The SustainUS Agents of Change program is now accepting applications for its delegation to the UN Climate Negotiations, COP14, happening in Poznan, Poland this December. We will be extending the application deadline to July 12, 2008 at 5pmEST. COP14 will determine the future of international policy on climate change, and youth must make their voices heard.
The SustainUS delegation, comprised of key leaders in the youth climate movement from various organizations and backgrounds, will have the unique opportunity to represent American youth at the COP. Delegates will work with each other and with international youth in advance of the conference to educate themselves, develop policy priorities, acquire skills in effective lobbying, and engage the broader youth population in a...
The atmosphere in Bali is intense. Yvo de Boer, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, showed signs of distress moments ago and left the plenary upon accusations of manipulating the process by China, Ban Ki-Moon delivered an emphatic speech urging for the deadlocked countries to find consensus, and the normal degree of diplomacy that operates in this process has decreased along with the time left for reaching consensus. Plenary speeches make explicit accusations to the US for blocking consensus and American speeches are followed with jeers from the audience.
While the particulars of the mandate continue to be discussed, I hope that Canadians back home are engaged with what is happening in Bali and discussing the position of the Canadian government. I have been tremendously unimpressed not...
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Yesterday, the International Youth delegations read a powerful statement to the high-level plenary in at the climate conference in Bali. Giving the UN climate conference’s closing statement, it was a defining moment. The incredble speakers were Anna Keenan from Australia, Karmila Parakkasi from Indonesia, Whit Jones from SustainUS in the United States, and Bambou Chieppa (a 13-year old girl). At 4 minutes, the statement was powerful and concise — and called for bold action.
I helped coordinate the drafting of the statement, and it was an amazing experience. Written together by the Indonesian, Japanese, American, Australian, Canadian, Belgian, and French youth delegations, it was a true international collaboration. I am so proud of the inclusive and consensus process we...
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Bali 2007
History has just changed. The US has agreed to negotiate a new agreement due on 2009, with binding actions. More details......
Within the first few minutes of plenary, COP President Witoelar presented a draft decision on an Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention. While Portugal, on behalf of the EU, supported the text, India opposed the current language regarding national and international action, which currently calls for enhanced “measurable, reportable and verifiable nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country Parties in the context of sustainable development.” The plenary was suspended at the request of China and the G-77/China convened in consultations to agree on a position for the developing world on the matter. ...
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is about to reconvene after a 4hr break. The new text prepared by the president of the COP sets a roadmap for a comprehensive climate agreement to avoid dangerous climate change. But there is one major omission: targets. As we prepare to open negotiations on the new text, the United States and Canada have managed to block and remove any references to concrete targets and time lines for emission reductions. The US and Canada, immune to science and morality, will try to leave with as little as they can. At 8:45am in Bali, Indonesia, history has yet to be written....
It is the final night of the UN conference. All of the side events have ended and all of the displays have been taken down. Compared to the constant bustle of normal conference pace, the convention center feels like a ghost town.
Yet, the negotiations goes on.
It is now 2am and negotiations are continuing to take place behind closed doors. In the main hall, people are waiting, and some are sleeping, for the final report and close of these negotiations. As rumor has it, that time will not come until at least 5am at the current rate of progress. Outside in the halls, there are intense strategy huddles, camping outside of the negotiation rooms in hopes of catching a hint of how they are going, and finally outright partying complete with rum, wine, and music. Other than the fact that anytime...
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Bali 2007