TIGblogs - Group - Canadian Youth Delegation to Poznan

Disappointment, inspiration; hope and fear

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:15:00 EST

At 4AM this morning, as I stood in line bleary-eyed, waiting for a cancelled flight and reading a sobering but beautiful collection of tiny Vonnegut essays, one piece, Requiem, struck a chord with me. An excerpt:

"The crucified planet Earth,
should it find a voice
and a sense of irony,
might now well say
of our abuse of it,
'Forgive them Father,
They know not what they do.'

The irony would be
that we know what
we are doing."

Now, as I ride the train through the hushed and snow-covered Adirondacks, making my way home on the shortest day of the year, this is on my mind as I reflect on the past weeks in Poland:

Disappointment, inspiration; hope and fear.

These four emotions riffed off each other throughout the conference for me: disappointment blindsiding hope, inspiration fueled by fear.

Somehow, even when I knew that Minister Prentice would never make a dramatic about-face in the plenary and declare progressive emissions targets for Canada, when I understood that the environment was far from Minister Renner's top priority, when I had heard diplomat after diplomat explain that Poznan was just a checkpoint, a formality, on the way to Copenhagen, I still felt that collapsing feeling inside me every time I heard the disharmony between the words of these world "leaders" and the urgency of the situation at hand.

The disheartening lack of commitment and leadership shown by Annex I countries, with Canada playing lead laggard fiddle, has helped to set the tone for negotiations over the year ahead, and it sounds like a discordant one. As the CMP was closing during the wee hours of the morning Friday night, an Indian negotiator said bitterly, after echoing many countries' disappointment over adaptation funding developments at the conference, "I think this shows us what we can expect for Copenhagen."

I desperately hope that it doesn't.

It cannot!

It must not.

We must ensure that 2009 brings an international climate agreement that will not allow for the melting of the Arctic sea ice sheet, entire nations being submerged, the displacement of millions of people, or the acceptance and perpetuation of the injustices behind the disproportionate distribution of the disastrous effects of climate change! And the world will not stand idly by while it happens - the most inspiring part of the conference was seeing how people from all over the globe and from all walks of life are doing everything they can to fight against climate change and fight for political climate action. The amazing team of young people that I had the honour of working with over the past two weeks has been so inspiring, and this inspiration, combined with fear, fills me with energy (kind of like in the dreams where you're about to die) to make sure that inspiration, justice, and hope are the notes that ring true through what is sure to be another emotional cacophony next year in Copenhagen. We know what we should be doing. Let's make sure there are enough of us.

"How Dare They Condemn Us?"

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:29:00 EST

The jet-lag is slowly wearing off, and life is gradually settling back to normal here at home, but I can't shake this sense of urgency. There is so much that needs to happen between now and Copenhagen in December 2009.

The outcome of the Poznan conference means we are far from the goals that had been set out for this point on the road to a new climate change agreement. There was very little progress from last year’s Bali conference. I cannot comprehend why the world’s wealthiest nations are so selfishly concerned about money and power that they are putting our planet and its citizens at such inordinate risk.

Thankfully we have 3 billion youth around the world to rally the troops. You, me, our friends and family, their children and grandchildren, will all be targeted by this year’s International Youth Delegation to help spread the message that survival is not negotiable, and we need to have a new agreement text in place by Copenhagen in order to ensure the safety and survival of the world’s peoples. Talk to your politicians, your mayors and councilors, your parents, your bosses, and your friends. Spread the message far and wide – there is no second chance, and as it stands now, we don’t have a back-up planet to move to if we really screw up.

During the final days of the conference, 15 youth were selected to present a speech at a ministerial luncheon. The speech below conveys our request more clearly than I ever could:

Look at your youth.
We are half of the world's population - three billion strong.

We stand together to say to those true leaders that have been driving forward the global solution - we support you and we will help you, you will be those leaders that history will remember.

To those that are waiting to take action or are standing still - history will forget you.

And to those who are actively holding us back, history will denounce you.

We want to believe in this process - but your actions, or rather inactions, are making it nearly impossible. But know this, young people are organized, we are building movements that transcend the boundaries that you fail to overcome.

We stand united with small islands states, with less developed nations, with indigenous peoples - with every underrepresented group. They have a right to survival. We will not accept failure.

Look at your youth.
Are we not your own children?

Why will you not hear our voice, even when we stand in front of you?

Are you so blinded not to see the madness of inaction and delay?

How can you expect us to stand by when you create a world not worth living in?

How dare you condemn us to an economy in ruins, a climate in chaos, a broken future?

Look at your youth. Look them in the eye.
Will you be the first leaders to take climate change seriously, or the last not to?

International Youth Climate Movement COP 14 Video

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:47:00 EST

International Youth Climate Movement COP 14 from CYD to Poznan on Vimeo

The International Youth Climate Movement at COP 14 Poznan, Poland. Young Citizens, leaders of tomorrow, take over the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, urging the leaders of the world to take action on Climate Change. Photos by Robert van Waarden, Shadia Fayne Wood and David Wargert. For more information please visit http://www.youthclimate.org

Ten Weeks Later, Part 1

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:33:00 EST

When the last gavel came down in Poznan this December, around 2:30 in the morning, it marked the end of my tenth week at the UN climate talks. From Nairobi to Bonn to Bali and back to Bonn I have tried to digest and process the enormity of it all - to understand the klimapolitik that inevitably drives it. Now that I'm finally back in the office, tilting quixotically at the windmills of my inbox, I'll try to tie the experience together. I'll try here, probably over several posts, to put COP14 in a broader context as we enter the home stretch to Copenhagen. Poznan has made me both more afraid and more hopeful than ever that this process will deliver.

First Final Impressions
Ever since I began my involvement with the UNFCCC process I have never doubted that something inspiring would happen in the end, that I would be there at that historic moment when countries finally put aside their national and geopolitical interests and rallied together to protect the world's most vulnerable people and it's most vulnerable generation: us. That moment quickly became pegged as December 2009, when the world would untie at COP-15 in Copenhagen to deliver a broad, ambitious and fair deal to follow after Kyoto in 2012. Now that doubt is looming large.

My faith in this power never flinched in Bali when we stayed up all night, phoning politicians, standing outside closed doors, lobbying delegates to give us a Bali breakthrough. Even when the US and Canada tried to block parts of the deal in the risky showdown of the final plenary I was confident they would not prevail. I am not so confident now.

If anything, Poznan has taught us that greed is still king.

This close to the critical Copenhagen moment it is particularly troubling. There has been very little indication that industrialised countries are willing to do much of anything, particularly to help the developing world. The incessant citation of 'national circumstances' made the conference something like a sad puppy contest, rather than a show of Annex I leadership. Pity us! We can't afford it! Oh, look, I just pooed on the floor. But I'm so cute!!!!! Meanwhile, the nations that are already bearing the brunt of climate change today are being called on to do more and more, without any commitment of finance or support or even a stronger package to help them adapt to the high "costs" our emissions are visiting on them. It's pathetic.

Will this change in time for Copenhagen, as I had always assumed it would? I am absolutely certain it will not, of its own accord. But the strength and energy of the youth at this conference, our show of solidarity will small-island states and least-developed countries, our ability to reach the public in every corner of the world, has given me something new to believe in. "Yes someone can!" seems to be the mantra of uninterested countries. It is our job to tell every government, particularly the heads-in-bottoms wealthy ones like our own, that someone is them. Only then can this process deliver.

Can we "afford" any other outcome?

Yvo da Bear Speach At High Level Opening at COP 14

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:42:00 EST

A tale of two meetings

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:51:00 EST

I'll post again with reflexions on the whole COP, but I just had a few thoughts I wanted to get down. The last few days were a whirlwind of emotions as we met with a parade of Canadian politicians, including Jim Prentice, federal minister of the environment, and Rob Renner, Alberta's environment minister.

Although these two meetings were very different from each other in many ways, what struck me about both of them was that these two people, the only ones in their governments specifically charged with protecting the environment, simply did not appear to have that principle as their top priority. I guess I knew that ministers don't always have extensive backgrounds in whichever portfolio they end up with, but I had never really thought about what that reality looks like.

Thinking about the meetings afterward, what I think made them so potent was that, although I've discussed climate issues so many times in so many fora, for the first time, I was discussing them with somebody who had the power to do something about them. While all past discussions I've had were essentially theoretical, these two had infinitely higher stakes. Probably it was for this reason that it was so frightening to hear what they, were saying - claiming a large chunk of the remaining "CO2 space" post-global emissions reductions for Alberta, focusing on nuclear and large hydro projects (not even mentioning wind power) for federal emissions reductions, and generally denying the necessity of reducing emissions from Annex I countries by 25-40% by 2020 (accepted as the necessary target to keep global warming below 2°C, beyond which disastrous tipping points are passed).

It's pretty scary.

The End, and the Beginning

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:56:00 EST

It has been an incredibly emotional and exhausting last few days here in Poznan. On Friday, the 14th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change concluded with very little progress.

Developing countries pleaded into the wee hours of the night for a more rigorous outcome on issues such as indigenous rights in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries, and the Adaptation Fund that raises money from climate-friendly development projects to fund adaptation measures in developing countries.

Unfortunately, the economic crisis prevailed the agendas of the wealthiest nations, and resulted in a terrible stubbornness in their position. They refused to make Adaptation Funding more accessible, transparent, and profitable for developing countries. Some bully countries, including Canada, also pushed for language that intently does not recognize rights of indigenous peoples, but rather protects individual person's rights - a sneaky loophole that means they can put caps on deforestation practices, even if they are livelihoods for some of the worlds poorest and most isolated communities.

The developed North also succeeded in ensuring that there was very little additional ambition in terms of mitigating climate change in the new text. In fact, the "new" text was hardly a word different from what was agreed upon in Bali last year. Translation: no progress. We are really in a bad situation now to achieve a global agreement next year in Copenhagen that will ensure we have a new "Kyoto Protocol" in place before the current one expires in 2012.

But I have hope. The youth were once again an incredible force at the conference. Everyone noticed our energy, expertise, and dedication to this soul-consuming challenge. In our debrief this weekend, despite our despair and deflation, we found the energy to start building the next movement for Copenhagen. We defined our victories, and laid out a roadmap to get us there. There are plans to mobilize thousands of youth around the world, make climate change a voting issue in the developed north, and plan our policy strategies and actions to drive our governments to take stronger action next year in Copenhagen. It's not a want, it's a must. A need. Survival is non-negotiable. Climate change really is a matter of life and death for some on this planet, and we must never lose sight of this fact.

"How could we have faced disaster and extinction in the eye, and looked away knowingly?"

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:33:00 EST

It has been said so much that it might be losing its effect, but it is worth repeating nonetheless that climate change is the most critical problem facing humanity and the survival of it. It is a problem that is going to require what no other problem in the past has required: full scale global co-operation on the part of each and every country in the world, for an issue that supersedes national boundaries. It is a problem that is challenging the discourse of what it means to achieve "progress" in society (which seems to have been defined with increased emissions spewing) and causing massive reflection on the way our world is, and the way we live our lives.

Evidence has already projected how rising sea levels and sea temperatures will effect the world, and the disasters of climate change through intensified natural disasters is just "a taste" of the full out calamity of what climate change will bring. Scientists who have dedicated their lives to the issue have said that global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak by 2015 and then start to come down to combat the worst effects of climate change. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, and for a new effective global agreement to begin in 2013, negotiations need to conclude in 2009 in Copenhagen.

As Yvo de Boer, executive secretary the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change said, the countdown to Copenhagen is on and the failure for the world to agree on climate agreement would be "disastrous". But Poznan barely just reaffirmed what was established in Bali last year save for a few tiny victories, and many countries are still either delaying putting forth positions, or have put forth positions that do not address the problem at all (Canada).

The road to Copenhagen begins today, but will countries get their act together, and solve the greatest problem ever facing humanity? Or will people in the future look back at this time and think, how could we have faced disaster and extinction in the eye, and looked away knowingly?

Canada: the worst country at the Poznan UN talks

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:33:00 EST

On the final day of negotiations at the Poznan UN Climate Conference, Canada was named the most obstructive country, winning a total of 10 "Colossal Fossil" awards. The Fossil awards are presented and selected from the Climate Action Network, a group that includes more than 400 non-governmental organizations.

"Canada played a shameful role here in Poznan, as this 'prize' confirms," said Dave Martin of Greenpeace Canada.

"Canada needs to stop blocking progress and finally start showing some leadership."

It was definitely difficult standing there and watching Canada be named the country that has been the most obstructive towards a new global climate agreement, especially with revelations a couple of days ago that Canada had the second worst climate change plan in the world, ahead of only Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing that I have witnessed is the various ways in which Minister Prentice and chief ambassador Michael Martin in Poznan have dodged the accusations and have kept insisting that they are playing a "constructive" role in Poznan.

"People are quite concerned about this and they've made it clear that they want to see this as a priority, and so the government is addressing it as such," Prentice said in a press conference which I attended.

"Not everyone necessarily agrees with our positions, however, we have been quite clear that we wish to be a constructive force in concluding an effective international protocol."

Minister Prentice insists that he believes in the climate science put forth by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) which calls for reduction targets of 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020, however the proposals and positions being put forth are either defiant or completely ignore the science.

Also worrisome coming out of this conference are actions by Canada that have implications for indigenous peoples.

"The actions of Canada in Poland are designed to undermine the rights of indigenous people here and elsewhere," said AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine. "It's completely unacceptable."

As part of the talks, negotiators were considering the extent of the rights that indigenous people have over the forests they live in. But Canada and a number of other countries argued successfully against making mention of these rights in a new international climate-change pact.

With the political discourse now focusing on the economy, will the Canadian public notice and urge that climate change become a top priority? In my question to him, Minister Prentice suggested that he couldn't tell me "how often" climate change would come up in parliament. But with the deadline for a new climate agreement due in 2009 and Canada's damaging proposals currently being put forth, it seems to me that climate change should become the core issues that politicians and all Canadians should care about, before its too late.

Canadian youth to UN: "I feel ashamed when countries like mine who have so much, do so little."

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:33:00 EST

At the end of long line of country statements to the UN on their positions on climate change, intergovernmental organizations and civil society members were allowed to make a strictly 2 minute max speech. The international youth was also "given" space to make a statement as well.

Half the world's population. And two minutes to heard on an issue we would have to deal with the consequences with.

Taryn McKenzie-Mohr of Canada, Leah Wickham of the South Pacific Islands, Eline Crossland of Denmark, and Kartikeya Singh of India, addressed the UN plenary with a no-holds bar plea for countries to get their act together, and stop delaying.

The following is the entire speech in full:

Taryn (Canada)
“I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world.”

Those were the words of a young girl addressing the Rio Summit. At the time of that speech I was just a year old, 16 years later you are still unable to reach an agreement to secure my future.

I feel ashamed when countries like mine who have so much, do so little. I feel outraged when they trade basic human rights for their own self interest. Developed countries must show leadership and if they don’t it will be the most unconscionable act in the history of humanity.

Kartikeya (India)
In my ancestral village in, India, farmers have never been to a shopping mall, nor have they had the luxury of owning a car. NO, they do not know the words “global warming,” but they do know that the seasons are changing.

Address this global challenge, overcome greed and fear. Greed is embedded in the ‘growth’ culture of wealthy nations. Our fear stops us from changing to the sustainable lifestyle, the sustainable economy we need.

We ask for leadership that overcomes these barriers.

Leah Wickham (South Pacific Islands)
For small island nations, negative climate impacts are happening today.

Our islands are drowning. We are going underwater.

We have a right to existence on this earth.

This right is no less than developed nations, but, if you do not take action, we face the loss of our islands, our culture and our identity.

Over 80 nations have signed the youth pledge calling for the survival of all countries and peoples.

This must form the basis of the next agreement and we will hold you to your word.

Eline (Denmark)

This week, my region has grieved us deeply this week by failing to take bold action.

We need your courage. Other countries are backing away from previous commitments. We need your ambition.

Change may be coming, but we need hope to translate into action.

Do not derail our journey to a sustainable future.

The train to Copenhagen is already moving, youth are on board, are you?

Survival is not negotiable.

Opposition critics meet first time since signing coalition

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:32:00 EST

Three federal environment opposition critics Liberal Ken Dryden, Bloc Bernard Bigras, and NDP Linda Duncan, along with Green party leader Elizabeth came together to discuss climate change with the 25 Canadian youth attending the UN climate conference in Poznan, Poland. According to the group, this was the first time that members of the coalition had come together to focus on a specific issue.

"It's dance time, and its a difficult time," commented Dryden, the M.P. for York-Centre.

"There is a new face in terms of expression of the Canadian position, but the words behind the face are different. The Canadian position is a waiting position, waiting for Obama," he said.

NDP Linda Duncan, M.P. for Edmonton-Strathcona, said that the real issue for Canada will be energy integration, and although Obama represents a new page for America's climate policies, we will still have to be vigilant. "We're going to do this with a friendly president, so we have to be more aware. It's about the whole future of Canada."

Dryden countered that Prime Minister Harper has always been a skeptic of the climate change science, and his "change" on the issue was only a political change once he started to realize Canadians cared about action on climate change.

"Mr. Harper never established climate change as a priority."

The conversation also quickly turned to the coalition government, with the pro-roguing of the government just occurring a week ago.

"I can see why there are a few oppositions in the public mind (to the coalition)", commented Dryden.

"This isn't part of our tradition in any way that it feels like its there, a precedence. Also it is this anxious time, so that also make me feel disquieted by it."

"And it also has to do with the support of the Bloc," he said.

Dryden said that Bloc support to a coalition government for the average Canadian outside of Quebec made Canadians squirm just a little bit. But he said that there were examples of coalition governments all over the world that were successful.

"Mr. Harper has absolutely poisoned the dynamics of parliament, there is no real possibility to trust him. He has lost his right to govern, we need a new Prime Minister," he said.

Elizabeth May perhaps has the sternest words for the Prime Minister and his climate policy: "I would rather die than to see government block progress on the only agreement we are going to get (on climate change)," she said.

"He wasn't elected Prime Minister. He was elected to his seat, as were 308 people. The Prime Minister is not the President."

"Green Jobs"

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:29:00 EST

“Green Jobs”

What does that even mean you might ask?

Green Jobs are any type of job that is seen to help elevate the effects of climate change on the environment. These could include a manufacturing plant that produces “greener” cars such as the new Chevrolet Volt to the mechanics who install and maintain wind turbines.

Why is this important?

Well for several reasons.

First and probably most importantly we have a climate crisis that needs to be sustained and dealt with immediately. The only way we can do this is to restructure the way we produce energy and also how we handle big industry.

Secondly we are being hit by the financial crisis across the globe. The Manufacturing sector in Canada is being hit the hardest. Great paying manufacturing jobs are being replaced with lower paying service type jobs. We need to work to transform our current operations into a “green” strategy. We can do this by transforming closing or closed manufacturing plants into plants that manufacture Wind Turbines or Solar Panels and focusing our Auto Industry on more fuel efficient and hopefully soon carbon-free models.

Can this idea even work?

The simple answer is Yes.

There are examples of countries such as Germany who have been working on this strategy. Now the US is even taking this direction under the Obama administration. President-elect Obama wants to invest $100 billion in ``green jobs``, which would create 1.4 million jobs. Why can`t we do something similar to that here in Canada. We are losing our Manufacturing base, we need some way to stabilize it. I strongly support and suggest we look closely at this strategy.

Al Gore: "The United States will once again engage in these negotiations"

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:20:00 EST

Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore addressed delegates at the United Nations climate change conference to a standing ovation, reaffirming United States' re-engagement with climate negotiations, and the seriousness of the task that lay ahead.

"Our home, Earth, is in danger. What is at risk of being destroyed is of course not the planet itself, but the conditions that have made it hospitable for human beings," he said on this final day of climate talks in Poznan.

Gore's speech was considered a highlight for many at the conference. The line-up for seats began an hour early and stretched throughout the conference site, and security was tighter than for any other event at the conference.

Gore said that he held a meeting with President-elect Obama prior to coming to Poznan at which Obama assured him that climate change would be a "top priority of his administration."

Obama "emphasized that once he is president the United States will once again engage in these negotiations and help lead toward a successful conclusion," Gore said.

"I would like to relay a message that I heard from the people of the United States of America this year that I think is very relevant to the task the world is facing over this next year: 'Yes we can," he said.

John Kerry, Obama's representative here in Poznan, was also spotted around the conference centre though he did not make an appearance at the Gore speech.

Gore's speech was largely a positive one filled with encouragement for negotiators, and did not particularly prompt any drama or notes of contention. Though considered by some to be a demi-god, especially at these climate conferences, I was left with just a little nonchalant after hearing his speech. He said what you would expect Al Gore to say at a conference like this, and his flat toned "Yes we can" at the end of his speech paled in comparison to the many empassioned speeches containing the phrase by Barack Obama. He lost me further when he made a reference to Paris Hilton and society's obsession with celebrity pop-culture (hasn't the Paris Hilton thing been over done already?)

However, Gore was clear that negotiators must become serious about the task at hand.

"The struggle is palpable here in Poznan," he said. "We now face a crisis that makes it abundantly clear that increased CO2 emissions anywhere are a threat to the integrity of this planet's climate balance everywhere."

Canada wins the collosal fossil

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:19:00 EST

Just moments ago, Canada won the collosal fossil of the year award. This annual award is given to the country that has done the most throughout the entire negotiations to stall progress on climate change. Our lovely Nick Nadeau, dressed as a hideous dinosaur, eagerly accepted his prize of dishonour - an elephant carved from coal. After some roars of joy and stroking of his fossil fuel prize, we all joined in a congo line to the tunes of "I'm a Believer."

Meeting with Minister Prentice

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:11:00 EST

Yesterday the Canadian Youth Delegation met not once, but twice with Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice, the man who is essentially the face of Canada's climate change plan to the world. This comes a year after the Canadian Youth Delegation was denied any sort of access to their Minister last year at Bali, when John Baird was at the helm.

We did what youth at these conferences I think do best, which is to try to earnestly and sincerely convey our message to the Minister, as a group having no agenda other than the one not to see our future negotiated away, a future that was essentially in his and his government's hands. It was by no means a purely emotional appeal: several of the youth delegates have spent months studying climate change policy and Canada's position, and challenged Minister Prentice on various policy points and claims made by the government on cleaner fuels, carbon capture and storage and emissions reductions. Minister Prentice said that he was open to having more dialogue in the coming months, and was opened to hearing our suggestions in how indeed Canada can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (of which we have a lot!)

The meeting ended with a very touching closing statement by Thea Whitman, a colleague of mine here. She concluded our meeting by saying that we, the youth present here, are a small slice of the Canadians who so strongly care about climate change. She mentioned that this was not just like any other trade of business conference where we are talking about money. At this conference we are talking about life, death, and the elimination of whole species and ecosystems. It was at this moment that perhaps I saw a little something within Prentice, that I can only hope was a little seed planted within him. Maybe, just maybe.

I was encouraged by Prentice's willingness to engage with us, and his honesty and seeming sincerity in his answers. Unfortunately, he continued to stick with the political line of insisting Canada is taking a "constructive" role at the talks, based on certain "principles". If those principles mean putting forth extremely weak reduction targets jeopardizing the future, not discussing financing mechanisms for an adaptation fund for developing countries, and using national circumstances such as being "big and cold" for not reducing emissions, than I suppose he is correct.

Losing Hope

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:03:00 EST

Today is the last day of COP14 and the final high-level segment is wrapping up. As I type, ministers are meeting to hammer out the final unresolved issues, which include a levy on Joint Implementation and Emissions Trading, the legal status of the Adaptation Fund, and the inclusion of carbon capture and storage in the Clean Development Mechanism. The slow progress of the negotiations has been disheartening because it seems that we have gotten nowhere in the past year. The current text is the same as the Bali text, down to the commas, and some would even suggest that there has been a shuffle backwards from Bali. The fault for lack of progress lies squarely with a number of key Annex I countries, notably Canada, Australia and Japan. These countries are also holding out against the range of emissions reductions needed, as identified by the IPCC, of 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020. How can we so easily waste an entire year when we have less than 10 years remaining to radically reduce emissions in order to avert irreversible tipping points? There is still time to rescue the negotiations here in Poznan, but I’m quickly losing hope. As I sit in plenary on this final day of COP14, the mood is serious and sombre. Nothing less than our survival is at stake.

Meeting with the Environment Minister

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:18:00 EST

Today the Canadian Youth Delegation had the amazing opportunity to meet with the Environment Minister of Canada the Honourable Jim Prentice. The meetings felt constructive as we outlined our position and challenged the Minister on his.

I say meetings of course as there were two of them. The first one felt very unsatisfying as we only had 20 minutes of the 45 we were promised by the Minister’s staff. Understandably he had to make it to the Plenary to talk. It was reassuring to have the Minister and his staff reschedule for later in the day.

The second meeting felt far more constructive, as we seem to convey our message more effectively. I felt however, that even with our points and how friendly and conversational the Minister was he still stuck to his points. It wasn’t till the end, when one of our delegates Thea Whitman spoke, when I think we saw a change in the Minister.

Mr. Prentice told us earlier that he had three daughters our age, and when Thea conveyed the importance of what we were hoping for I think we saw a slight change in Mr. Prentice. Even with differing views, we are all Canadians, who love our Country and its people. I want to say Mr. Prentice seems like an amazing person and I value his positions, but I still think Canada can and needs to do more. Hopefully we can see a change in Canada's position in the next few days, as we have done very little to help the negotiation process along thus far.

Who needs Bambi?

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:49:00 EST

When a meeting with the Alberta Environment Minister can give you a good cry? And also reduce your confidence in politicians to boot?

Yesterday we had a meeting with Alberta Environment Minister, which some of my CYD friends have already blogged about.

To be brief, here are some highlights:

Minister Renner claimed that Alberta is a leader in climate change policy in North America. HILARIOUS.

Minister Renner made claim to the remaining 20% of greenhouse emissions that will still exist, after the 80% decrease in emissions called for by 2050. Someone has to be making these emissions, he mentioned, implying this would and should be Alberta. Unfortunately, agricultural and other emissions comprise over 10% of emissions (and will continue to grow) leaving little for ol' Alberta to claim the remaining "carbon space." Forget about the others around the world who have a much greater right to emit, Alberta should be the ones making these emissions.

One of our delegates expressed concern of the health problems currently experienced by her and her family, living downstream from the tar sands in Alberta. The Minister said that there is no way to attribute these health effects to the tar sands as scientific studies show. From our delegate's perspective, there have been many concerns on the methodology of these studies, and also regardless of the study results, her and her family ARE experiencing these results.

This meeting was filled with general absurdity and high emotions. As soon as the meeting was closed, I buried my head into my friend's shoulder and just let 'er go. I was moved by the apparent disregard for the serious and genuine concerns of our youth delegates. I was alarmed at the rehearsed, machine-like responses, and at the complete deflection of our thoughts and concerns. I guess I should have known?

SURVIVAL

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:09:00 EST

During the COP this morning, after inspiring remarks by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN, the prime minister of Tuvalu, a tiny island nation which has been representing the alliance of small island states, (AOSIS, a negotiating bloc at this conference) made the following statement: "It is our belief that Tuvalu, as a nation, has a right to exist forever,"

Who could contest this? Many nations here agree, as more than 75 have signed on to a pledge created and circulated by the international youth here at the climate conference which reads:

I, the undersigned, commit my delegation to a global climate treaty that: safeguards the survival of all countries and peoples.

However, when countries do not acknowledge the necessity of keeping global warming below 2°C, and the associated emissions reductions that are necessary to ensure this, they are essentially disagreeing with this statement. Does Canada agree? We're still waiting on the pledge ... let's hope we hear some inspiring words in Minister Prentice's statement to the high-level sessions this afternoon!

Seeing Double

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:18:00 EST

Today, Canadian youth were granted not one, but two short meetings with the Canadian Minister of Environment, Jim Prentice. The originally-planned morning meeting was scheduled to last for 45 minutes, but was cut drastically short due to a requirement for him to attend the morning plenary (though you think they would have known this in advance?). Contrary to John Baird's tactics in Bali last year, Prentice endeavored - and followed through on his word - to meet with us again later in the day. Having just come out of this second meeting, I can't help but feel like once again, we didn't get a firm committed answer for any of our questions.

Prentice acknowledged the science guiding the need for remaining below a 2 degree C rise in global average temperature, but did not agree that the 25-40% emissions reductions should be based on the 1990 base year. This is startling and very concerning, as Canada's choice of a 2006 baseline results in only a 3% decrease from 1990 levels, and this will hardly get us to the targets to remain below 2 degrees C.

Prentice also argued that he was unaware of how Canada would be able to meet the range of emissions reductions based on 1990 levels, given our current industrial and consumer structure. He suggested that these emissions reductions would have to be consumer-driven, though how he expects every Canadian to change behaviour at the snap of a finger without any incentive or top-down signal is beyond me. Being employed in the field of social marketing, I can certainly tell you that behaviour change REQUIRES both disincentives to stop the wrong behaviour, and incentives to drive the behaviour change.

We followed up on Canada's lack of ambition in our second meeting. Prentice continually referred to our sources of electricity generation as being a major source of emissions, but failed ot recognize the role of natural gas and oil in driving up these emissions. He identified closing coal generated electricity providers as the only real mitigation measure, replacing these with nuclear and hydro-electric power generation. I'd argue that nuclear is hardly a "renewable" resource, and hydro of the scale he referred to would have such incredibly devastating impacts on the ecosystems, local and indigenous communities, and would create signficant emissions from plant decay from flooding. Where's the committment to new energy sources, wind and solar, and new fuel sources for vehicles? No mention.

We also picked on their lack of leadership, and their repeated "wait and see" approach to what the US will do come January, and what the other "major emittors" will put on the table, such as India and China. This is not leadership, as it is and will continue to lead to a stalemate. India and China are equally stubborn in waiting for a signal of leadership from the Industrialized countries before committing to reductions themselves. As I see it, and as almost every G77 +China country will state, they are entitled to develop to the same standards as we enjoy, and have a priority to invest their own funds into poverty eradication, health, and development before siphoning off funds for climate change. Developed countries must take the lead - they have well-established economies, low poverty rates, and strong health care systems that do not require significant additional funding. They have a historic responsibility to support - financially, and otherwise - less developed countries before ever expecting them to take on binding emissions.

Overall, I was encouraged by Prentice's openness and committment to hearing our concerns, and his patience in addressing our questions. However, I came away feeling as though Prentice may not fully acknowledge how significant and frightening this challenge is to our generation, nor does he fully admit to the responsibility he and his colleagues must bear to put right Canada's wrongs in this process. How will our generation be guaranteed well-paying sustainable employment if Canada is behind the times on green technology R D, production, and dissemination? Where will Northern communities go when they relocate their entire town because permafrost heaves or severe arctic storms have destroyed their infrastructure? What will happen to our economy if Canada is left behind in the race to the top of climate-friendly investment, financing, and technology?

But there is hope. I think he listened, and I think he took to heart our message. We'll know later this afternoon if he adjusts his speech to include any of our recommendations or demands. I also think we can look forward to - or at least push for - a transparent consultative process following Poznan, and leading toward Copenhagen on these issues. Time will tell. I'll keep you posted.

Canda, The Climate Change Villian

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:29:00 EST

Here is a column I wrote for one of Edmonton's alt-weeklies:

Canada, The Climate Change Villain
A DISPATCH FROM THE CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE IN POZNAN, POLAND
Published December 11, 2008 by Christel Hyshka in News • Comments (0)

It’s seven o’clock in the morning, and I am racing through the streets of Poznan, Poland, desperately balancing my desire for punctuality with the need to walk gingerly in order to minimize the discomfort and blister-induced wincing associated with putting a grad student into “business attire” for two straight weeks.

I’m in Poland as a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD) to the 14th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP14). CYD is a nonpartisan project of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.

That’s the long way of saying I’m a 23-year-old at a conference that aims to negotiate a new international climate agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.

This morning I am scheduled to meet with Canada’s climate change ambassador, Michael Martin, at 7:30 a.m. Already I know this meeting is unlikely to directly impact Canadian negotiating position, but I still go because there’s a chance I will learn something I can use later on. Such is the nature of this beast.

In the universe of international climate change negotiations, influence and impact are difficult to assess. A range of actors are involved in the decision-making processes and much of the discussion happens behind closed doors. Although youth delegates make up only a minority of environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) participants, we have a key advantage here: we are free from the organizational interests and expectations that constrain the actions of everyone else. We can still speak honestly and from the heart.

We are also the people who will inherit the outcome of these negotiations. This is especially true for the young people here from the south where the impacts of global warming are already being felt.

Science overwhelmingly tells us that we need to stay as far below the two-degree warming mark as possible if we want to avoid dangerous climate change. This means that developed countries will need to reduce their emissions by 25 to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

Right now, there is no sign that we will have an agreement capable of doing that by the time the deadline next December rolls around. In order to meet that deadline, the negotiators here in Poznan must agree to give the working group chairs the mandate to produce draft legal text for the new agreement and, ideally, also agree to a target for all developed countries. So far, and thanks to countries like Canada, little progress has been made on these key issues.

Canada is regarded at the conference as one of the top climate villains. Not only has Canada not met its own greenhouse gas emission targets under the Kyoto agreement, but our country is also now working tirelessly to block progress on a new agreement. Canadian negotiators usually do this by supporting positions they know will be completely unacceptable to most other countries. For example, Canada is one of only a few developed countries that have refused to come forward with its own post-2012 emissions reduction target, and only a few days ago Environment Minister Jim Prentice was quoted in La Presse making the preposterous suggestion that Canada would encourage the much-maligned practice of using intensity-based targets instead of actual emissions reduction targets in the final agreement.

In the past, even as a relatively small country, Canada has consistently punched above its weight in the international arena. Canada’s decision to abandon this historical leadership role is a considerable blow to the urgent effort to mitigate global warming.

Although influence at these conferences isn’t always direct or clear, one thing I have learned from my experiences here is obvious: if we want to move Canadian negotiators, their politician bosses need to move first. On Wednesday, Minister Prentice will be arriving here in Poznan, and the Canadian Youth Delegation will be working hard to push him to adopt a more proactive role.

But it is clear that the real power needed for change comes from back home. It’s not too late for Canadians to let him know that we want our country to take action that we can actually be proud of on the international stage.

For more on the climate change conference, you can check out the Canadian Youth Delegation blog at http://www.tigblog.org/group/cydpoznan.

This is the first of two columns Edmonton student Christel Hyshka will file from Poznan.

"They seem to have forgotten that human beings live in my part of the world"

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:19:00 EST

A youth delegate from Fiji just made a comment that I need to share: "They seem to have forgotten that human beings live in my part of the world." There is still no sense of urgency here. In our meeting with Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice this morning, he essentially denied that there was any way for Canada to get to 25-40% reductions below 1990 levels by 2020 - where the science tells us we have to get to in order to safeguard countries like Fiji, and to provide youth with a glimmer of hope for our future.

An emotional youth representative from Singapore: "It sucks, [...] we want to be able to look back and say this was a time where change happened. If young people like us can come together, trusting each other, laying all our cards on the table to work together, why can't the governments do so? [...] We are here to work together for a common goal."

He also singled out Canada's tar sands in his statement - people are paying attention, the world is watching, and we need to commit to the right to survival for all people who are threatened by dangerous climate change. There is no excuse for Canada to continue to block progress when human life and intergenerational equity - our right to a safe climate in the future - is at stake.

Canadian youth share heated exchange with Alberta Environment Minister Renner

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:48:00 EST

Let me begin on a light note in what might be an otherwise heavy post by saying that I can't believe Thea made an "i can has cheezburger" reference on the CYD Poznan blog. If you get upset or depressed while reading this post, just scroll back up the page and click the link.

Today, the Canadian Youth Delegation met with Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner and a few other staff from Alberta Environment. I've got to give credit for the minister for making the time to meet with us. Unfortunately, I don't have a whole lot else that's positive to say about the meeting. I think we managed to articulate how we felt as youth about continued tar sands development and its implications for human health, the environment, and Canadian climate policy.

As the meeting went on, frustration mounted as we didn't seem to be getting much. Heather, a young Dene woman in the CYD, described her family's and community's experience with the impacts of tar sands development; Minister Renner's response was unfortunate and inadequate, without any acknowledgement of the health problems these people are experiencing. A lot of Minister Renner's answers seemed to point the finger of blame at past policies and management. I don't think his case is helped by the fact that he's been a member of the Alberta legislative assembly since 1993, and Minister of Alberta Environment for nearly two years now. He called the current framework for assessing and dealing with development impacts in Alberta inadequate and obsolete. Why do we still have an obsolete and broken system in place, two years after his appointment as Minister of Environment, when lives are at stake and we're facing an urgent and growing climate crisis?

The meeting did become heated and confrontational - one CYD member excused herself because she could no longer listen to the types of responses we were hearing. Some CYDers became emotional near the end of the discussion, overwhelmed by the seriousness of the problems we are facing and equally underwhelmed by the response we are seeing from our leaders.

It's important to recognize that Minister Renner is not the problem - I don't think he's a bad guy. He agreed to meet with the CYD, probably knowing that it wasn't going to be pleasant. I even think he represents a big step up from some of the previous environmental management Alberta has seen. Minister Renner's policies are a symptom of a bigger problem. Unfortunately, Alberta has yet to make any real commitment to combating climate change. Under Alberta's current climate plan, emissions are projected to remain above 1990 levels, even in 2050, when the science tells us developing countries must reduce their emissions by 25-40% by 2020 for us to stand a chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. The Minister agreed that a 2 degrees C increase in global average surface temperature was a dangerous level of warming, but in the same breath made excuses for Alberta's soaring emissions and lack of a credible plan to deal with projected emissions growth.

He made a strong and compelling case for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as an important mitigation tool, even though the technology still has some uncertainties related to its scale up and deployment, and significant cost challenges. In the answer to the very next question, he dismissed a massive scale-up of renewable energy as impossible and unrealistic. This is not exactly the type of visionary leadership we need to get ourselves out of this climate mess. He even said massive renewables deployment would take too long, which I thought was funny, considering electricity sources like wind and solar are some of the fastest solutions to deploy, while a nuclear plant may take ten times as long to come on line.

Part of the problem is that Alberta's government is still thinking within the same old paradigms - that bigger is better. The Minister singled out solar thermal as a non-viable option for Alberta. While concentrated solar thermal electricity generation may not be an appropriate energy solution for Alberta, what about solar domestic hot water? What about all of the distributed energy solutions we have at our fingertips? Why talk about a massive CCS carbon pipeline and not a distributed, smart, renewable-supported grid in Alberta? Why do the discussions seem so focused on only one kind of solution?

We need a new kind of thinking in Alberta. We need real, visionary leadership, rather than just making some tweaks to the status quo. In a world of financial crisis and where oil can go from $140 a barrel to less than $40 a barrel in only a couple of months, we need to be looking at ways to diversify our economy. Alberta can become a green energy leader - we have one of the most skilled energy workforces in the world, we have the RD capacity, we have the business leaders and the money - we just need some vision and a commitment to do better, and we need it now.

Canadian Government Complains To UNFCCC To Remove "Canada's Dirty Secret" Photo Display of the Canadian Tar Sands

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:46:00 EST

Caught peddling oil sands at global warming negotiations, Minister denies Canada’s dirty secret

Youth respond to meeting with Alberta Environment Minister

Today, Canadian youth met Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner at the UN climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland, to engage in dialogue about Alberta’s environmental performance and to explore the province’s global warming strategy. The youth were astonished by the Minister’s lack of ambition when asked about Alberta’s commitment to preventing catastrophic global warming, and his denial of the destructive health and environmental effects of the Alberta bituminous oil sands.

Christel Hyshka, from Edmonton, said in response to the meeting, ‘‘I’m surprised that he accepted the 2 degree C upper limit of temperature change recommended by the scientific community, while he nonchalantly asserted Alberta’s right to have soaring greenhouse gas emissions. I’m shocked at his assumption that Alberta doesn’t have to pull its weight. As an Albertan, I find it frankly embarrassing that they are bringing this message to the international stage. Alberta has the potential to be a green energy leader and they could be doing so much better.”

The minister purportedly traveled to the climate conference as part of a short European tour to peddle the image of Alberta as an environmental leader. Ministers and delegates from around the world are gathered in Poznań to develop a new agreement to address global warming. ‘‘I can’t think of a more inappropriate place for Alberta to look for support,” says Canadian Youth Delegate Nicolas Nadeau, “it’s unbelievable that Minister Renner has the audacity to come to the climate change conference to promote the tar sands.’’

One young Canadian from Fort Smith, Heather Sayine-Crawford, said, “In our meeting, Minister Renner refused to acknowledge the evidence that toxins from the bituminous oil sands production are linked to increased prevalence of rare and fatal cancers amongst local residents, as well as significant adverse environmental impacts. We are preventing Minister Renner’s deceptively rosy view of the oil sands from being the only one seen by delegates”.

Today in Poznan, a showcase of the environmental damage caused by tar sands development, made of stunning large format photographs, was unveiled by the Canadian Youth Delegation. The display takes place in the main exhibition hallway next to the United Nations plenary rooms from Wednesday, December 10th till the end of the climate conference.

Youth delegates are available to speak about the display and their meeting with Minister Renner. Photographs of the meeting are available.

For more information contact:

In Poznan:
Rosa Kouri, Communications Team, (+48) 507 669 555, rosa.kouri@cydpoznan.org
Nicholas Nadeau, Communications Team, (+48) 510 735 407, Nicholas.nadeau@cydpoznan.org

The Canadian Youth Delegation is a non-partisan group of 26 young Canadians, seeking to engage Canadian youth to create positive change in the international climate policy process. It is a project of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. Find out more at www.cydpoznan.org.

International Youth Challenge Ministers to Lead at Ministerial Lunch

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:39:00 EST

December 11, 2008

Fifteen young people ask world leaders “look at your youth” and take action now.
Poznan, Poland – Fifteen young people spoke today at a formal lunch for Ministers and Heads of Delegations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland. They pressured leaders such as United States Senator John Kerry, former Vice President Al Gore, and
environment ministers from around the world with pointed questions, demanding that actions be taken to ensure a safe future for the youth of the world. “How can you expect us to stand by when you create a world not worth living in,” asked Maayke Damen, a young person on the official Dutch delegation. “How dare you condemn us to an economy in ruins, a climate in chaos, a broken future?”

This statement helps to cap two weeks of intense lobbying, organizing, and pressuring delegates put on by the International Youth Delegation, a coalition of over 500 young people from 54 different countries who have gathered in Poznan. International youth recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and demand strong, equitable climate action from their elected officials. “I need to know whether these leaders will be the first to take climate change seriously, or the last not to,” said Casper ter Kuile, 21, a member of the UK Youth Delegation.

The youth statement at the ministerial meeting started with Damen, who gave the bulk of the speech, challenging leaders to “look at your youth” and ‘hear our voice” when they call for policy ensuring the survival of all countries and peoples. “We stand united with small
islands states, with less developed nations, with indigenous peoples – with every underrepresented group,” Damen added, “They have a right to survival.” These statements are concurrent with the specific policy asks of the International Youth Delegation, which include a
stabilization of CO2 levels in the atmosphere at 350ppm and a call for industrialized countries to peak their emissions by 2012.

“My leaders need to be able to look me in the eye when they condemn me to living in a broken future,” said ter Kuile, “It’s the least they can do.”

For more information please Contact:

Brianna Cayo Cotter, US Youth Delegation, +48 518 553 516
Liz McDowell, UK Youth Delegation, +48 517 484 4429