All posts by COA Students

The infamous and unbelievably brilliant ex-Bolivian negotiator commenting on the earlier version of the KP text and the overall Durban disaster. The climate regime is crumbling around us..

From Pablo Solon (a rush translation): A few moments ago we found out the decisions that they have been cooking behind the scenes. In Durban they won’t approve a second period of commitments of the Kyoto Protocol. This will happen at the end of next year: in COP18. In Durban they will only take note of the draft amendments and the “intention” of rich countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol will lose its heart. The promises of reductions by rich countries will be incredibly low until 2020 and will lead to a temperature increase of more than 4 degrees C. The Kyoto Protocol will turn into a Zombie without a global figure for reduction of emissions by industrialised countries, and will carry on walking until 2020 just so that carbon markets don’t disappear. In 2020 it will enter into effect in “a new legal framework appliable to everyone”. By everyone, they mean diluting the difference between developed and developing countries, between countries responsible for climate change and those who victims. The US managed to eliminate any mention of a “binding” agreement. That means the “new legal framework” will be an empty gesture without any effect. This will become known as the lost decade of the fight against climate change. Genocide and ecocide will reach proportions that we have not yet seen. The Great Escape by the Rich has turned into the Great Swindle.

For any Spanish speakers:

Hace unos minutos se dieron a conocer los dos proyectos de decisión que se cocinaban entre bambalinas. En Durban no se aprobará el segundo periodo de compromisos del protocolo de Kioto. Ello recién ocurriría a fines del próximo año: en la COP 18.  En Durban sólo se tomará nota de los “borradores” de enmiendas y de la “intención” de los países ricos en relación a sus objetivos de reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. El Protocolo de Kioto perderá su corazón.  Las promesas de reducción de los países ricos serán bajísimas hasta el 2020 y nos llevarán a un incremento de la temperatura de más de 4 C. El Protocolo de Kioto se transformará en un Zombi sin una cifra global de reducción de emisiones de los países industrializados, y seguirá deambulando hasta el 2020 solo para permitir que los mercados de carbono no desaparezcan. El 2020 entrará en vigencia un “nuevo marco legal aplicable para todos”. “Para todos” quiere decir que se diluirá la diferencia entre países desarrollados y en desarrollo, entre países responsables y países victimas del cambio climático. Estados Unidos logra eliminar cualquier mención a un acuerdo “vinculante”. Es decir que ese “nuevo marco legal” será un saludo a la bandera. La Unión Europea deja que conviertan en Zombi al Protocolo de Kioto.  Esta será conocida como la década perdida del cambio climático. El genocidio y ecocidio alcanzarán proporciones nunca antes vistas. El Gran Escape se ha convertido en la Gran Estafa.

by Trudi Zundel

Quick update from the conference center.

Civil society was not in fact kicked out of the ICC–after some negotiations of our own with the secretariat, it was agreed that we could stay if we were working, but that those who were sleeping would be asked to leave. It’s going to be a long night for Joe, Anjali, and I, the last ones standing–Nathan, Graham and Julian left on an errand and weren’t allowed to return until 7am.

In between subtly curling up under these desks to sleep among the UN computer cords–last-ditch acts of rebellion–we’ll be blogging and tweeting away with whatever mental coherence we have left!