Reflection on COP15 (by Rui Wang)

It is nearly one week since I came back from Copenhagen. From the media reports on the conference results at home and abroad, there are some positive news but much more negative ones. Now, I will say my reflection on COP15.

About Negotiation

Before I went to Copenhagen, I was told that the negotiation might not reach an agreement, but it would not affect my passion for it. Instead, I was full of eagerness for the Climate Conference which was regarded as a significant event in history. However, I found it more complicated than what I had expected on arriving there. In the first two days, there was no conflict in the conference; while on the 3^rd day, Tuvalu jumped out to advocate tearing up the Kyoto Protocol and moreover working out a more radical and valid document. Tuvalu’s suggestion soon got the support from many developed countries but at the same time met with the opposition from a lot of developing countries. The fuse ignited the whole assembly hall and the conflicts suddenly became fiercer. In the following days, the developed countries were fighting against the developing countries; Oriental countries were struggling against the Occident countries; and the island countries were crying over being flooded… The political farces were put on one by one… Then, the Ministers from different countries and decision-makers came here successively. Denmark government almost blocked the Bella Centre, so many NGOs could not enter the hall. With the strong dissatisfaction with Denmark government, NGOs organized large scaled march and the police had to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. Then, it came to the final situation that various countries were secretly competing with each other inside and the police and the crowd were locked in fierce struggle outside the Bella Centre.

Facing the disordered situation, I did not know which word would be the perfect one describing my mood. At that moment, I realized that the climate conference had developed to a competing game on politics and economics instead of a simple negotiation about the climate change and the global warming. It was just like the dirty footprints on the white snow.

Seen and Heard

Although felt bitterly disappointed with the negotiation, I was moved by the passion of NGO and deeply impressed by their march on Dec. 12th. Tens of thousands of people were parading by holding banners and shouting slogans despite the coldness that day. Among them, the most impressive one was the slogan that “There is no planet B.” Deeply touched by the slogan, I realized the indisputable fact that the earth is the only homeland for our human beings.

Besides, another exciting thing was the chance to meet with Robert Swan, the first man in the world reaching both the South and North Pole. I was overawed and moved by his persistence in the dream and his devotion for the environmental protection. By spending nearly 10 years, he tried to collect money to realize the dream of crossing the Antarctic; for 7 times, he took the cargo ships to the Arctic to clear away the rubbish left by other countries… Not merely realizing his own life value, he created chances for others to realize theirs. With his own stories, he inspired the ambitious young people all over the world who had the same dream. “Every step you take is a story. You must build your story.” This is the word he told me. I believe that it will encourage and accompany me to realize my dream that “I will be an international environmentalist no matter what kind of job I will take in the future.”

Reflection

As a common high school student in China, I do not really understand the complicated political issues but I would view the climate negotiation from a neutral perspective. To my delight, I have seen a great many young people are willing to devote themselves with the close concern for the climate change despite different nationalities. At the same time, I have heard some indifferent and even opposed voices. In my opinion, the knowledge of climate change is still need to be popularized and more people should realize the urgency of global warming.

Every day, we are told that each one of us should participate in the environmental protection, start with small things and influence the people around. It cannot be denied that it is very important, but the more important thing is the participation of different governments, whose force is much more powerful than ours. If there is only the participation from our individuals with the government looking on coldly, we can imagine how miserable the future would be. I think this is my reflection on the conference from the bottom of my heart.

Drops during COP 15 by Yiting Wang

In the wake of Wednesday 16th riot, the police had pushed back the crowd. I was walking toward Bella Center trying to get in, a guy with a little video camera stopped me and sked me to say a little sth about what I think the solution [to our climate crisis] was. I replied, in gasps, that I think we need to put ourselves in each other’s shoes. We need to understand that we are one people in different forms;our lives connected. He asked me where I was from. I said China. He waved one of his hand whiling the other still holding the camera, “thanks for the Chinese wisdom.”

I don’t know if it is particularly Chinese. I just always remember a peacemaking guru who only sleeps for four hours everyday, once said that we are all one. I just cannot agree more.

Thursday, 17th. The banner says “change the system, not the climate.” It was in a warehouse that turned into a working station for people who can no longer enter Bella Center. Mekel was delivering a speech within Bella Center. Heads from the governments of the world was doing that one by one. I had no interest in listening. I thought they were all to symbolic and not constructive at all. I realize how hard it was to reach an agreement when at least a few of the big potatoes did not have the sincerity and bona fide; how hard it was to really change the system.

Tuesday 15th. Robert Swan giving a speech about his expeditions to both Poles. He was the first man to traverse both Arctic and Antarctic by foot. He is now taking young folks to visit an eco-base he set up in Antarctic each year. He ended the presentation with one quote from himself (pretty snobby I have to say): the greatest challenge to our climate crisis is that we think someone else will do the job.

Monday 14th. I was representing our team to discuss possible venues for youth from the States, India, Japen and China to get together to deliver a joint voice. It proved to be politically difficult as well. First, the Japanese counterparts did not show up. Second, the day after that most of us would not be able to get into Bella Center. Third, the Indians want to have the Indian and Chinese youth talking to Indian and Chinese delegates, in one room, pushing our government and stand closely by the island/African countries (to kill Kyoto and have sth more radical—which was strongly disapproved by both governments).

While sitting on the floor in the absence of wine, we ignored the first obstacle and went crazy with the second one. Reed the American guy proposed that we use radio transmitters to deliver youth voice inside from outside. He said he knew a friend in Copenhagen who invented the bike system(or sth like that) who might have access to such devices. He admitted, very seriously, this idea was crazy but he can always do what he wanted to do without too much idea of how to do it. I proposed what I thought would be fun but less risky – having youth inside holding their computers in a circle, skyping in with youth outside and saying what they want with both voices and images. We all agreed and thought hard of places outside where we had wireless. Later another Indian Friend Linkesh joined and showed us a song he just wrote about Bolivia and their brave commitment as a developing country. We all sang together in a circle:

/Every day their stalling and//they’re saying the same old things again//hm-hm-hm//But one bright country stands apart,//they’re sayin’ things close to my heart.//They’ve got a plan with hope in hand,//They’re sayin’ c’mon let’s just start…//Bolivia//, I wish I was Bolivian//Just one degree temperature rise,//300 ppm in the skies,//cent per-cent emissions down by two thousand forty//Does anyone know the price of waiting//fighting, hating, procrastinating,//hm-hm-hm//My future stands in front of me,// while people here make history,//I hope and pray that it will be,//what the world’s children wish to see…//Bolivia//…//We’ve got to take the boldest steps//there’s work to do; clean up the mess.//hm-hm-hm//My future looks me in the eye,//says to me the time is nigh//It’s time to see the world agree,//time for responsibility!//Bolivia//…/

We dismissed in the urgency of going to the US-China youth joint press release. There was almost no follow-up after that, except I invited the Indian friends to come to a dinner that was just meant for the Chinese team. I will talk about that in a second.

Thursday 16th. This dinner was just intended for the Chinese team and the Danish organization Energy Crossroads who gave us the chance to participate in COP 15.One team member had a very clever comment on this dinner, which in the end was joined by the Indians and Africans (sorry I had to use the general term, I did not know where in Africa they came from)—when the old generation used “Pingpong Diplomacy” to break the ice between China and the U.S. during the Cold War, we the younger ones used “Chinese food diplomacy.” I dont think it was our intention to have any diplomacy. It was just a very natural gesture for us to invite friends from afar that happened to have chance to gather on the land of fairy tales. If, just a naive thought, everyone in this world could be as native as the the young ones, we probably would have maintained better harmony.

One thing I maintained after COP 15, however disillusioned it could be, is to stay ideal, stubbornly ideal, passionately ideal, naively ideal. With vision and intention, things can be done.

Yes the adults will always tell us “it is more complicated than you can understand.” We should be aware not to grow up with unnecessary sophistication that gets simple things complicated.

Update from the frontline (by Lina Li)

11.31 am Bella Center NGO Booth

The COP today started on time at 10am. The "excellencies" have been giving speeches one by one. I am a bit "tired" somehow of hearing the fancy words again and again, so I walked out of the TV place. I shouldn't have left my coat at the cloak room, because it is getting cold here in the Bella Centre. The whole NGO booth area is as bleak as an abandoned village,deadly quiet. All the side events inside Bella Centre are cancelled too, because most of the audience are normally NGO representatives. Today, only 300 NGO people with the yellow badge are allowed to enter the Bella Centre.

Here's something I've noted down from the high level element:

"We are given by history this opportunitiy to react, to act for our children and grandchildern and those to come, to act on the planet itself.

People from around the world will judge us as individuals , for what we say, what we do and fail to do.

We developed world hold historical reponsibility, but if developing countries don't act now, more than half of the growth of GHG from now till 2050 wil be from emerging developing countries and it wil result in more than 2 degree .

This is a grand bargin between past and future, between developed and deevloping countries.

The common abmition is 450ppm,

It is the legal responsibilities of all parties.

A 6 year old Gracy wrote to me "how old ar you? you need to listen to us- make strong deal coz it's about our future." The children all ove the world are watching us. History will judge."

- Mr. Kevin M. Rudd Australia Prime Minister,

For all of us and all our hildern, there is no greater national interest than the future of the planet.

- Mr. Gordon Brown, UK PM

I hope they are serious and sincere...we will see when the real negotionas resume...

NGO, are we the lowest of the low? (by Xixi Sun)

NGO, are we the lowest of the low?

By Xixi Sun

Wednesday afternoon 3.30pm. Bella Centre. Outside Plenary Tycho Brahe.

Everyone was waiting to get back in. 20 minutes ago we were told that we had to all leave the plenary for a security check before the high-level segment starts again. I have double-checked with the security if NGO passes are allowed to get back in and they said YES. I was the very few (if not the only one) among our delegation team that has a NGO pass for the plenary and I wanted to be at least be in there to represent China youth.

It turned out that we were fooled. “No NGOs are allowed into the plenary!” As the government delegates lined up in front of the door, the NGOs were stopped and turned away.

I do not remember if the same official has given me the different messages. He might have consulted with senior officials and got the latest update on security information, which was NO NGOs whatsoever (instead of limited number of NGOs in plenary). At the same time I was told that the Bella Centre was closed to NGOs now even if they have secondary passes. Before I got some time to figure out what was going on, I got another update from outside Bella Centre – the climate protesters today have been put down by police force using pepper spray. When I saw the pictures of people holding banners and flags, falling into mud on the ground, shouting silently, my feelings were hard to describe. The president of Venezuela, H.E. Hugo Chavez Frias, has said in the high level element this morning that the young people out there on the street should have our respect. They were protesting on the streets, some of whom were arrested by police.

The future belongs to the young generation, who has been marching in rain, in snow, in front of military troops, just to have their voices heard. I am one of them. We are them. But as young people, as NGO, we are not being treated in a fair way. The UNFCCC wants to keep all NGOs out of Bella Centre for Thursday and Friday, and after long negotiation it has been pushed to 300 tickets for NGOs. They are depriving our right to observe the historical moment which will determine our life in 2020, 2030 and 2050. They have silenced us in the Bella Centre by keeping us out. For the past week in Bella Centre, I felt that this is probably the only international event that I did not have to get information through media. We hope that the youth back at home can gain our insights from the youth’s prospective instead of the media alone, but now we can no longer do it.

To conclude, I strongly feel that we as NGOs and young people have been pushed around, and our voice to push for a fair, ambitious and legally-binding deal in COP15 has not been taken by the decision-makers. I admit that in the capitalist world, we cannot possibly have the same amount of power as the other stakeholders, such as the businesses, because we do not have the money and we cannot provide immediate interests and benefits for making relevant moves. But we will not give up. Our colleagues are still peacefully sitting in and waiting for a FAB (fair, ambitious and legally-binding) deal. It might take considerable amount of time. But we can be bothered to sit here all this time for the real deal, because we do not want to spend the rest of our life facing devastating consequences of climate change when it is too late to fix things.

Red Flag Up, off the peak of today's demonstration (by Yiting Wang)

Just follow my pictures of my day today. It was supposed to be the last day NG

Os can get into Bella Center. I was to enter around 1 o'clock to atten an side event on women as agent of change. I knew something would be going on outside Bella around noonish, somthing big and heavy. I went anyway, despite that my colleague who I was taking the secondary pass from, called me not to as she was almost pushed into the river outside the entrance in the demonstration crowd. Why not come? Despite the heavy snow, if the world is burning, I am burning with it.

At metro station, the sign said "demonstration is ongoing." The train did not stop at Bella Center anymore. I had to walk one more stop.

A Beijing based film producers was shooting a documentary about China's role in climate change. He was following two folks from the National Reform and Development Committee. He just included me all along in his filming asking me to talk about my state of mind--why I am here in Copenhagen, why I am going to the Bella Center knowing the fact there is a demonstration, etc.It was my first time jumble along in front a video camera. I spoke very fast, in bad English. I was cold and hungry.

NGOs outside Bella Center shot at the Middle East folks to go back home and quite oil. I don't know if they are the solution. But people were angry.

There was drumming behind the the politi cars, the whole road was blocked.

Standing quietly, cold and hungry, I waited outside the entrance for almost an hour. The police had not let single one NGO in. I was about to leave and the English film maker called me to wait for him for a few more filming and questions.

Meanwhile, I took pictures of a group of vegan/vegetarian advocates. They have been here everyday since the start of the conference, morning to evening. They handle out flax bags that say go veggie and videos of all sorts of celebrities talking about when they went veg-- and scientists like James Hanson on why.
Despite the TV screen, they are a quiet group, composing mostly of Asian women, sometimes dressed in animal customs. I decided to include them in my blog today, as in violence and chaos, they offered us peace and elevation.

Well I had to mention them.

This also spoke to me as my frustration of not being able to have much vegetarian meal choice during my days here has reached to a point of intolerance. Within Bella Center, the only veggie choice is salad (sometimes they provide cheese which I dont like) and ocasionally you have cold egg or humus sandwich. In Burger King, only one veggie burger with only veggie in it, no protein. In a Chinese restaurant takeout, they only have veggie fried spring roll as your veggie option. No protein. And I have not seen tofu anywhere. Yes cheese, but usually with meat. I am not a pure vegetarian; I eat fish. I'd have left with cheese and very expensive nuts here as my alternative. I was told you got understand this is northern Europe.

I am for one time, proud of where I am in the U.S., when we are provided with many vegetarian options (regardless the heavy marketing of soil products led by the soil plantation industry). Meanwhile meat consumption is soaring in China, reaching 53 gram per day in 2005. Yet it is small compared to 70-130 g/day in developed countries. But China is by far the largest meat producer in the world (China Daily). Folks at home are all rather concerned about me not eating meat rather than limited fish. I find it hard to prove to them my energetic and clear-head (or maybe despite my forgetfulness of personal belongings) spirit and healthy happy being.

The last battle of NGO

The 16^th. It was supposed to be the last day NGOs can get into Bella Center. Under what appeared to be the dead calm, a new round of demonstration and battle cry was undergoing.

I was able to get into Bella Center rather smoothly in the morning. It was much more organized and cleaned up. I was waiting for the broadcasting of the negotiation meeting in front of the monitor, but the “meeting is about to begin” sign had not been updated in an hour. I then decided to get out to record the final campaign of the China Youth Delegation.

I walked out of Bella Center, following a group of young people shouting “Reclaim the Power” and surrounded by cameras and journalists. Our campaign team was already broken up in the crowd and could not proceed.

We were supposed to have our “wish tree” campaign, inviting people to write up their climate wishes and put it up on the tree. Obviously, people can no longer be satisfied with this type of mild and even poetic way of expressing. The angry crowd converged in turbulent floods, their voices louder than the overhead helicopter: “reclaim the power”, “climate justice.” The three Deaths in blue, red and yellow were waving in freezing wind, coupled with the ever-heavier snow.

The crowd was marching toward the police; the anger seemed to be out of control. I found myself jammed in the middle while filming my surroundings. The crowd had come face to face with the police.

The police was pushing us backward, and yet I found no way to retreat. Someone shout “Don’t push anymore. We are going back!” Yet more people became even angrier, crying “You don’t have the right to do so!”, “This is the same for democracy.” I panicked, as 3 or 4 meters right behind me there was a pond. If the police was to push further, I was going to fall. Although I got used to the face-to-face jostle in the subway in Beijing during peak hours, I was rather fearful, not knowing if the out-of-control crowd would seduce any further moves from the police.

As I was afraid, the police started to spread paper. Some people fell. First aid folks appeared out of nowhere with water and cleaning spread. The white foam was running down from their eyes.

I was finally freed up. I retreated with people surrounding me along the bank of the pond. Most of the people were young and there were quite a few middle- and old-aged folks. Some started drumming and dancing. Some even put down a draft boat on the pond outside Bella Center, attempting to take over the center. Yet they were already in a dead lock by the police.

Smoke was coming out of two stacks in the far away place. The helicopter was hovering overhead. The police had started arresting people. Any spark could lead to the fire.

RECLAIM POWER.

If equipped with their own army, the crowd might have taken over Bella Center and stood in front of the defeated negotiators and heads of the states.

Wind storm had frozen me up. Bella Center no longer let in NGOs. I left the guard zone under the police’s instruction. I bought a hot chocolate, and walked to one more stop away from Bella Center. Police cars kept on driving toward there. One COP 15 bus drove by; it said on the bus:

RAISE YOUR VOICE.

Frustration (by Hanna Helsingen)

Bella Center is now different. With the high-level segment arriving, ministers are spotted everywhere. With entering the ninth day of negotiations, the time pressure is bigger than ever before. With delays of plenaries and even a move of the COP meeting, parties are frustrated and they are not alone. When entering the plenary hall this morning, tables were full of empty bottles and trash, showing that negotiators had been here all night, some going home at 07:00 this morning. In the AWG-KP

Lena Helsingen dec 16, '09, 12:32 em

meeting last night, the President of that group, John Ashe (Antigua and Bermuda) tried to explain to parties that they have to present a draft to the high-level segment. Brazil, India, Algeria and many others explained that they cannot present anything, because they don’t have anything to present. Some parts of the draft are even left blank. Only one word to explain the setting of that meeting: FRUSTRATION.

Being a problem with the scheduling of the COP meeting that should had taken place at 10 AM, but was left out, there is now a question wheather they will proceed with the high-level segment or if they will discuss these isssues further. The President of the Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed, pointed out that time doesn’t permit these points of order, they must proceed with negotiations. The danish prime minister, the president of that meeting said, that they understand the points of orders and they will take them into considerations, but they have to proceed with the programme. We’ll see what happens during the day. The clock is ticking.