I was just reading about Oxfam Great Britain's work in Bangladesh, and stumbled across this:
Domestic violence affects nearly half of all Bangladeshi households. In many communities, social customs and attitudes tacitly condone and support violence against women.
* 47 per cent of Bangladeshi women face physical violence from their partners. A larger number undergo emotional and verbal abuse.
* Acid attacks are widespread. The majority of victims are women, nearly half of whom are under 18.
In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan, Oxfam is supporting the We Can campaign to end violence against women. This South Asian campaign aims, by 2011, to recruit five million volunteer Change Makers to help mobilise 50 million people and bring about a sea change in attitudes towards women.
You can watch a video interview with one of those Change Makers, Beauty, here.
More info about the campaign here.
You can help by purchasing a "Protect Women Pack". It will be provided to a Change Maker like Beauty to help her in her work. (Unfortunately Oxfam is sold out of these packs at the moment.)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Many Benefits of Organic Food
I received this great info in an e-newsletter from the Organic Consumers Association:
Organic Food is More Nutritious
Organic foods, especially raw or non-processed, contain higher levels of beta carotene, vitamins C, D and E, health-promoting polyphenols, cancer-fighting antioxidants, flavonoids that help ward off heart disease, essential fatty acids, and essential minerals.
On the average, organic food is 25% more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than products derived from industrial agriculture. Since on the average, organic food's shelf price is only 20% higher than chemical food, this makes it actually cheaper, gram for gram, than chemical food, even ignoring the astronomical hidden costs (damage to health, climate, environment, and government subsidies) of industrial food production. Levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle are between 50% and 80% higher than normal milk. Organic wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce have between 20% and 40% more nutrients than non-organic foods.
Organic food contains qualitatively higher levels of essential minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium), that are severely depleted in chemical foods grown on pesticide and nitrate fertilizer-abused soil. UK and US government statistics indicate that levels of trace minerals in (non-organic) fruit and vegetables fell by up to 76% between 1940 and 1991.
Organic Food is Pure Food, Free of Chemical Additives
Organic food doesn't contain food additives, flavor enhancers (like MSG), artificial sweeteners (like aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup), contaminants (like mercury) or preservatives (like sodium nitrate), that can cause health problems.
Eating organic has the potential to lower the incidence of autism, learning disorders, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, allergies, osteoporosis, migraines, dementia, and hyperactivity.
Organic Food Is Safer
Organic food doesn't contain pesticides. More than 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues remain on non-organic food even after washing. Children are especially vulnerable to pesticide exposure. One class of pesticides, endocrine disruptors, are likely responsible for early puberty and breast cancer. Pesticides are linked to asthma and cancer.
Organic food isn't genetically modified. Under organic standards, genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are prohibited.
Organic animals aren't given drugs. Organic farming standards prohibit the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and genetically modified vaccines in farm animals. Hormone-laced beef and dairy consumption is correlated with increased rates of breast, testis and prostate cancers.
Organic animals aren't fed animal remains or slaughterhouse waste, blood, or manure. Eating organic reduces the risks of CJD, the human version of mad cow disease, as well as Alzheimer's.
Organic animals aren't fed arsenic. They also aren't fed byproducts of corn ethanol production (which increases the rate of E. coli contamination).
Organic crops aren't fertilized with toxic sewage sludge or coal waste, or irrigated with E. coli contaminated sewage water. It also isn't irradiated. Cats fed a diet of irradiated food got multiple sclerosis within 3-4 months.
Organic food contains less illness-inducing bacteria. Organic chicken is free of salmonella and has a reduced incidence of campylobacter.
How to Identify Real Organic Food
Look for the USDA Organic Seal or the Words "Made With Organic Ingredients."
When you see the "USDA Organic" seal, you know that the food is at least 95% organic, does not contain genetically modified organisms, was not irradiated, and comes from a farm that:
* Employs positive soil building, conservation, manure management and crop rotation practices.
* Provides outdoor access and pasture for livestock.
* Refrains from antibiotic and hormone use in animals.
* Sustains animals on 100% organic feed.
* Keeps records of all operations.
* Is inspected annually by an accredited Third-Party Organic Certifier.
* If it is a multi-ingredient product, it was made at a certified organic processing plant that takes strict measures to avoid contamination of organic products.
Products that are "Made With Organic Ingredients" are at least 70% organic and are also free from genetically modified organisms and food irradiation.
Organic Food On a Budget
When comparing prices in the grocery aisles, the organic version of particular items is often 20% on the average more expensive, but if you make a pledge to eat more organic, you'll likely save money overall by eating out at restaurants less often, packing your lunch, and cooking from scratch. For more insight check out this great article.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Farewell, Fay
photo: Fay
from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) website:
Today is a sad day for everyone who has been touched by Fay, one of the dogs saved from the horrors of dog fighting during this summer’s massive multi-state (Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska) rescue operation that saved the lives of 450 dogs.
note: this video is not graphic
Fay had been seriously injured and required extensive medical treatment. We are saddened to learn that she passed away yesterday after her surgery, which The Humane Society of the United States had funded.
Fay began her life in a cycle of pain and cruelty. She spent her last few months in comfort and surrounded by love under the care of her foster mother Gale Frey and the people of the rescue group Mutts-n-Stuff in Missouri. Gale made Fay’s first real Christmas a celebration of her survival, showering her with gifts and affection.
Fay was highlighted in our recent "Animal Survivors" campaign, along with other animals who survived cruelties in 2009. Although she has passed away, her life will continue to inspire us in our campaigns to end dog fighting and fight other large-scale abuses inflicted on animals.
We express our deepest condolences to Gale Frey and to everyone who worked so hard to save Fay, and we redouble our efforts to save animals like Fay in 2010 from anyone who would do them harm.
Watch Video Highlights from COP15
For the next two weeks OneClimate's hosts Daniel Nelson, Anuradha Vittachi, Jeff Allen and Adam Groves will be airing 200+ hours of the recorded highlights from their COP15 live stream.
Tune into this blog post to watch!
To start the live stream you must click on the arrow below.
Tune into this blog post to watch!
To start the live stream you must click on the arrow below.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
My Recap of COP15 :: We're On Our Way
The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark (COP15) wrapped up last Saturday morning, December 19th. One hundred eighty eight countries (of the 193 represented at COP15) signed onto a new international climate change agreement called the Copenhagen Accord, essentially led by a group of five nations who were the first to sign onto the agreement - the USA, China, India, South Africa, and Brazil.
The Copenhagen Accord is a three-page, 12-paragraph, approximately 1,400 word document that basically lays out some foundations for future agreements. It's not binding, which means that it's not legally enforceable. Since the negotiations were led by President Obama, and not the UN (at a UN-led conference) there was some initial concern regarding how the UN would react to the Copenhagen Accord.
On top of that, the UN was limited in what they could do - they could not formally adopt the Copenhagen Accord because Sudan, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba refused to sign the Copenhagen Accord. (Though significantly, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed signed the agreement. He announced this in the wee hours of Saturday morning, December 19th.)
Instead, the UN announced that they support the Copenhagen Accord, but what the UN meant by their decision to "take note" of the Copenhagen Accord is subject to interpretation. (Though Robert C. Orr, the United Nations assistant secretary general for policy and planning, said that “take note” was shorthand for acceptance.)
What IS clear, is that COP15 was a means to an end, and not an end - there's still more work to do! (And with that, more opportunities for change.)
So what does the Copenhagen Accord actually say?
* Average global temperatures should not be allowed to rise by more than 2 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels.
* By signing the agreement, the 188 parties who signed it “commit to implement .... quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020.”
- The initial agreement did not "spell out" what each country's target would be, or how they would go about achieving it - those are literally "fill in the blank" sections on the agreement, that each country is to fill in for themselves. Each of the 188 parties must submit this information to the UN by the end of January 2010.
* The document lays down some guidelines for how progress made by developing countries will be measured and accounted for, or in COP15 lingo “measurable, reportable and verifiable” (MRV.)
- Many developing nations, particularly China, are wary of the prospect of intrusive international monitoring of industry. The accord allows for “domestic measurement, reporting and verification”, but requires that this be reported “through national communications, with international consultation and analysis.”
* "New and additional, predictable and adequate funding” will be provided to developing nations for emissions mitigation, reducing deforestation, technology development and transfer and adaptation.
- Up to $30 billion will be provided between 2010 and 2012. Developed countries also committed to find a more substantial $100 billion by 2020. A significant portion of financing will flow through a newly established Copenhagen Green Climate Fund.
photo: Karl Burkart, who was covering COP15 for theMother Nature Networkholding up a copy of the Copenhagen Accord.
What's NOT in there?
Lots of people have thoughts on this, but here's my own personal gripe - as New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin pointed out in his blog post The missing 'P' Word in Climate Talks, "If you scan the most recent drafts of the climate agreement that delegates here are trying to complete, you’ll have a hard time finding the word population. I’m quite sure it’s not there. (Please let me know if you find it.)" For an explanation of why this is problematic check out this New York Times blog post by John Collins Rudolf. He covers a recent report that found that condoms and birth control pills are more cost effective than windmills and solar panels as tools to curb global warming.
So what actually happened over there?
Well it depends on who you talk to - for starters our President or China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. I stand firmly with President Obama - check out the Administration's account of how it all went down on the last day of the negotiations. Then check out the New York Times' account of the clash between the Chinese and President Obama.
Here's a nice summary from David Roberts at Grist:
If there’s a party to blame, it’s China. It’s China that was off meeting with India and Brazil, trying to avoid getting ensnared in any commitments at all, forcing Obama to track them down. It was China that refused to sign off on the target of 50% global reductions by 2050. It was China that forced rich countries not to commit to 80% reductions by 2050, lest it some day have to live up to that target. (Yes, China forced rich countries to trim their ambitions. “Ridiculous,” said Merkel.) It was China who, up until the very last minute, refused to agree to any international verification at all, and only upon the personal intervention of Premier Wen Jiabao agreed to accept a voluntary system of reporting.
As for Obama specifically, here's the speech that he gave during the much anticipated Friday morning plenary, attended by all of the Heads of State and their staff. If you'd rather read the transcript then you can find it here.
What's next?
So while I think the finger should be pointed at China, since so many people are blaming Obama for the non-binding agreement that came out of COP15, the fact is that what China finally agreed to is instrumental to progress here at home, which itself is instrumental to future progress internationally.
As Senator John Kerry said in his COP15 speech on the Wednesday before Obama arrived in Copenhagen, “To pass a bill, we must be able to assure a senator from Ohio that steelworkers in his state won’t lose their jobs to India and China because those countries are not participating in a way that is measurable, reportable and verifiable."
If you have been following the climate change fights that have been going down in the US Senate for the past few years then you'll be familiar with that refrain. Now that China and India have taken responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions, and have agreed to permit outside monitoring, it opens the door for action in the US Senate, and therefore the US Congress.
Internationally, the next annual UN Climate Change Conference will take place towards the end of 2010 in Mexico City, preceded by a major two week negotiating session in Bonn, Germany, from May 31st - June 11th. Some nations hope that Mexico City will be an opportunity to turn this basic agreement into a full, legally-binding treaty. But as Yvo de Boer – the man in charge of the process – put it: “We have a lot of work to do on the road to Mexico.”
Stay optimistic.
According to Yvo de Boer “Never before have we seen so many world leaders gathered in the stride for the climate. Even though it appeared to be very difficult [to get an agreement] 115 heads of state or governments chose to come to Copenhagen and engage. This is what we need to build on.”
As an exhausted Obama said before leaving Copenhagen, "One of the things that I’ve felt very strongly about during the course of this year is that hard stuff requires not paralysis but it requires going ahead and making the best of the situation that you’re in at this point, and then continually trying to improve and make progress from there."
You'll have noticed from what I chose to cover on my blog during COP15 that the US and international youth delegations factored very prominently in the international agreements. The relationships developed between international youth at the conference, the experiences and skills gained at COP15, and the opportunities for the youth voices to be heard by international leaders were some of the biggest achievements of COP15. There is reason for hope.
Here at home the youth have also clearly impressed US Environment and Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and US Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. For more insight on the collaborations between youth and the US Administration see HeadCount CEO Andy Bernstein's blog post from his attendance at the recent White House youth energy forum.
And for as what's next, after Mexico City?
The New York Times suggests that the UN model of large summits of world leaders coming together to hash out agreements is dead, so long as nations continue to fight over "environmental guilt, future costs and who should referee the results."
Andrew Revkin and John Broder of the New York Times suggest that the details will be ironed out by a much smaller group of nations, roughly 30 countries responsible for 90% of global warming emissions. It was these nations that Mr. Obama rallied in a series of dramatic encounters on Friday to finally ink a deal that starts a flow of financing for poor countries to adapt to climate change and sets up a system for major economies to monitor and report their greenhouse gas emissions. This smaller group of nations will meet periodically to tackle a narrower agenda of issues, like technology sharing or the merging of carbon trading markets, without the chaos and posturing of the United Nations process.
In the meantime, I can't resist - John Mayer said it best - "Fight on, fight on everyone."
The Copenhagen Accord is a three-page, 12-paragraph, approximately 1,400 word document that basically lays out some foundations for future agreements. It's not binding, which means that it's not legally enforceable. Since the negotiations were led by President Obama, and not the UN (at a UN-led conference) there was some initial concern regarding how the UN would react to the Copenhagen Accord.
On top of that, the UN was limited in what they could do - they could not formally adopt the Copenhagen Accord because Sudan, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba refused to sign the Copenhagen Accord. (Though significantly, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed signed the agreement. He announced this in the wee hours of Saturday morning, December 19th.)
Instead, the UN announced that they support the Copenhagen Accord, but what the UN meant by their decision to "take note" of the Copenhagen Accord is subject to interpretation. (Though Robert C. Orr, the United Nations assistant secretary general for policy and planning, said that “take note” was shorthand for acceptance.)
What IS clear, is that COP15 was a means to an end, and not an end - there's still more work to do! (And with that, more opportunities for change.)
So what does the Copenhagen Accord actually say?
* Average global temperatures should not be allowed to rise by more than 2 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels.
* By signing the agreement, the 188 parties who signed it “commit to implement .... quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020.”
- The initial agreement did not "spell out" what each country's target would be, or how they would go about achieving it - those are literally "fill in the blank" sections on the agreement, that each country is to fill in for themselves. Each of the 188 parties must submit this information to the UN by the end of January 2010.
* The document lays down some guidelines for how progress made by developing countries will be measured and accounted for, or in COP15 lingo “measurable, reportable and verifiable” (MRV.)
- Many developing nations, particularly China, are wary of the prospect of intrusive international monitoring of industry. The accord allows for “domestic measurement, reporting and verification”, but requires that this be reported “through national communications, with international consultation and analysis.”
* "New and additional, predictable and adequate funding” will be provided to developing nations for emissions mitigation, reducing deforestation, technology development and transfer and adaptation.
- Up to $30 billion will be provided between 2010 and 2012. Developed countries also committed to find a more substantial $100 billion by 2020. A significant portion of financing will flow through a newly established Copenhagen Green Climate Fund.
photo: Karl Burkart, who was covering COP15 for theMother Nature Networkholding up a copy of the Copenhagen Accord.
What's NOT in there?
Lots of people have thoughts on this, but here's my own personal gripe - as New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin pointed out in his blog post The missing 'P' Word in Climate Talks, "If you scan the most recent drafts of the climate agreement that delegates here are trying to complete, you’ll have a hard time finding the word population. I’m quite sure it’s not there. (Please let me know if you find it.)" For an explanation of why this is problematic check out this New York Times blog post by John Collins Rudolf. He covers a recent report that found that condoms and birth control pills are more cost effective than windmills and solar panels as tools to curb global warming.
So what actually happened over there?
Well it depends on who you talk to - for starters our President or China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. I stand firmly with President Obama - check out the Administration's account of how it all went down on the last day of the negotiations. Then check out the New York Times' account of the clash between the Chinese and President Obama.
Here's a nice summary from David Roberts at Grist:
If there’s a party to blame, it’s China. It’s China that was off meeting with India and Brazil, trying to avoid getting ensnared in any commitments at all, forcing Obama to track them down. It was China that refused to sign off on the target of 50% global reductions by 2050. It was China that forced rich countries not to commit to 80% reductions by 2050, lest it some day have to live up to that target. (Yes, China forced rich countries to trim their ambitions. “Ridiculous,” said Merkel.) It was China who, up until the very last minute, refused to agree to any international verification at all, and only upon the personal intervention of Premier Wen Jiabao agreed to accept a voluntary system of reporting.
As for Obama specifically, here's the speech that he gave during the much anticipated Friday morning plenary, attended by all of the Heads of State and their staff. If you'd rather read the transcript then you can find it here.
What's next?
So while I think the finger should be pointed at China, since so many people are blaming Obama for the non-binding agreement that came out of COP15, the fact is that what China finally agreed to is instrumental to progress here at home, which itself is instrumental to future progress internationally.
As Senator John Kerry said in his COP15 speech on the Wednesday before Obama arrived in Copenhagen, “To pass a bill, we must be able to assure a senator from Ohio that steelworkers in his state won’t lose their jobs to India and China because those countries are not participating in a way that is measurable, reportable and verifiable."
If you have been following the climate change fights that have been going down in the US Senate for the past few years then you'll be familiar with that refrain. Now that China and India have taken responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions, and have agreed to permit outside monitoring, it opens the door for action in the US Senate, and therefore the US Congress.
Internationally, the next annual UN Climate Change Conference will take place towards the end of 2010 in Mexico City, preceded by a major two week negotiating session in Bonn, Germany, from May 31st - June 11th. Some nations hope that Mexico City will be an opportunity to turn this basic agreement into a full, legally-binding treaty. But as Yvo de Boer – the man in charge of the process – put it: “We have a lot of work to do on the road to Mexico.”
Stay optimistic.
According to Yvo de Boer “Never before have we seen so many world leaders gathered in the stride for the climate. Even though it appeared to be very difficult [to get an agreement] 115 heads of state or governments chose to come to Copenhagen and engage. This is what we need to build on.”
As an exhausted Obama said before leaving Copenhagen, "One of the things that I’ve felt very strongly about during the course of this year is that hard stuff requires not paralysis but it requires going ahead and making the best of the situation that you’re in at this point, and then continually trying to improve and make progress from there."
You'll have noticed from what I chose to cover on my blog during COP15 that the US and international youth delegations factored very prominently in the international agreements. The relationships developed between international youth at the conference, the experiences and skills gained at COP15, and the opportunities for the youth voices to be heard by international leaders were some of the biggest achievements of COP15. There is reason for hope.
Here at home the youth have also clearly impressed US Environment and Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and US Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. For more insight on the collaborations between youth and the US Administration see HeadCount CEO Andy Bernstein's blog post from his attendance at the recent White House youth energy forum.
And for as what's next, after Mexico City?
The New York Times suggests that the UN model of large summits of world leaders coming together to hash out agreements is dead, so long as nations continue to fight over "environmental guilt, future costs and who should referee the results."
Andrew Revkin and John Broder of the New York Times suggest that the details will be ironed out by a much smaller group of nations, roughly 30 countries responsible for 90% of global warming emissions. It was these nations that Mr. Obama rallied in a series of dramatic encounters on Friday to finally ink a deal that starts a flow of financing for poor countries to adapt to climate change and sets up a system for major economies to monitor and report their greenhouse gas emissions. This smaller group of nations will meet periodically to tackle a narrower agenda of issues, like technology sharing or the merging of carbon trading markets, without the chaos and posturing of the United Nations process.
In the meantime, I can't resist - John Mayer said it best - "Fight on, fight on everyone."
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Did you see Food, Inc? :: The Obama Administration wants to Hear from You
The US Department of Justice is investigating how big biotech and food corporations, including Monsanto, are monopolizing and controlling our seeds, food and farming.
They would would like to hear from you - particularly regarding how corporate control of the food system affects average Americans.
Email your comments to agriculturalworkshops@usdoj.gov BY DECEMBER 31.
If you need some help writing your email, then check out this template:
Email Subject Line: Comments Regarding Agriculture and Antitrust Enforcement Issues in Our 21st Century Economy
Dear US Department of Justice:
State who you are -- parent, teacher, farmer, cook, gardener, community leader, eater... whatever feels relevant.
I am concerned about the consolidation of corporate power in the food and agriculture sector.
State your primary reasons why. This section can be short and informal; don’t worry about spelling out the connections too precisely. The important thing is to express from your own experience what most concerns you or how you've been affected by the effects of corporate consolidation in the food industry. Be honest and speak from your heart.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments.
Sincerely,
Your name
Your home mailing address
They would would like to hear from you - particularly regarding how corporate control of the food system affects average Americans.
Email your comments to agriculturalworkshops@usdoj.gov BY DECEMBER 31.
If you need some help writing your email, then check out this template:
Email Subject Line: Comments Regarding Agriculture and Antitrust Enforcement Issues in Our 21st Century Economy
Dear US Department of Justice:
State who you are -- parent, teacher, farmer, cook, gardener, community leader, eater... whatever feels relevant.
I am concerned about the consolidation of corporate power in the food and agriculture sector.
State your primary reasons why. This section can be short and informal; don’t worry about spelling out the connections too precisely. The important thing is to express from your own experience what most concerns you or how you've been affected by the effects of corporate consolidation in the food industry. Be honest and speak from your heart.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments.
Sincerely,
Your name
Your home mailing address
We Won't Stop
I'm working on a recap of COP15, but in the meantime check this out, courtesy of 350.org.
Just in case you're feeling a little down, here's a special selection of pictures that our friend Shadia put together after the Oct. 24 day of action labeled "350 Cute." They remind us what we're fighting for...
What can you do now? Power Shift is encouraging you to call your senators and the White House. Participate here.
Just in case you're feeling a little down, here's a special selection of pictures that our friend Shadia put together after the Oct. 24 day of action labeled "350 Cute." They remind us what we're fighting for...
What can you do now? Power Shift is encouraging you to call your senators and the White House. Participate here.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Recap of December 15th CNN/YouTube Climate Debate
If you prefer to watch it on TV, re-broadcasts will occur:
* Today - Thursday, 6 pm JST, on CNN-International
* Today - Thursday, 8 pm PST and 11 pm PST, on CNN-domestic (U.S.)
* Saturday, 10 am GMT and 4 pm GMT, CNN-international
* Sunday, 5 pm JST, CNN-International
You can also check out the conversation around this event that happened on Twitter on Tuesday, here.
Looking for another opportunity to have your voice heard by world leaders on an issue close to your heart? Then check out this opportunity from YouTube.
Today: Youth "Sit-In" @ US State Dept Building in DC
Taken from this blog post on It's Getting Hot In Here:
11:52am:
A dozen youth have entered the State Department Lobby located in Washington, DC.
Yesterday, the youth climate movement stood up. Or sat down, as it were. 19 international youth delegates staged a sit-in at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen, refusing to move until negotiators and world leaders arrived at a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty.
As we speak, a dozen youth climate activists in DC are sitting-in in the lobby of the State Department in solidarity with their counterparts in Copenhagen. Help us amplify the efforts of those calling for climate justice by telling President Obama and the US delegation that the time has passed for political cow-towing and empty promises. Our movement is strong and our voices will not be shut out.
photo: youth activists read off names of 11 million+ global citizens calling for real climate action
No Time Listed on Blog, but likely sometime in the mid-afternoon:
The sit-in has concluded. The protesters were ‘detained’ and removed from the hall, and made to sit in a small holding room. Then they were given the option to leave, or stay and get arrested. Since no press was on hand, and no one was there to witness the arrests, they left the building.
During the sit-in today It's Getting Hot In Here asked supporters to call the US State Department with this message:
I stand in solidarity with the youth sit-in in the State Department lobby, and at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen for a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty. Fair is $200 billion in climate financing for poorer countries; ambitious is a 2015 peak year for carbon emissions and a safe carbon level of 350 ppm, and binding is a legally enforceable treaty. We will not accept your return from Copenhagen without these demands met.
11:52am:
A dozen youth have entered the State Department Lobby located in Washington, DC.
Yesterday, the youth climate movement stood up. Or sat down, as it were. 19 international youth delegates staged a sit-in at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen, refusing to move until negotiators and world leaders arrived at a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty.
As we speak, a dozen youth climate activists in DC are sitting-in in the lobby of the State Department in solidarity with their counterparts in Copenhagen. Help us amplify the efforts of those calling for climate justice by telling President Obama and the US delegation that the time has passed for political cow-towing and empty promises. Our movement is strong and our voices will not be shut out.
photo: youth activists read off names of 11 million+ global citizens calling for real climate action
No Time Listed on Blog, but likely sometime in the mid-afternoon:
The sit-in has concluded. The protesters were ‘detained’ and removed from the hall, and made to sit in a small holding room. Then they were given the option to leave, or stay and get arrested. Since no press was on hand, and no one was there to witness the arrests, they left the building.
During the sit-in today It's Getting Hot In Here asked supporters to call the US State Department with this message:
I stand in solidarity with the youth sit-in in the State Department lobby, and at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen for a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty. Fair is $200 billion in climate financing for poorer countries; ambitious is a 2015 peak year for carbon emissions and a safe carbon level of 350 ppm, and binding is a legally enforceable treaty. We will not accept your return from Copenhagen without these demands met.
Reaction to Hillary Clinton's COP15 Speech :: Call Obama Today - Request US Financial Aid for Developing World
In a move that surprised just about everyone, today US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in her speech at COP15 that the US would join other nations in securing a $100 billion fund/per year by 2020 to help developing countries cope with climate change --
so long as an agreement can be reached on a "substantive political accord" that would include transparency in tracking emissions cuts by major developing countries.
Clinton was talking about China, India, and Brazil, but she didn't actually come out and say it.
In response, the nonprofit 1Sky launched a campaign asking Americans to call President Obama to let him know that Americans want him to commit the US to ambitious targets and climate financing for developing nations that will put us on the path to 350 ppm, to survival, and to a fair, ambitious and binding global deal.
To participate in the campaign go here.
so long as an agreement can be reached on a "substantive political accord" that would include transparency in tracking emissions cuts by major developing countries.
Clinton was talking about China, India, and Brazil, but she didn't actually come out and say it.
In response, the nonprofit 1Sky launched a campaign asking Americans to call President Obama to let him know that Americans want him to commit the US to ambitious targets and climate financing for developing nations that will put us on the path to 350 ppm, to survival, and to a fair, ambitious and binding global deal.
To participate in the campaign go here.
Don't Buy Heartache for the Holidays :: Adopt
My dog Sabrina came from the Oakland, California-based Home At Last Animal Rescue. Sabrina was found running around in a parking lot in Richmond, California and a police officer took her to a "kill shelter" - the Pinole Animal Shelter. On her last day - the day she was scheduled to be euthanized because no one had come to claim or adopt her - a volunteer from Home At Last saw her at the shelter and decided to take her home and give her another chance.
Sabrina was fostered at the volunteer's home for several months before I found Sabrina on the website Petfinder.com, where she had been listed for adoption.
Here's Sabrina, 5+ years later! Ready for Santa Claus!
photo: Linda Mar beach in Pacifica, CA - December 2009
Thom Yorke live on 'The Stupid Show' :: Archived Video will be available
Here's the info - I wrote a post about it for the HeadCount blog.
Thom is on the show as I type this!
UPDATE: Here's a great archived clip of Thom's interview.
Treehugger did a great write up about Thom's appearance @ COP15 today, including the Treehugger informal interview with Thom below.
McKinsey & Co Report Surfaces @ COP15
I grabbed this from Dean Ottinger's Day 8 COP15 blog entry, which hasn't been published on the Pace website yet:
Re emission reduction commitments there is general agreement that the US weak commitment of just 3 percent is a drag on the whole process. A number of countries won't up their ante unless we do since it would put them at a competitive disadvantage. Europe is holding back on a larger commitment to put pressure on the US. China is thought to be holding back on reporting and verification as leverage to get the US to do more.
However, a McKinsey & Company report issued today and previewed at one of the UNF briefings indicates that the US legislation goes further than the cap and trade commitments it states in that the cap does not take into account the strong efficiency and renewable energy commitments elsewhere in the agreement that would lower emissions. McKinsey postulated that the legislative cap was kept low deliberately in order to ease passage in the Senate. I will send a reference to the McKinsey Report when it is published.
Also indicated that the conference was far too focused on the costs of remediation and the allocation of those costs, ignoring the considerable benefits of transformation from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables -- to say nothing of the far greater costs of not acting. The report will contain estimates of these benefits.
Re emission reduction commitments there is general agreement that the US weak commitment of just 3 percent is a drag on the whole process. A number of countries won't up their ante unless we do since it would put them at a competitive disadvantage. Europe is holding back on a larger commitment to put pressure on the US. China is thought to be holding back on reporting and verification as leverage to get the US to do more.
However, a McKinsey & Company report issued today and previewed at one of the UNF briefings indicates that the US legislation goes further than the cap and trade commitments it states in that the cap does not take into account the strong efficiency and renewable energy commitments elsewhere in the agreement that would lower emissions. McKinsey postulated that the legislative cap was kept low deliberately in order to ease passage in the Senate. I will send a reference to the McKinsey Report when it is published.
Also indicated that the conference was far too focused on the costs of remediation and the allocation of those costs, ignoring the considerable benefits of transformation from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables -- to say nothing of the far greater costs of not acting. The report will contain estimates of these benefits.
Friends of the Earth denied access to Bella Center on Wednesday @ COP15
I'm still catching up on COP15 coverage so this is a little belated, but still relevant.
Access to the Bella Center continues to grow more restrictive as more and more heads of state arrive @ COP15, many with large delegations. This has forced many observers who had previously had access to the Bella Center out of the building.
Yet the situation with Friends of the Earth still seems odd -
According to this New York Times article, when Friends of the Earth's 90-member delegation showed up at the Bella Center on Wednesday morning and presented their delegate badges to security to gain entrance to the building, the delegates found that their badges were no longer valid, and were therefore denied entry to the Bella Center.
photo: Friends of the Earth delegates @ Bella Center entrance
Here's a report of the situation from Friends of the Earth staff member Nick Berning that I received very early this morning PST:
Just managed to get internet access again via a borrowed laptop now.
We've been sitting here for two hours now, about 50 Friends of the Earth representatives, all with accreditation and secondary badges, who have been refused admission to the conference. We are sitting in the registration area, between the registration/credentials desks and the photo desks.
UN climate chief Yvo de Boer came out and spoke to us awhile ago and said he wanted to resolve the situation. A few of our representatives have gone to talk to UN officials while we sit here, but our lack of access remains unresolved.
Initially there were a lot of reporters, but the UN has now cordoned us off and closed access to media.
The UN still has yet to give us a coherent reason for our having been denied access. We have been given different explanations by different officials: (1) we are a security threat or (2) there was no more room inside. It's hard to see how the "no room" explanation makes sense, as they continued to allow other NGO observers to enter even as we were denied access. And as for the security threat, we're a bunch of policy wonks and youth activists who have been participating in the negotiations every day for two weeks.
We've had both a member of the Norweigan and a member of the Canadian parliament come speak to us to lend us their support while we've been sitting here.
One of the key roles Friends of the Earth has played at the conference has been to advocate for climate justice and the interests of the poor countries that have done the least to cause the climate crisis but will feel some of its strongest impacts. Negotiators from those countries are tremendously under-resourced here. For example, I've worked with negotiators who have no media officers (I do media work) to help them communicate their position. They are totally outgunned by the massive delegations of the rich countries, and now thanks to the UN's decision to exclude us, they will have even less support inside the Bella Center to fight for a fair agreement. It's really shameful.
Also --
Re the entry way more generally: appears that access to the conference has been almost completely shut down. We have a very clear view of the front doors and the security area, and people come through only very sporadically.'
Best,
Nick
Nick suggested this video recap of the day's events as well, prepared by Friends of the Earth.
Again according to the New York Times article, Yvo De Boer, executive director of the U.N.F.C.C.C., eventually emerged to talk to the spurned delegates. Against an angry chorus of “Open the Door, De Boer!,” he explained somewhat testily that the United Nations had “no other option but to restrict” admissions.
Ultimately he offered the organization 12 passes to the conference, a number that the group deemed unacceptable. At about 1 p.m. they decided to leave, meaning that one of the worlds largest environment groups is no longer at the meetings.
Access to the Bella Center continues to grow more restrictive as more and more heads of state arrive @ COP15, many with large delegations. This has forced many observers who had previously had access to the Bella Center out of the building.
Yet the situation with Friends of the Earth still seems odd -
According to this New York Times article, when Friends of the Earth's 90-member delegation showed up at the Bella Center on Wednesday morning and presented their delegate badges to security to gain entrance to the building, the delegates found that their badges were no longer valid, and were therefore denied entry to the Bella Center.
photo: Friends of the Earth delegates @ Bella Center entrance
Here's a report of the situation from Friends of the Earth staff member Nick Berning that I received very early this morning PST:
Just managed to get internet access again via a borrowed laptop now.
We've been sitting here for two hours now, about 50 Friends of the Earth representatives, all with accreditation and secondary badges, who have been refused admission to the conference. We are sitting in the registration area, between the registration/credentials desks and the photo desks.
UN climate chief Yvo de Boer came out and spoke to us awhile ago and said he wanted to resolve the situation. A few of our representatives have gone to talk to UN officials while we sit here, but our lack of access remains unresolved.
Initially there were a lot of reporters, but the UN has now cordoned us off and closed access to media.
The UN still has yet to give us a coherent reason for our having been denied access. We have been given different explanations by different officials: (1) we are a security threat or (2) there was no more room inside. It's hard to see how the "no room" explanation makes sense, as they continued to allow other NGO observers to enter even as we were denied access. And as for the security threat, we're a bunch of policy wonks and youth activists who have been participating in the negotiations every day for two weeks.
We've had both a member of the Norweigan and a member of the Canadian parliament come speak to us to lend us their support while we've been sitting here.
One of the key roles Friends of the Earth has played at the conference has been to advocate for climate justice and the interests of the poor countries that have done the least to cause the climate crisis but will feel some of its strongest impacts. Negotiators from those countries are tremendously under-resourced here. For example, I've worked with negotiators who have no media officers (I do media work) to help them communicate their position. They are totally outgunned by the massive delegations of the rich countries, and now thanks to the UN's decision to exclude us, they will have even less support inside the Bella Center to fight for a fair agreement. It's really shameful.
Also --
Re the entry way more generally: appears that access to the conference has been almost completely shut down. We have a very clear view of the front doors and the security area, and people come through only very sporadically.'
Best,
Nick
Nick suggested this video recap of the day's events as well, prepared by Friends of the Earth.
Again according to the New York Times article, Yvo De Boer, executive director of the U.N.F.C.C.C., eventually emerged to talk to the spurned delegates. Against an angry chorus of “Open the Door, De Boer!,” he explained somewhat testily that the United Nations had “no other option but to restrict” admissions.
Ultimately he offered the organization 12 passes to the conference, a number that the group deemed unacceptable. At about 1 p.m. they decided to leave, meaning that one of the worlds largest environment groups is no longer at the meetings.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Kerry's Speech on Wednesday @ COP15
photo: Senator Kerry speaking @ COP15
I stumbled upon this article in the Politico today. The opening paragraph makes me smile each time I read it:
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is tired of the world telling the Senate what to do — so he spent his brief stopover Wednesday at the U.N. climate conference telling the world what it can do for the Senate.
In a speech that was part climate-change pep rally, part lecture on America’s legislative political dynamics, Kerry argued that he needs a strong political settlement at COP-15 to jolt the Senate into action on its moribund cap-and-trade bill.
Most of Senator Kerry's speech was captured in the video below. Full recording should be posted on Senator Kerry's website soon.
Senator John Kerry at the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009 from Northseasailor on Vimeo.
Some highlights from the speech (full transcript available here):
If Dick Cheney can argue that even a 1% chance of a terrorist attack is 100% justification for preemptive action—then surely, when scientists tell us that climate change is nearly a 100% certainty, we ought to be able to stand together, all of us, and join in an all out effort to combat a mortal threat to the life of this planet.
After stating that the US Senate could pass climate legislation by June, a month or two after the deadline Al Gore set during his COP15 appearance, Senator Kerry went on to say --
And vitally, we must agree on a process to come back together next year to transform the Copenhagen political agreement into a binding international treaty. That process should not delay and I believe an early summer date of June or July 2010 is realistic and necessary.
Police & Demonstrators Clash Outside of Bella Center @ COP15 Yesterday
You might have heard that things got violent outside of the Bella Center yesterday. Here's an account of the event from It's Getting Hot in Here, written by Adrian Wilson, who was involved in the event.
Here's a video of the interactions between Danish police and demonstrators that was filmed by a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation.
Here's a video of the interactions between Danish police and demonstrators that was filmed by a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation.
David Doniger of NRDC Interview @ COP15
This is from last Tuesday, but I think it's still worth sharing because David Doniger, Policy Director of NRDC's Climate Center, is amazing.
Prior to this role at NRDC he served for 8 years in the Clinton administration, where he was director of climate change policy at the Environmental Protection Agency and, before that, counsel to the head of the EPA's clean air program; he also worked for a year at the Council on Environmental Quality.
In this interview, conducted by Daniel Nelson and Jeffrey Allen of "Copenhagen Live" Doniger explains the significance of the EPA's recent Endangerment Finding and other big changes underway in the US.
The interview is broken up into 3 video segments, posted below in chronological order.
"Copenhagen Live" airs live on the live video streaming site that's broadcasting from COP 15, called One Climate. Programming airs live daily through December 18th, from 12noon - 9pm. I highly recommend checking it out here. The above interview is archived footage from their web stream.
Prior to this role at NRDC he served for 8 years in the Clinton administration, where he was director of climate change policy at the Environmental Protection Agency and, before that, counsel to the head of the EPA's clean air program; he also worked for a year at the Council on Environmental Quality.
In this interview, conducted by Daniel Nelson and Jeffrey Allen of "Copenhagen Live" Doniger explains the significance of the EPA's recent Endangerment Finding and other big changes underway in the US.
The interview is broken up into 3 video segments, posted below in chronological order.
"Copenhagen Live" airs live on the live video streaming site that's broadcasting from COP 15, called One Climate. Programming airs live daily through December 18th, from 12noon - 9pm. I highly recommend checking it out here. The above interview is archived footage from their web stream.
Youth Presence on 1st Day of COP15
I'm a little behind with this post ...
Youth actions @ COP15 began last Monday with a "flash dance" in the main hall of the Bella Center.
Youth also formally presented TckTckTck's petition signed by 10 million world citizens to Yvo de Boer and Connie Hedegaaard, Danish Climate Minister and President of COP15.
photo: Flickr Robert vanWaarden
Leah Wickham, 24, of Fiji, gave a captivating short speech about the 'hopes and dreams' of the petition signers.
To "meet" some of the youth delegates check out the below video and these photos.
Youth actions @ COP15 began last Monday with a "flash dance" in the main hall of the Bella Center.
Youth also formally presented TckTckTck's petition signed by 10 million world citizens to Yvo de Boer and Connie Hedegaaard, Danish Climate Minister and President of COP15.
photo: Flickr Robert vanWaarden
Leah Wickham, 24, of Fiji, gave a captivating short speech about the 'hopes and dreams' of the petition signers.
To "meet" some of the youth delegates check out the below video and these photos.
Millennial Iraq & Afghanistan Vets @ COP15
Military experts in the house tomorrow @ COP15:
Operation Free is a coalition of US military veterans (many of them Millennials who served in Iraq and Afghanistan) and national security organizations who are carrying the message that climate change poses a serious national security threat.
They are hosting a briefing tomorrow, during which they will discuss the connection between security and climate change, progress that's been made thus far, and the reaction they've had to their message thus far. You can watch it via live stream @ 12noon EST here.
In addition to a presence @ COP15 they have been very active spreading their message throughout the USA.
Here's a related side event scheduled for tomorrow @ Cafe A Porta eta 1792 in Copenhagen: “Delivering Climate Security: What the security community needs from a global climate regime.”
Organised by E3G in cooperation with Chatham House, Brookings Institute, and Institute for Environmental Security, the event is a panel presentation by military leaders from a developed as well as developing nation on the likely security impacts of climate change. The panelists will then discuss what the security community is already doing, or thinks needs to be done, in order to guarantee national and global security.
Operation Free is a coalition of US military veterans (many of them Millennials who served in Iraq and Afghanistan) and national security organizations who are carrying the message that climate change poses a serious national security threat.
They are hosting a briefing tomorrow, during which they will discuss the connection between security and climate change, progress that's been made thus far, and the reaction they've had to their message thus far. You can watch it via live stream @ 12noon EST here.
In addition to a presence @ COP15 they have been very active spreading their message throughout the USA.
Here's a related side event scheduled for tomorrow @ Cafe A Porta eta 1792 in Copenhagen: “Delivering Climate Security: What the security community needs from a global climate regime.”
Organised by E3G in cooperation with Chatham House, Brookings Institute, and Institute for Environmental Security, the event is a panel presentation by military leaders from a developed as well as developing nation on the likely security impacts of climate change. The panelists will then discuss what the security community is already doing, or thinks needs to be done, in order to guarantee national and global security.
Federal Funds to be Allocated for Teen Pregnancy Prevention, not Abstinence Only Education
I've been so busy following COP15 that I missed this great news!
Last week the US House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. This bill contains all of the remaining fiscal year 2010 federal spending bills, with the exception of Defense. This past Sunday the US Senate passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill by a vote of 57-35. The bill will now go to President Obama for his signature.
This is exciting because the bill contains two provisions that will positively affect the sexual health of young people.
* Congress and the Obama Administration removed all direct funding ($99.5 million) for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. Instead the government is providing $114.5 million for more comprehensive teenage pregnancy prevention.
"This bill marks the first time since 1981 that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs will not receive dedicated federal funding in the coming fiscal year," says Jen Heitel Yakush, assistant director for public policy at Sexuality Information & Education Council of the US.
* Congress and the Obama Administration established the Office of Adolescent Health, which will fall within the Office of the Secretary at the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Adolescent Health will monitor the Community-Based Abstinence Education program.
According to the conference summary, “the conferees intend that the Office of Adolescent Health shall coordinate its efforts with the Administration for Children and Families, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other appropriate HHS offices and operating divisions.”
The Office of Adolescent Health will also integrate and coordinate a broad array of adolescent health issues, including wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and
obesity.
Additionally, for the first time in many years the US will contribute $55 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF). Funding to UNFPA was withheld during George W. Bush's administration.
Unfortunately an attempt to permanently eliminate the global gag rule - also known as the "Mexico City policy" - was passed by the Senate but pulled out during conference committee.
Last week the US House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. This bill contains all of the remaining fiscal year 2010 federal spending bills, with the exception of Defense. This past Sunday the US Senate passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill by a vote of 57-35. The bill will now go to President Obama for his signature.
This is exciting because the bill contains two provisions that will positively affect the sexual health of young people.
* Congress and the Obama Administration removed all direct funding ($99.5 million) for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. Instead the government is providing $114.5 million for more comprehensive teenage pregnancy prevention.
"This bill marks the first time since 1981 that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs will not receive dedicated federal funding in the coming fiscal year," says Jen Heitel Yakush, assistant director for public policy at Sexuality Information & Education Council of the US.
* Congress and the Obama Administration established the Office of Adolescent Health, which will fall within the Office of the Secretary at the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Adolescent Health will monitor the Community-Based Abstinence Education program.
According to the conference summary, “the conferees intend that the Office of Adolescent Health shall coordinate its efforts with the Administration for Children and Families, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other appropriate HHS offices and operating divisions.”
The Office of Adolescent Health will also integrate and coordinate a broad array of adolescent health issues, including wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and
obesity.
Additionally, for the first time in many years the US will contribute $55 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF). Funding to UNFPA was withheld during George W. Bush's administration.
Unfortunately an attempt to permanently eliminate the global gag rule - also known as the "Mexico City policy" - was passed by the Senate but pulled out during conference committee.
International Youth "Sit-In" @ Bella Center - COP15
photo: Flickr SustainUS
At 5pm today approximately 30 international youth (including 10 Americans) staged a "sit-in" in the main hallway of the Bella Center, outside of the main hall, during the opening of the high level segment of the COP15 negotiations. They were not blocking the flow of traffic, but rather lining the hallway.
The youth read the names of the 11 million+ people who have signed a petition demanding a fair, ambitious, and legally binding agreement.
An hour and a half into the "sit-in", with a huge group of international media present with their cameras, the Bella Center security began forcibly removing the non-violent protesters. Reporters and young people surrounded the Bella Center security staff, chanting ''The whole world is watching.''
After detaining several youth, the remaining protesters were left on the side of the hallway, where they currently remain as of 8:30pm.
One hour after the police incident, Senator John Kerry arrived and shook hands with all the protesters, raising spirits among the group.
photo: Flickr SustainUS
Lots more great coverage here on the It's Getting Hot In Here blog!
Thursday, December 17 :: Celebrate "A Day Without a Bag"
photo: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel spent the 4th of July shopping at the Brentwood, CA Whole Foods.
A Day Without a Bag is an education and grassroots event started by the Los Angelese-based nonprofit Heal the Bay.
On Thursday, please tell your friends and family to forget the single-use bag at the store and "get hip" with a reusable bag.
I liked this suggestion from San Diego's Surfrider Chapter: ask the kids to remind you to bring your bags as part of earning their allowance.
I also got this info from Surfrider's San Diego Chapter-
DID YOU KNOW:
- Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute.
- Californians throw away 294,000,000 pounds of plastic bags every year, or 147,000 tons.
- 600 plastic bags are thrown away every second in California.
- Most of the bags we use are NOT recycled! They are littering our oceans, beaches, landfills and killing animals & birds.
If you are on Facebook then you can help promote the event by RSVP'ing to this event and this event.
photo: Justin and Jessica from the 2009 MET Costume Gala
Take Action Today :: Request from 350.org
photo: Bill McKibben
Just received this request in a mass email from Bill McKibben of 350.org:
We don't usually ask you to make calls, but today we're going to.
If you go to our website you'll find a list of every head of state and his or her phone number. You'll note that the countries are listed in either green or red type.
If your nation is in green, it means they're fighting the good fight for 350. We need you to leave them a message that either expresses your pride and gratitude for their commitment to keeping 350 in the treaty text, or your earnest wish that they'll listen to the science and consider standing with the bloc of more than 100 nations standing for bold scientific targets.
We've provided you with everything that you need, on our website: the appropriate phone numbers, a short script of what to say, and a sense of how your country's leadership is standing on this issue.
Go here to take action.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu speech @ COP15 today
Earlier today Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson hosted an Oxfam-sponsored panel discussion on the international human costs of climate change. The event took place in the Bella Center
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, and primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Since his retirement, he has worked as a global activist on issues pertaining to democracy, freedom and human rights.
Also involved in today's event were UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, who was to be presented with the panel's findings, Oxfam Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs, and these climate witnesses organized by Oxfam:
* Constance Okollet: a farmer from Uganda whose village faced death and hunger after an unprecedented drought was followed by flash flooding in 2007.
* Shorbanu Khatun: a cyclone Aila survivor from Bangladesh now living with around 45,000 internally displaced people on the embankments of coastal area, Satkhira.
* Cayetano Huanca: a farmer from Peru, whose village is suffering water shortages and hunger due to glacial melt and a rising climate.
* Sharon Hanshaw: a hurricane Katrina survivor who lost her home and business of 21 years.
The below recording only totals about 25 minutes, but is broken up into 4 video segments. They are listed here in numerical order. Most footage is of Archbishop Desmond Tutu but also included is the testimony of Cayetano Huanca.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, and primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Since his retirement, he has worked as a global activist on issues pertaining to democracy, freedom and human rights.
Also involved in today's event were UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, who was to be presented with the panel's findings, Oxfam Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs, and these climate witnesses organized by Oxfam:
* Constance Okollet: a farmer from Uganda whose village faced death and hunger after an unprecedented drought was followed by flash flooding in 2007.
* Shorbanu Khatun: a cyclone Aila survivor from Bangladesh now living with around 45,000 internally displaced people on the embankments of coastal area, Satkhira.
* Cayetano Huanca: a farmer from Peru, whose village is suffering water shortages and hunger due to glacial melt and a rising climate.
* Sharon Hanshaw: a hurricane Katrina survivor who lost her home and business of 21 years.
The below recording only totals about 25 minutes, but is broken up into 4 video segments. They are listed here in numerical order. Most footage is of Archbishop Desmond Tutu but also included is the testimony of Cayetano Huanca.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
350.org Update & New Video
350.org shared their new campaign video today, following an event with Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed. He was introduced by Bill McKibben before a crowd at Klimaforum in Copenhagen.
President Nasheed said "my message to you is to continue the protests...continue despite the odds."
President Nasheed said "my message to you is to continue the protests...continue despite the odds."
It's Getting Crowded @ The Bella Center
Just saw the below official UNFCCC communication:
Access To The Bella Centre At Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
The UN regrets the long delays today for people wishing to gain access or pick up accreditation at the Bella Centre, the venue for the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and is doing all it can to alleviate further delays.
Over 45,000 people have applied to attend the conference, three times more than its capacity. An overwhelming number of those who applied arrived on Monday, causing congestion in the area outside the UN venue, which is under the control of the Danish police, and also long delays inside the UN area of control at accreditation counters. The UN accredited a total of around 3,500 new delegates.
video: recorded on Monday December 14, outside of the Bella Center
UN security is also in contact with the Danish police to help speed identification of those already accredited and wishing to enter through the gate into the UN venue.
The access to the venue for NGOs will continue to be controlled by the existing quota system to allow balanced access by NGO organisations. NGO representatives are given over half of the capacity of the Bella Centre, more than ever before at a climate conference. As of tomorrow, only NGO organisations that have the secondary badges issued will be able to enter the Bella Centre .
The UN retains full access to the centre for government delegations. It also retains full access for press who have already been accredited. The UN will work to ensure prompt access and accreditation within the venue, inside the limits of physical capacity.
This follows Pace Law School's Richard Ottinger's December 11th report from COP15:
The Conference participants are awaiting with some anxiety for the arrival of the now announced 190 heads of state, each with large retinues of supporters. I have met some of the people writing the speeches for their presidents and prime ministers. It is interesting how dependent most heads of state are dependent on staff writers, neither adequately familiar with the climate issues and the options available to address them. Some of the heads of state are coming with very large staffs, a few with more than 100, and it is anticipated that only the heads of state and their retinues will be allowed in he plenary sessions for much of next week. It also is reported that to allow for all the poobahs to speak, they are scheduled from dawn through the wee hours of the next morning. This huge convention hall already is packed to the gills, and it may be very difficult even getting access to the convention center next week. In addition I am told that the airport will be shut down during the arrival and departure of leading heads of state and that may cause travel problems. It turns out I may be lucky to be returning with the Grantmakers on the 20th instead of at the end of the conference on the 18th.
His report from December 14th included this observation:
The conference shut down and the plenary and scheduled events at the conference center were discontinued. The conference is reconfiguring the center to accommodate the 170 or so heads of state and their entourages that are descending here this week. There are so many people here now and coming with the poobahs that the conference is requiring supplementary passes, now starting tomorrow, cutting NGO and IGO (IUCN) admissions to 1/3 of delegation members. IUCN will limit these passes to staff members, so my participation will be more limited. There still are lots of side events off site, but my take on the main conference events will have to be from second hand exposure. The decision is obviously necessary. There were so many people trying to get into the Center today that the City had to close down the Metro stop for the Center all day. It is a zoo.
And his report from his first day at COP15, December 7th, included this note:
Thanks goodness we registered at 10:00, however. When we left around 3:00, there was a line to get in to register at least the length of two football fields. There was such a crowd in the convention center that it took half an hour for the cloakroom attendants to find our coats.
Access To The Bella Centre At Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
The UN regrets the long delays today for people wishing to gain access or pick up accreditation at the Bella Centre, the venue for the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and is doing all it can to alleviate further delays.
Over 45,000 people have applied to attend the conference, three times more than its capacity. An overwhelming number of those who applied arrived on Monday, causing congestion in the area outside the UN venue, which is under the control of the Danish police, and also long delays inside the UN area of control at accreditation counters. The UN accredited a total of around 3,500 new delegates.
video: recorded on Monday December 14, outside of the Bella Center
UN security is also in contact with the Danish police to help speed identification of those already accredited and wishing to enter through the gate into the UN venue.
The access to the venue for NGOs will continue to be controlled by the existing quota system to allow balanced access by NGO organisations. NGO representatives are given over half of the capacity of the Bella Centre, more than ever before at a climate conference. As of tomorrow, only NGO organisations that have the secondary badges issued will be able to enter the Bella Centre .
The UN retains full access to the centre for government delegations. It also retains full access for press who have already been accredited. The UN will work to ensure prompt access and accreditation within the venue, inside the limits of physical capacity.
This follows Pace Law School's Richard Ottinger's December 11th report from COP15:
The Conference participants are awaiting with some anxiety for the arrival of the now announced 190 heads of state, each with large retinues of supporters. I have met some of the people writing the speeches for their presidents and prime ministers. It is interesting how dependent most heads of state are dependent on staff writers, neither adequately familiar with the climate issues and the options available to address them. Some of the heads of state are coming with very large staffs, a few with more than 100, and it is anticipated that only the heads of state and their retinues will be allowed in he plenary sessions for much of next week. It also is reported that to allow for all the poobahs to speak, they are scheduled from dawn through the wee hours of the next morning. This huge convention hall already is packed to the gills, and it may be very difficult even getting access to the convention center next week. In addition I am told that the airport will be shut down during the arrival and departure of leading heads of state and that may cause travel problems. It turns out I may be lucky to be returning with the Grantmakers on the 20th instead of at the end of the conference on the 18th.
His report from December 14th included this observation:
The conference shut down and the plenary and scheduled events at the conference center were discontinued. The conference is reconfiguring the center to accommodate the 170 or so heads of state and their entourages that are descending here this week. There are so many people here now and coming with the poobahs that the conference is requiring supplementary passes, now starting tomorrow, cutting NGO and IGO (IUCN) admissions to 1/3 of delegation members. IUCN will limit these passes to staff members, so my participation will be more limited. There still are lots of side events off site, but my take on the main conference events will have to be from second hand exposure. The decision is obviously necessary. There were so many people trying to get into the Center today that the City had to close down the Metro stop for the Center all day. It is a zoo.
And his report from his first day at COP15, December 7th, included this note:
Thanks goodness we registered at 10:00, however. When we left around 3:00, there was a line to get in to register at least the length of two football fields. There was such a crowd in the convention center that it took half an hour for the cloakroom attendants to find our coats.
Obama's Influence on Africa @ COP15? :: How Much is Enough?
photo: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Early this morning the White House announced that President Obama had placed a phone call to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.
This is what the White House said of the call:
"With Prime Minister Meles, the President reviewed efforts by the United States on climate change and reiterated his commitment to making progress. He expressed his appreciation for the leadership role the Prime Minister was playing in work with African countries on climate change, and urged him to help reach agreement at the Leaders summit later this week in Copenhagen. For his part, Prime Minister Meles stressed the importance of success in Copenhagen, and the need to find ways to make suitable progress on the mitigation, adaptation, and the provision of finance for the developing countries."
Also taking place today, France and “Ethiopia, representing Africa” announced specific hopes for a Copenhagen agreement on the French Presidency’s website.
Activists are concerned that this is more than a coincidence, especially since they are not happy with the French-Ethiopian announcement.
According to Bill McKibben of 350.org “The ugly and overt pressure on developing countries to sign an agreement that will put their very survival in jeopardy has begun. It’s very tough to stand up to the Americans, especially Barack Obama. But even the U.S. president can’t protect nations against rising waters, withering droughts, and dried-up glaciers. This is the moment for Africa, for island nations, for the developing world to insist on a future.”
Of interest to me is that the French-Ethiopian plan proposes a “fast start” fund, which would pay out $10 billion over the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Augustine Njamnshi of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance said that “Every other African country has committed to policy based on the science. That means at least 45% cuts by rich countries by 2020 and it means $400 billion fast-track finance not $10 billion. You cannot say you are proposing a ’solution’ to climate change if your solution will see millions of Africans die and if the poor not the polluters keep paying for climate change.”
Word got out today that when Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama lands in Copenhagen, he will bring along an offer of $10 billion (US) to help developing countries fight global warming, over a course of three years. This is more than the $9.2 billion that world's 5th largest emitter of greenhouse gases had last pledged for this cause.
The Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance issued a press release today on behalf of the African civil society present @ COP15 condemning the agreement between France and Ethiopia.
From the press release: We call on President Meles Zenawi to rescind the appeal or to step down as Coordinator of African Heads of State and Governments on Climate Change.
Leaders of World's Cities Convene @ COP15 :: Focus on California
While the US Senate is in conflict over the preferred approach to climate change regulation, the states have been acting independently with great success, and additional plans for more initiatives.
California, in particular is taking big steps to address climate change. Senator Barbara Boxer, the Chairman of the US Senate Environment & Public Works Committee had planned to attend and speak @ COP15. Since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs her vote for health care reform in DC this week, she is unlikely to attend COP15 and has said that she will give her prepared speech from a DC location on Friday.
photo: Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Arnold Schwarzenegger after meeting about auto efficiency and emissions
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is @ COP15 as I write this, promoting California's leadership in climate change.
On December 7th California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he and other prominent governors would attend COP15. He said that he would give a keynote address at the City of Copenhagen-sponsored Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors.
Here's an address that Schwarzenegger gave today @ COP15.
(Now if only Schwarzenegger would place the same priority on California's state parks, 80% of which he threatened to close in order to address California's budget shortfall.)
Meanwhile, the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors that Schwarzenegger mentioned in his speech is currently underway; mayors from 80+ of the world's major cities are meeting to discuss approaches to climate change.
Half the world's population is now living in the cities and the number is rapidly growing. Cities around the world are responsible for up to 80% of global CO2 emissions.
photo: Chairman C40, Mayor of Toronto, David Miller Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Ritt Bjerregaard Secretary of Environment, Edward Yau, Hong Kong, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City, Mayor Kimbisa, Dar Es Salaam @ a December 15 Summit event
It will be interesting to see what comes of the Summit!
Meanwhile, leaders have been meeting back in the USA -
In October, 30 governors from around the world gathered in Los Angeles for the Governors' Global Climate Summit 2 in Los Angeles. Olav Kjørven, UN Assistant Secretary General and UN Development Programme policy director called the October summit "a major milestone on the way to a just and equitable deal in Copenhagen.”
At the Summit today Governor Schwarzenegger announced that he wants the UN to hold a climate summit in California.
California, in particular is taking big steps to address climate change. Senator Barbara Boxer, the Chairman of the US Senate Environment & Public Works Committee had planned to attend and speak @ COP15. Since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs her vote for health care reform in DC this week, she is unlikely to attend COP15 and has said that she will give her prepared speech from a DC location on Friday.
photo: Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Arnold Schwarzenegger after meeting about auto efficiency and emissions
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is @ COP15 as I write this, promoting California's leadership in climate change.
On December 7th California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he and other prominent governors would attend COP15. He said that he would give a keynote address at the City of Copenhagen-sponsored Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors.
Here's an address that Schwarzenegger gave today @ COP15.
(Now if only Schwarzenegger would place the same priority on California's state parks, 80% of which he threatened to close in order to address California's budget shortfall.)
Meanwhile, the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors that Schwarzenegger mentioned in his speech is currently underway; mayors from 80+ of the world's major cities are meeting to discuss approaches to climate change.
Half the world's population is now living in the cities and the number is rapidly growing. Cities around the world are responsible for up to 80% of global CO2 emissions.
photo: Chairman C40, Mayor of Toronto, David Miller Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Ritt Bjerregaard Secretary of Environment, Edward Yau, Hong Kong, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City, Mayor Kimbisa, Dar Es Salaam @ a December 15 Summit event
It will be interesting to see what comes of the Summit!
Meanwhile, leaders have been meeting back in the USA -
In October, 30 governors from around the world gathered in Los Angeles for the Governors' Global Climate Summit 2 in Los Angeles. Olav Kjørven, UN Assistant Secretary General and UN Development Programme policy director called the October summit "a major milestone on the way to a just and equitable deal in Copenhagen.”
At the Summit today Governor Schwarzenegger announced that he wants the UN to hold a climate summit in California.
Alaska Coastline Eroding 45 Feet/Year
Saw this on Treehugger today -
A study out of the University of Colorado at Boulder shows that a substantial piece of the northern Alaska coastline is eroding at an astonishing rate of 45 feet a year thanks to three major threats - less ice, more waves, and warmer water.
Using time lapse cameras and submerged ocean buoys, the University of Colorado team recorded the erosion measurements.
As reported in Discovery News, "what's happening along the shores of the Beaufort Sea might hint at what's to come in the rest of the Arctic, where a slower pace of erosion is harder to measure but equally important, said lead researcher Benjamin Jones, a geographer with the United States Geological Survey in Anchorage, Alaska."
A study out of the University of Colorado at Boulder shows that a substantial piece of the northern Alaska coastline is eroding at an astonishing rate of 45 feet a year thanks to three major threats - less ice, more waves, and warmer water.
Using time lapse cameras and submerged ocean buoys, the University of Colorado team recorded the erosion measurements.
As reported in Discovery News, "what's happening along the shores of the Beaufort Sea might hint at what's to come in the rest of the Arctic, where a slower pace of erosion is harder to measure but equally important, said lead researcher Benjamin Jones, a geographer with the United States Geological Survey in Anchorage, Alaska."
Andrew Revkin leaves NYT :: Becomes Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding @ Pace University
I saw this in the paper yesterday, but just received the below official announcement from Pace Law School Professor Ann Powers.
I took Survey of Environmental Laws, and Environmental Law: Skills and Practice with Professor Powers when I was a student @ Pace. She runs an awesome email list for current and former Pace Environmental Law students.
This is awesome news!
photo: Andrew Revkin
Andrew Revkin, one of the United States’ most eminent science reporters, is becoming Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding at Pace University’s new interdisciplinary Pace Academy for Applied Environmental Studies.
Revkin will be leaving The New York Times when he returns from his current assignment covering the Copenhagen summit on climate change, and will begin teaching when the spring term begins in late January.
Revkin has said that he wants to think and write about “the role of journalism in the larger world of environmental communication – how information matters in terms of policy and behavior.” He is starting what will be his third book for adults, about the interlinked issues of sustainability and population, and finishing the second of two books for children on environmental issues. The first has the ironic title “The North Pole Was Here.”
“We are extremely pleased that Andy Revkin is joining what we believe is one of the strongest university environmental programs in the nation,” said Geoffrey Bracket Brackett, DPhil (Oxon.), the University’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “His intellectual expertise and ethical balance will make enormous contributions to helping the Pace Academy in its aim to be a global resource for policy development.”
The Pace Academy is a University-wide center with internationally known faculty members who concentrate on national and global environmental issues such as the water crisis and climate change.
Pace awarded Revkin an honorary doctorate in 2007.
About Pace University:
A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lienhard School of Nursing, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.
Over the years Pace has become well known for environmental education. The Pace Law School’s environmental program is consistently ranked among the top three in the US. The law school’s Environmental Legal Clinic, co led by Professors Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Karl Coplan, trains environmental lawyers who, while still students, have set national precedents in a number of cases involving the Hudson River.
photo: The Pace Environmental Law Clinic student offices, Fall 2002 semester - John, Michelle, Delight
When I was a Pace Environmental Law student I spent a semester with the Pace Law Land Use Law Center, and another semester with the Pace Law Environmental Litigation Clinic.
photo: Pace Clinic Student Attorneys and Professor Coplan in our strategy room, Fall 2002 semester
I got to work on this Esopus Creek case.
photo: Esopus Creek post-trial celebration in Albany, NY 2003. The Pace Team John (student), Karl (professor), Megan (student), Lisa (student), me & Bobby Kennedy (professor)
photo: Pace Law School Graduation Class of 2003
This fall Pace Law launched the first curriculum in the nation entirely dedicated to climate change, offered within the school’s Masters of Environmental Law (LLM) program.
In the last decade Pace University spearheaded formation of the Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities, an organization of more than 50 campuses in the Hudson watershed that collaborates on environmental studies and teaching.
Pace University @ COP15:
In Copenhagen, the Pace presence includes the former US Congressman and dean emeritus of Pace Law School, Richard Ottinger, a delegate for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, one of the largest global environmental nongovernmental organizations. Two Pace Law School Doctor of Juridical Science students are delegates, from the Marshall Islands and Pakistan, and a student in the school’s joint master’s program with the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies is serving as an observer.
The very awesome Dean Ottinger is blogging from COP15 daily - he writes the best summaries I've seen from anyone @ COP15:)
photo: Dean Ottinger
I took Survey of Environmental Laws, and Environmental Law: Skills and Practice with Professor Powers when I was a student @ Pace. She runs an awesome email list for current and former Pace Environmental Law students.
This is awesome news!
photo: Andrew Revkin
Andrew Revkin, one of the United States’ most eminent science reporters, is becoming Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding at Pace University’s new interdisciplinary Pace Academy for Applied Environmental Studies.
Revkin will be leaving The New York Times when he returns from his current assignment covering the Copenhagen summit on climate change, and will begin teaching when the spring term begins in late January.
Revkin has said that he wants to think and write about “the role of journalism in the larger world of environmental communication – how information matters in terms of policy and behavior.” He is starting what will be his third book for adults, about the interlinked issues of sustainability and population, and finishing the second of two books for children on environmental issues. The first has the ironic title “The North Pole Was Here.”
“We are extremely pleased that Andy Revkin is joining what we believe is one of the strongest university environmental programs in the nation,” said Geoffrey Bracket Brackett, DPhil (Oxon.), the University’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “His intellectual expertise and ethical balance will make enormous contributions to helping the Pace Academy in its aim to be a global resource for policy development.”
The Pace Academy is a University-wide center with internationally known faculty members who concentrate on national and global environmental issues such as the water crisis and climate change.
Pace awarded Revkin an honorary doctorate in 2007.
About Pace University:
A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lienhard School of Nursing, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.
Over the years Pace has become well known for environmental education. The Pace Law School’s environmental program is consistently ranked among the top three in the US. The law school’s Environmental Legal Clinic, co led by Professors Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Karl Coplan, trains environmental lawyers who, while still students, have set national precedents in a number of cases involving the Hudson River.
photo: The Pace Environmental Law Clinic student offices, Fall 2002 semester - John, Michelle, Delight
When I was a Pace Environmental Law student I spent a semester with the Pace Law Land Use Law Center, and another semester with the Pace Law Environmental Litigation Clinic.
photo: Pace Clinic Student Attorneys and Professor Coplan in our strategy room, Fall 2002 semester
I got to work on this Esopus Creek case.
photo: Esopus Creek post-trial celebration in Albany, NY 2003. The Pace Team John (student), Karl (professor), Megan (student), Lisa (student), me & Bobby Kennedy (professor)
photo: Pace Law School Graduation Class of 2003
This fall Pace Law launched the first curriculum in the nation entirely dedicated to climate change, offered within the school’s Masters of Environmental Law (LLM) program.
In the last decade Pace University spearheaded formation of the Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities, an organization of more than 50 campuses in the Hudson watershed that collaborates on environmental studies and teaching.
Pace University @ COP15:
In Copenhagen, the Pace presence includes the former US Congressman and dean emeritus of Pace Law School, Richard Ottinger, a delegate for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, one of the largest global environmental nongovernmental organizations. Two Pace Law School Doctor of Juridical Science students are delegates, from the Marshall Islands and Pakistan, and a student in the school’s joint master’s program with the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies is serving as an observer.
The very awesome Dean Ottinger is blogging from COP15 daily - he writes the best summaries I've seen from anyone @ COP15:)
photo: Dean Ottinger
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