Late last night, after the results of negotiations by the world’s leaders became known, Kumi Naidoo – Greenpeace International executive director – took part in a press conference organised by the Climate Action Network. There he spelled out what the announcement meant and how we must keep on pushing for a Fair And Binding (FAB) deal beyond the climate summit.
It’s over. The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties has this afternoon officially drawn to a close (or rather all but collapsed), but what are we left with? Very little is the honest answer and, no matter how the politicians spin it or how the media interprets it, it sucks.
Obama called it a “historic first step” and it’s neither historic nor a first step. The Kyoto Protocol was both, yet in the 12 years since it was laid down, we’ve barely progressed – the increasing severity of climate change impacts and the urgent warnings from scientists should have had leaders scrabbling for solutions. Instead, yesterday a small group of these leaders flew in, claimed the deal was done and flew out again, leaving chaos in their wake – and other leaders outraged.
Just how feeble is this so-called ‘Copenhagen Accord’ (which, incidentally, has not even been formally adopted by the climate summit)? Let’s see.
Spontaneous demonstration by NGOs outside the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, after world leaders failed to agree on a fair, ambitious and binding treaty. © Greenpeace/Myllyvirta
The following piece is written by one of our UK climate campaigners, Joss Garman, and published in the Independent
The most progressive US president in a generation comes to the most important international meeting since the Second World War and delivers a speech so devoid of substance that he might as well have made it on speaker-phone from a beach in Hawaii. His aides argue in private that he had no choice, such is the opposition on Capitol Hill to any action that could challenge the dominance of fossil fuels in American life. And so the nation that put a man on the Moon can’t summon the collective will to protect men and women back here on Earth from the consequences of an economic model and lifestyle choice that has taken on the mantle of a religion. Read more »
Greenpeace International ED, Kumi Naidoo, delivered a passionate speech at the launch of the Global Day of Action March in Copenhagen 12 Dec. 2009. “Yes we can, yes we must and yes we will deliver a fair efficient and legally binding treaty to protect the future of our children!”
Why is Microsoft – one the world’s biggest corporations – having such a struggle pulling up its pants on climate change policy?
Oh Ballmer.
Love him or hate him, those who recognize Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer can’t help but marvel as one does over sixties B-horror movies – with a mix gruesome wonder and amusement. One thing we know for sure is that he loves the spotlight (and has the sweat stains to prove it). If only he could infuse his stand-up performance with a little vision and take a real position on climate change.
I’m willing to bet there is only so long a media persona like Ballmer’s can run on sweaty exuberance alone. Microsoft’s business needs this cherub to put on green wings and fly to Copenhagen.
Today almost 100,000 people around New Zealand received an email from a future self in 2020 courtesy of Greenpeace.
Judging by the responses we’ve had so far, (and there has been an avalanche), a lot of people were a little startled, many were really quite chuffed, a few were a little offended and some were simply outraged … but clearly the message got through!
This is the most important year for the most important campaign Greenpeace has ever run, so we are communicating the urgency in ways we might not have tried before – like sending emails from the future.
Amidst all of the advertising and other messages we’re bombarded with on a daily basis (especially at this time of year) it can be difficult for us to give the climate crisis, and the action we need to take, the attention it deserves.
This was one way of trying to address that.
It’s essential that world leaders make a strong commitment at Copenhagen and it’s vital that we get out on to the streets and let them know we’re expecting bold action. We are the last generation with a chance to make a difference … let’s not waste it!
What do you think?
Here in the Greenpeace office, focus has well and truly shifted to the campaign’s big finale for 2009 – simultaneous marches in Auckland and Wellington, and a free concert in Myers Park at the end of the Auckland march, featuring Opshop, Midnight Youth, Kirsten Morrell, Don McGlashan and Lucy Lawless. The day shall hereby be known as “Planet A Day”.
At the Auckland do, we’ll also have a go at a giant haka to challenge the New Zealand delegation at Copenhagen. There’ll be special speakers, Rhys Darby being funny as MC and hopefully sun. It’s going to be a right royal send off for the NZ team heading to Copenhagen, and a clear directive to Prime Minister John Key to ensure his Government does the right thing at the most important meeting in history.
Here’s a video of and about the Haka kindly produced by Oxfam and Prince Davis of Ngati Whatua of Oraki.
The Auckland concert will be streamed live to the world wide web via ziln.co.nz
Tell all your friends about the Planet A events, RSVP via facebook and post to your Facebook profile, or download a poster and stick it to something.
Here’s what the performers have to say about the Planet A concert in Auckland:
Kumi Naidoo, the new Executive Director of Greenpeace International, writes:
In several African languages we have the proverb “I am, because you are”. This means that your sense of being a human being is determined by the relationships you have with other people. This proverb has informed not only my thinking about human relationships, but also about nature and the environment. Unless we recognise that we must come together in communities, in rich and poor countries and cut across the range of divides that keep us apart, unless we recognise that we are all in this together, we will not be able to address the environmental challenges that we face and we certainly will not be able to address the problem of climate change.
Today we are at the cross roads. The future of our planet is at stake. The effects of climate change are being felt by millions of people across the world. We are at a time when civil society needs to be courageous and bold, peaceful and principled in coming together to ensure that we stop catastrophic climate change – the biggest challenge our planet has ever faced. Read more »
