accomplish at the talks, I felt a major sinking feeling and tears of frustration filled my eyes in all conversations requiring my reflection of the outcome of the COP. How much longer are they going to piddle around with our future? How dare they allow dirty energy to take precedence over the world’s people? We do not have the time to wait any longer! We have been working our tails off in the States to make sure President Obama knew what he needed to do in Copenhagen. When will President Obama deliver?

I had high hopes when thinking of him taking leadership at the COP. But when I witnessed his final press conference, I squirmed in my seat and some of my friend’s had to leave the room because they couldn’t stand to watch. It was President Obama’s weakest moment that I have seen. He fumbled with question answers, he sounded very unsure of himself, and he avoided answering questions about how he is going to make climate change solutions a priority in the next year. President Obama did not do his job in Copenhagen. He chose to take the middle ground and that is utterly unacceptable. I sometimes wonder if he realizes his own power and influence. Does he know that he can personally change the world?

World leaders are trying to trick us into thinking this is complicated, it’s too expensive….Blah, Blah, Blah. Make it happen! We, in the U.S., have the money and technology to lead the world in renewable energy technology and innovation. When will our government break free from the fossil fuel industry complex’s stranglehold and leap on board with the rest of the world? Climate change is a far bigger issue than any political complications.

Our job is to not be fooled by political games, but to force our leaders to act.

There is obviously not enough political pressure right now. We must step it up! We must escalate. We must be louder and bolder than ever. Because we are not going to accept “No” for an answer.

Inspired

brinkleyhutchings — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:13:23 +0000

I have spent today around activists who are still going strong. They have been happy, laughing & dancing, despite the decisions being made today. Being around their persistence and readiness to continue the fight until it’s won has been uplifting and inspirational. I know I will stay in this battle until it’s won as well. It has just been difficult for me to pull back and see the scope of our movement while being so immersed in the conference here in Copenhagen. I know we are still moving forward and making progress, even though we are moving slower than we would like. And we will keep pushing on our world leaders until they meet our demands. We will reach our goal of real climate solutions and we will do it together. We are part of an absolutely amazing and incredible network of people in such a significant international movement.

Severe Disappointment in Obama

brinkleyhutchings — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:52:23 +0000

I am severely disappointed in President Obama’s lack of leadership here. He just gave his first speech to the plenary. The U.S. is still only committing to a lousy 4% emission reductions from 1990 levels by 2020 (the science calls for 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020). I was hoping President Obama would bring news today that he is pushing the U.S. commitment to higher levels. Why isn’t he showing leadership on this issue?

If I were President Obama, I would be extremely ashamed to bring such a low level of ambition to these negotiations.

Hopes for Tomorrow

brinkleyhutchings — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:10:12 +0000

I was just asked if I still have hope for tomorrow. Definitely. Yes.

There is a lot of talk saying President Obama and all the other heads of state would not be attending these negotiations if it were not to decide on something big.

Also, Obama is supposed to have some new updates for U.S. commitments…..

Can he do it? Yes, HE MUST!

brinkleyhutchings — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:44:37 +0000

We are entering the last days of the negotiations. My emotions have been all over the place. Will our leaders agree to a FAB deal (fair, ambitious, & binding) here?

One thing I know for sure is that we, as activists in the environmental movement, have done our part. It is time for our leaders to do theirs. If they come out of Copenhagen with a poor deal, they will know they have failed us.

If you haven’t called President Obama’s administration yet, PLEASE DO! We must create even more pressure within the next few days!

Call information here: http://members.greenpeace.org/survey/start/234/

My Lifetime

brinkleyhutchings — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:34:52 +0000

So, as you may have gathered from reading some of my earlier posts, I have been really frustrated over the feeling that our world leaders aren’t listening to us. They have the money and the power to ensure our survival, yet they are floundering around with a treaty whose terms will define our future.

I know that I am closed in a bubble here. It’s hard to see what I am doing and how I am influencing the leaders here, but I know that mass mobilizations happening around the world are most definitely having an impact. I am not giving up hope. When I’m here, and it’s just frustrating when my voice gets obviously muffled and I, personally, am not allowed to speak in US Department Briefings, to delegates, etc.

We cannot wait another year until the next negotiations! We must keep up the pressure and demand that our leaders sign onto a fair, ambitious, and binding deal this week!

I can tell by my interactions with some people that they think I am radical. This is a new experience for me, and it’s interesting. Being here & conversing with people from other countries that are being hit harder by climate change has made climate change so tangible. And being able to go into the building (well, not anymore) where decisions are being made deciding my future makes me stir-crazy and even more passionate about this issue. We must have strong demands of our leaders here. Why am I a radical for setting high goals and pushing our leaders to reach them? Why am I a radical for wanting to leave a better earth for future generations? The truth is that we don’t have time to talk about mediocre emissions reductions!

I am so frustrated at the thought of our leaders impeding progress towards solutions. I am already seeing the effects of climate change in my lifetime. MY LIFETIME! Is it already too late to change our direction?!? Why didn’t we address it earlier? It scares me that the worse effects would be seen by my child. So soon! I want more than anything to be able to experience raising a child. And it makes me really sad to think of bringing a child into this world.

Youth Sit-Ins

brinkleyhutchings — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:05:24 +0000

There is a youth sit-in right now in the Bella Center. They have pledged to stay put until a fair, ambitious, and legally binding treaty has been reached. GO YOUTH!!

Pres. Obama can singlehandedly change the world

brinkleyhutchings — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:09:34 +0000

I learned this exciting information the other day after a meeting with a member of the Greenpeace Political Team:

President Obama has the legal authority to sign onto an international treaty without waiting for Congress. We do not have to have the treaty ratified by our Congress. I know it sounds unbelievable, but our country is indeed in a unique position. Our President can also implement the terms of the treaty through the Clean Air Act and the EPA’s new “endangerment finding” (EPA now says CO2 is a health hazard and through this finding they can regulate CO2)

THIS IS HUGE! We must keep the pressure on President Obama to be a leader here at the negotiations. The whole world is looking to him to support a fair, ambitious, and legally binding deal.

DO YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS to make a phone call to the White House? He needs to hear from as many people as possible that he must show leadership here in Copenhagen.

Go here for the phone number and call script: http://members.greenpeace.org/survey/start/234/

More info about Obama’s authority to act: Yes_He_Can_120809

Crazyness

brinkleyhutchings — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:13:49 +0000

It has started to get really crazy here. Security for the Bella Center is getting extremely strict. People are standing in line to get into the Bella center for up to 5 or 6 hours. There are police everywhere around town!

Today there are supposed to be 3 major demonstrations in town, so there are police in neon yellow vests standing within 20 feet of each other in all the streets. Helicopters have been flying over the hostel all morning and sirens are going off more frequently each day.

The numbers of delegates from each nongovernmental organization that are let into the Bella Center have been severely cut. The numbers of people let in are being cut each day until Friday when only 90 people total besides delegates and heads of states will be let in.

A friend of mine who was able to go into the Bella Center yesterday said the large numbers of youth and NGO’s have been replaced by police. Badges are checked 6 times by different policemen and all your personal belongings are taken away from you before you can enter the Bella Center. Even the metro and buses don’t go to the Bella Center anymore. They don’t stop there because there is such a huge security bubble around the conference center.

Since the numbers of NGO delegates are being cut tomorrow, many are going to try and stay the night in the Bella Center tonight (not us). I’m not sure what’s going t0 happen there…It should be interesting to see.