Nothing has moved, while climate is still changing

10th day of the UN climate negotiation. (text written on 16th of Decemebr, evening)

NGOs, Indigenous peoples and other observers got completely limited access to the conference. On Friday, there will be more head of states than youth!!!
Officially, restricting access to NGOs was due to securtiy reason, but everyone objective would say that it has nothing to do with that. Friends of the Earth International, AVAAZ and Tck Tck Tck had been totally banned for entering COP. These organizations were doing amazing thing trough their campaigns and obviously, from some point, they baceme threat. The main issues they were arising were:

Ambishous targets for Annex I
No offsetting
Climate Justice
...

Today was supposed to be very important day for civil society. Big direct action, Reclaim Power organized by Climate Justice Action, did not achive its goals and the message which has been did not come from the ones whos voice could not be heard yet. Danish police, serving the system, did their job as it was expected. Arresting, beating...

In parallel, developing countries were calling for just and fair agreement, as every day since the COP15 started. It is becoming very, very sad. Science clearly says what should be done. Global civil society is calling for the climate justice and immediate actions on climate crisis. Reports on human impact are mentioning hundreds of thousands deaths per year. Survival of some nations are being threatend by climate change. But it seems like morality and justice are too abstract priniciples, which can't be measured by money or credits and thus they have little value at these negotiations, which have been supposed to save the world. Let's hope that it is not really like that...

On Thursday, 17th of December, people worldwide will join the climate justice fast.

On Friday, the world leaders are supposed to decide on joining or not joining the civil society in this struggle. That will be the question.

2.5 days left. Hopenhagen or Brokenhagen? ...history will judge...

Think before you consume…

The Angry mermaid award was unveiled in Copenhagen, home to an iconic statue of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale character the Little Mermaid, on the sidelines of United Nations talks on fighting global warming.

The award was set up by Friends of the Earth International and five other groups to "highlight those business groups and companies that have made the greatest effort to sabotage the climate talks, and other climate measures, while promoting, often profitable, false solutions."
The awarding ceremony that took place at Klimaforum on 15th of December was opened by the director of Friend of the Earth International. Over the past several months people were voting over the internet and now the time has come for the little ol` frustrated mermaid to say her own. There were a large number of people waiting to hear which company or a business group is the current villain of the planet. They were announced by award-winning writer and journalist Naomi Klein. And the ‘winners’ are...

American Petroleum Institute was the “lucky” number three with 14 percent of votes well deserved for inviting its membership to attend a series of rallies in 20 key states, in order to give the impression of a groundswell of grassroots opposition to the climate legislation.
Shell, the well-known oil giant ended second place with 18 per cent of votes, for lobbying to sabotage effective action on climate change
Monsanto – the agriculture giant was the obvious “favorite” with the big 37 percent on its side. Monsanto was nominated for promoting its genetically modified (GM) crops as a solution to climate change and pushing for its crops to be used as biofuels. The expansion of GM soy in Latin America is contributing to major deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

More about the other nominees and their foul ways you can find on the following link www.angrymermaid.org/nominees

Just to be aware on whose business to be avoided, for as the anchor closed the ceremony with words:

“You are a consumer too, so think before you consume”

Meeting with Naomi Klein on Reclaim Power event

After official announcement concerning limitations on civil society participation in the events inside of COP15, people are getting upset. No real results of the negotiations, negotiators not even considering the postulates of FAIR, AMBITIOUS and BINDING deal and general disappointment led to planing on more radical ways of action. Thursday, 16th December has been announced as the day, when civil society will make their voices heard. Reclaim Power action inspired individuals and groups to act on the negotiations development. Certain amount of non-violent civil disobedience actions are being planed for tomorrows 9th (out of 11) day of negotiations. General mobilization of civil society members is on-going and big-names are encouraging for the participation. Today morning surprised youth delegates with an unannounced meeting with “The New York Times” journalist, author of “No Logo”, Naomi Klein. She joined youth after their daily meeting, to say more about the civil disobedience actions background and to support youth in their radical demands towards negotiating politicians.

Main point of her message was a REAL deal, not ANY deal. If COP15 is going to end up with unfair agreement, not respecting human rights nor climate justice postulates, it is better that it finished with no deal at all. That is why in her opinion civil society has all the right to disturb the negotiation process and to give the voice to those, who have not been heard till now. Klein called for youth activists to use the time of COP15 as good and as intensive as possible and to prevent the silent genocide, that will be a result of a bad agreement in Copenhagen. Effects of climate change will bring death or serious endangerment on millions of vulnerable people and it's unacceptable for us to peacefully watch the politicians leading the negotiations to that point, as Naomi Klein was saying. Civil society is called to put their bodies on the line, when their future survival is being inefficiently discussed. She also thinks, that people over-hoped “Hopenhagen”, without understanding, that the real negotiations are taking place somewhere else, behind closed door and with money as the main actor. Her final argument for disturbing the COP15 process was that system which created this crisis is not able to solve it. That is why not only Least Developed Countries should start adaptation for climate change results, but also rich countries citizens should start getting used to the thought of change in their lifestyles, in order to become sustainable.

Remarkable point is, that according to Klein, for the first time participants of an unregistered protest march gave in an official declaration of not escalating violent resistance in case of police intervention.

Civil Society uniting under common message

NGO observers for COP15 are uniting under common messaging. In recent days finally we can see strong tendency for different structures to work out message, that will unite different movements. Time till the end of negotiations and till the end of the period when civil society is allowed in the negotiations venue are disturbingly close. That is why the stress was moved from specific policy solutions to stronger push towards more general, ambitious solutions. The direction the negotiations are going now does not provide a safe future to today's youth generation neither safe present for hundreds of thousands of people from the most vulnerable and least responsible states.

The movement is officially uniting under same aims with hope for strengthening the voice and making the demand for policy regulations even more clear and visible. 350 ppm of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, fast-track financing for the adaptation for least developed countries, committing 5% of GMP to the adaptation fund and achieving 45% mitigation below 1990 levels by 2020 are the strongest postulates. Bringing coherency to the civil society voice is a big step in building up the structure, on which future, sustainable changes can be built.

United around climate justice!

12th of December could be called as D-day for climate history, because the biggest action on climate change ever happened. Friends of the Earth organized 5000 people Flood for Climate Justice. The weather followed the mood of people participating, shinny sun rays were dropping on the flood of people wearing blue raincoats simulating FLOOD that could reach dramatic levels, because of melting glaciers or ice on the poles.

After it very long Global Day of Action march consisted of almost 100000 people which has been finished after 7 hours. Amazing atmosphere culminated on the square in front of Parliament, where people gathered and continued together in the direction of Bella Center, where UN conference was happening. SCI crew, joined YOUNGO block, and beside them more groups were involved: Greenpeace, Friend of the Earth, WWF, 350. Joined power of word echoed through the streets which citizens were protected by police guards, who were standing around and smiling at as, but some did not have that much luck and have been arrested because of disobedience. Walking in the march, expressing the request for climate justice, led us to one direction- to show to the decision makers that we care; and the small babes carried by their parents were only reminding us why we are doing all this. That moment bring you to the future point when young people, that are growing up now, are going to be influenced by the decisions and actions of us, today. The demand for climate justice is requested by – citizens of the Earth: the young activist from India called for unite action and to overcome global North and global South differences; worker from UK - ordinary men fighting for his job in factory of wind turbines, he lost his job, and they occupied the factory; the children doctor who is dealing with child cancers caused by radiation coming from nuclear power plants, which are offered solutions for declining GHG emissions in some countries, as China. The representatives of World shout message. Peacefully walking, and showing the banner „There is no planet B“.

But, did decision makers hear that mass of people is screaming for change? Or was it only entertainment for the rest of the world sitting home after weekend shopping, watching TV broadcast recorded from helicopters flying above the protest, and then says: “Let’s see what is on the other channel......” While walking and passing by street lights where photographers were climbing on, with notice of united people asking for climate justice, one asks him or herself is the moment now? For big change? This same people can make a change, to create their own life and future, in harmony with all leaving beings existing on our still blue planet Earth.

We don’t want to be environmental refugees!

“We don’t want to be environmental refugees!” – this is a clear and laud message from people of Kiribati and one of the most emotional on the third day of COP15. Kiribati – remember this name. It is a small islands country in the Pacific ocean, the first one to suffer very big and obvious consequences in the “front line” of climate changes. The first one to disappear if we don’t do anything! 30 000 people are living on these islands, which are just 2 meters above the see level and approximately 20-30 kilometers wide. So where can people of Kiribati go if the water level rises? Away from the coastline? But their land is a coastline! First climate changes are already evident in Kiribati. They are facing loss of drinking water, stronger and more frequent winds coming from a different side than they used to, erosion of the shore… In the next 50 years people of Kiribati may be left with no good life conditions and without most part of their land. But they are not the only one! The other small island countries stand next to them! It is a sad picture on COP15. On one side there are representatives of the most vulnerable countries, facing hunger, thirst and extinction, who are asking for legal bindings and begging for immediate actions and representatives of developed and developing countries, who are led by hunger for power and material well being. So how can we talk about negotiations when survival is not negotiable!? This is one of the sentences that has been said many times during last week in Bella Center but will it be really heard from the right people? By the way things have been going on so far it is unlikely that we will get positive question until the end of this COP. But this is not an end. We have to do our best to live “climate-friendly” and to keep pushing world leaders until they realize responsibilities they have.

So if they can not do the changes we can!

the picture speaks by itself...

Side event #: Kiribati: our road to Copenhagen

Pictures of actions

More photos available at Facebook -> add GaiaGroup Sci as friend

SCI's 5 minutes lasted for 3 hours

At least till 18th December Copenhagen is whole living with the climate change prevention issue. Parallel to COP15 there are exhibitions, concerts, campaigns, street actions and... Kilmaforum09. It's a civil society summit on the topic of sustainable living, providing with lots of sessions, side events and opportunities for people concerned about environment to meet like-minded people. On Friday our one and only SCI representatives were holding a session about volunteering and good practices of linking it with education on sustainability. We managed to gather not only members of SCI Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Serbia, Poland and Catalunya, but also many other people, who wanted to learn more about our mischievous in the area on unpaid work.

We started with general presentation of the movement, followed by more detailed story about experimental green workcamps and the concept of eco-messengers network. Our listeners were really into the topics. We got enough questions and comments to fill whole 3 hours (!) of the session. Topics were many, starting from evaluation, finishing on the conflict between traveling far to the project being concerned about high personal carbon footprint. SCIers were not only answering the questions, but they kept ears open for good practices worked out by other organizations. We officially left our own, green footmark in Copenhagen!

Spreading the fever AND the good news

SCIers are going wider. Not only we sleep in the school, but we also give the workshops there! Today three of our youth delegates held workshops with youngsters from Copenhagen school. The topic, of course, climate change and the role of youth at the COP15. Twice today we were twisting young, Danish minds in the direction of ecological activism. Youth between 14 and 18 years old were our experimental material. After explaining the concept of climate tipping point and the big turn for the role of youth at this years COP, we invited the pupils to send their own message to the world leaders! The discussion was followed by preparation of the posters, that will be delivered tomorrow (Young and Future Delegations Day silently taking over Bella Center already on Thursday!) to the world leaders! Let's try to ensure, that all the voices will be heard! And you know what, the future eco-activists got so engaged in the task and wanted to say so much, that the posters will be ready only in the late afternoon. But still on time for us to pick it up on our way to the summit tomorrow! We'll make sure you will see the results here.

Nobody wants me

Early in the morning we have set out to Bella Center in order to join the action on carbon emission management. Our aim was to remind all the participants of the opening sessions concerning LULUCF and REDD (forestry management in short words) that the emissions from forestry are also part of the global CO2 accounting. The main message of the action was to change the text of the LULUCF in oder to include new regulations in accounting the forests management in CO2 emissions calculation. Activists from differnet NGOs, interested in the youth forest WG, formed a Lost & Found booth, with „lost CO2 molecules” wandering about, asking representatives of the states and particurarly those from Anex I countries (the most developed) who were on their way to the meeting, to claim their lost CO2 emissions and think, if they haven't met each other earlier in their home countries.


The youth forest WG is in Copenhagen (one of the YOUNGO working groups) to secure a climate deal to protect the worlds intact natural forest, restore the degradated forests and suport indigenous people and local communities in developing countries who wish to reduce their emissions from deforestation and forest degradation through a fair and substantial funding mechanism.

First day of COP!

First day of COP was for most of the members of youth delegation exausting but fascinating at the same time.
Number of plenary sessions, working groups and side events was huge and the first reaction was: « ok, take a deep breath, you can survive that! »
And we did survive well. YOUNGO, the coalition of youth organizations at COP of which SCI is part, took part in a climate flash dance. Hundreds of us danced and sang an anti-CO2-emission song that gathered quite a big crowd of spectators, especially media. Young people were visible as well during the open session of AWG-LCA when our friend from Samoa Islands made a touching speech about climate change that was widely commented after.

In our SCI group we are trying to be active and follow different parts of negotiations and work in diverse working group. I'd like briefly describe what happened in mine in last 24h. I got active in the topic we simply called forest, less simply REDD. This acronym stands for The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries. Being honest, for me it was a brand new issue. But last days I've learned so much about it. I can recognize now the differences between RED, REDD, REDD+ and REDD++. Sounds interesting? ;) But it is. Our group meets everyday to discuss the progress in negotiations, learn more about all their aspects. Our next meeting will be to write an intervention presenting young people's position on the forest topic.


I'll be informing you regularly how is it going.
Keep fingers crossed for the forests!

Milosz

Just a few super-nano briefing about workshops, sessions and meetings

Climate justice
The climate justice workshop on the first day of COY was quite revealing in the terms of making the linkage between the global climate issues and the necessities of localization of food production, alternative economics, lower consumption, technology transfer, emissions reductions, social and economical equity and inclusivity along with all other elements that constitute alternative and just mechanisms as addition or to oppose the existing. The personal perspective and firsthand experience of the young people across the globe who participated in the workshop was extremely insightful and made all the difference. It is something quite different than reading it on the internet!

Climate justice action
Radical and quite different approch towards COP and climate negotiations, governments and capitalism. Huge radical action on climate justice is planed to happen on 16th of December - RECLAIM POWER. Goal of the action is to take over the conference for one day and to transform it to People`s Assembly. A few activists from Climate Justice Action held an informative session about the action in order to mobilize some youth delegetes to spread the information or to get involved.
More information at www.climate-justice-action.org

Carbon trading, CDM
This very complex and tricky issue was introduced by young experts from Carbon Trade Watch, Australian Youth Climate Coalition and Indian Youth Climate Coalition. Basically, theory says one, practice shows the oposite. CDM as one of the flexible mechanisms, or so we`re told, so far has increased the emission of GHG and violation of peoples' rights and climate injustice...
More info at www.carbontradewatch.org

Now, looking back to COY, it really looks like many things have happened, lots of knowledge has been shared, lots of great ideas have been created, along with regional networking. But, in overall the movement is on the road from which there is no way back. It has to fullfill its mission... whatever it is.

Super fresh impressions from the COY by SCI delegates:

Did it ever happened to you that you are going to an unknown place with an unknown people with mixed and undefined expectations and after two days you think „Wow, this is exactly where I should be!“.That was my first impression on Conference of Youth (COY). So many people with different backgrounds that gathered around the same idea, so much energy and knowledge... WOW... and it was organized by volunteers! All I can say is - don't miss it next time...

Sonja

Art & Activism & Actions
After 30-ish hours of doing every yoga (and beyond yoga) position, trying to sleep in the train, we arrived to Copenhagen and COY!
So many young people, so much things happening in the same time! Where to go first? What to do? I was kind of lost - how could I really contribute, do I really know what I want to hear???
So I chose Arts & Activism workshop and, boy was it a right choice at the right time!
Woke up in a jiffy, dancing and singing with all those colorful people…

BUM ! BUM ! BUM ! IT'S HOT IN HERE! THERE'S TOO MUCH CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE ! TAKE ACTION, TAKE ACTION, AND GET SOME SATISFACTION! BUM ! BUM ! BUM ! THE GLOBE IS MELTING, THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING …

These were just some of the chants and songs people shared while telling about their actions and plans! I for one, never saw people dancing dramatic ballet on African chants … it was so inspiring!

I can’t wait for tomorrow and the BIG ACTION at the Bella Center at 13 o’clock. Organized by AVAAZ it should really open the conference in a way that will make great introduction and perfect space for all the other amazing actions planed!

Lea

COY day 2
More than 12 000 observers registered!!! Among them more than 2000 youth!!! //Workshops in the morning (REDD, LULUCF, CDM, UNFCCC, YOUNGOs and all other sexy acronyms), another EYCM meeting and open space sessions in the afternoon again on many different topics related to the negotiations, climate movement and climate justice.

Conference of Youth 5 (COY5) – creating a movement is not an easy job...

So, how did we end up there and what happened?

After 35 hours of travelling Milosz (our friend from SCI Poland) piked us up from Kobenhavn train station and took us to the University in the centre of Copenhagen where COY took place. Once we came there, it was more than obvious that there are already more than 500 youth!!! More than 10 workshops had been taking place at that moment and Seb (brain of the SCI delegation) was leading the UNFCCC crashcourse for about 50 youth (and 2 more courses on Sunday). It was really cool to meet old and new „climate friends“ from Germany, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Kenya, UK... from Young Friends of the Earth (www.actnow09.eu)Europe, European Youth Forum, Young Greens... So, we took a cup of coffee along with the schedule and joined different workshops on different topics such as art and activism, media, carbon trading, forests, being a youth delegate at COP and climate justice.

Afternoon was a bit more flexible and a bit less organized  We, as SCI delegation, joined the first meeting of European Youth Climate Movement (EYCM) which is aiming on bringing additional value to the International YCM, in particular to bringing the issues of EU at negotiations. Very positive thing is that EYCM will not be focused only on EU, but will also support and include non-EU youth, their positions and ideas. Besides EYCM, action meetings and an introduction to YOUNGO's governance the end of the first day was marked with a speech by two young activists from Canada and India.

Amazing thing is that everything concerning COY and (almost) everything concerning COP has been organized by volunteers. Huge amount of energy, time, knowledge, stress, enthusiasm and criticizm has been invested in the idea which is growing and moving to a direction, which at the moment doesn`t have particularly clear strategy, but has a huge potential for making the real change on the long term paths.

The main goal of COY, as it's published on the web portal of International Youth Climate Movement (www.youthclimate.org), was to build trust and solidarity among youth who will be attending COP15, and to share ideas, thoughts, success and skills with each other. To build a truly global movement to stop the climate crisis.

Picture of the COY plenary

The Copenhagen Trainology - The VCV6 heading for COP15 ....

... or Train of thoughts on the train to Copenhaguen

Choosing a train as a mean of transport was somehow natural, and it got us thinking why even if we are aware of the environmental consequences of the current lifestyle we still fail to implement alternatives we are more or less aware of. Are we so reluctant in depriving ourselves from the comfort and why?

False, material securities with which we are surrounding ourselves constantly are just a vague attempt of filling in the gap caused by self-inducted alienation. Both nature and ourselves. And happiness. It has become something of which we feel such a big lackage that there are entire industries selling it to us. Can it be actually bought? Pathological over consumption has not be proven as a “yellow brick road” (ref. Wizard of Oz).

How much do we actually need? How often did we ask ourselves where our belongings derive from and what is their real cost.

Simplicity is an alternative.

We are a part of the global, but each one`s individual is what constitutes it. The way we feel, think and act. Each one is a piece of the puzzle, and each one is equally important as well as necessary in the same. Each one has something unique to contribute and give.

Taking responsibilities and not turning a blind eye is one way of doing it. Simple everyday choices can be more important and more contributing than it seems.

We are being insincere if we still claim that it is a “fight” for preserving birds and bees, trees and polar beers. We are all just manifestations of the same. Life. And life will survive, it cannot be diminished. In one form or another, our planet will find a way to recuperate like it did so many times before. What is at a stake is our own survival. In each ecosystem when a catastrophe occurs the first species to go is the most complex one. As we are proudly emphasizing we are the peak of the pyramid, top of the hill. And the first one to go.

But it is not just about the mere survival as well. It is a about regaining the sentiment of the overall connection between each other, and the sense that unity can still prevail on the scale for doing something right.

SCI as an observer: what does it mean?

A week before United Nations Framework on Climate Change, SCI is preparing itself to observe the negotiations. There is a lot of information on the subject. Figures concerning the reduction of greenhouse effect gases are rushing but maybe won’t have any limiting legal value, as it happened in Kyoto. The never-ending text is full of thousands of incomprehensible acronyms… as if everything was done to discourage people and cut their interest.
Though, the subject of climate change has so important environmental and social issues that it can’t stay in the hands of politics only. To employ the biggest means and to gather people together around a table doesn’t mean bringing out significant measures, all the more so as regarding negotiations, many solutions leaves us unconvinced. So the SCI delegation which has received the status of an observer wants to look at the conference and to relay these observations to the outside with a citizen eye.

Democratic political measures?
This observation must go through a particular attention on the dialog between north and south. Indeed as most of greenhouse effect gases emissions come from the north, the majority of damage is in the south (desertification, climate refugees…). Although the United Nations is the decisional organ which allows every single country to be represented on the principal of one country=one vote, the most affected countries only have minor power in negotiations. So, in the name of climate justice, it is important to see in which proportions the north admits its ecological debt on the countries of the south and what is the place of the less developed countries in Copenhagen. To illustrate this subject the SCI will organize an action in the corridors of the conference. But unfortunately, all meetings where important political decisions are made remain closed to observers.

Fair financial measures?
In Copenhagen, we must stay careful about the help which will be attributed to NAPA (National Adaptation Programs of Action). These plans are the measures that the less developed countries have implemented but that receive very little financial support or deducted in great part off the public foreign aid. Since the Kyoto draft agreement, many doubtful financial measures are implemented by the World Bank. The development of the carbon market allowed industrial countries to buy emission rights off the countries of the south, the REDD mechanism for deforestation reduction enabled to reward people who work in forestry plantation and not more global projects of forest save and reforestation… Unfortunately, all meetings concerning finance are closed to observers.

Commercial and technological measures?
We also know today the impact of wrong solutions in climate change: biofuels, nuclear energy… solutions treated in the Copenhagen summit are once again related to industrial and commercial development, in part responsible of climate change: intensive “green” cars production and other crazy propositions: injection of sulfur in the stratosphere, salted clouds, space mirrors… it can also be interesting to see the importance of lobbies in this area. However if these measures are exposed in press conferences, observers won’t be able to fallow them either.

Environmental and citizen measures?
The role of NGO is therefore limited and is based on the democratic problem of the UN. It is also necessary to increase the time spent on real environmental measures (solar energy, geothermal science, biomass, relocation of economy, resources control, production reduction, forest control, public transport development…). On its side, SCI organizes an event about environment education within the conference. However these questions seem to be more tackled at the climate forum, open to all citizens. SCI organizes a workshop and will widely take part in discussions and citizen events. We will keep you informed.

Who are we??

Hi dear readers!
If you are here, it means that you want to follow the SCI delegation at the most important climate summit ever! Welcome, we're glad to have you here :)

Maybe you know us, maybe not. We will give you a short explanation to introduce ouselves:
The SCI is an NGO existing for almost 100 years, and whose goal is to promote peace throw intercultural exchange all over the world. You may wonder what this has to see with the Copenhaguen summit. Well, we fear that the climate change will be (and already is) a big threat to peace, so we feel concerned by the issues of the COP15.

That's why we decided to go there with an international delegation of SCI. And we're ready! We are 33, from 9 branches and partner organizations, including SCI Austria, SCI France, OWA Poland, ECZ Russia, VCV – SCI Serbia, SCI Sri Lanka, Utilapu Halozat – SCI Hungary, SCI Italy and SCI Germany. We are really motivated! We're going to sleep in a school with no shower, and we are even not afraid :)

We'll try to give you a good insight of what happens at COP15, what we are doing there, how peace in taken into account in the negociations, and I'll stop here to let you the surprise to doscover the articles little by little.

Thank you and good reading!