I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date.

Posted on 02. Nov, 2009 by Rosa Kouri in Canada

As a Canadian negotiator tracker, I hoped to arrive in Barcelona the morning talks began for the UNFCCC intercessional session. Much to my dismay, my trip was derailed by a surprise visit of Air Force One at my connecting airport. One delay caused another, then another. I realized I wasn’t going anywhere except the hotel down the highway. Now, I’m stuck, a poor canuck in a Holiday Inn on a grey day in New Jersey, saying goodbye to my dreams of insightful climate discussion over olives and sangria tonight.

I’ve been twiddling my thumbs, checking the Climate Action Network blog, anything to find out what’s going on. I hate being late. It wasn’t even my fault! Can I blame this one on US leadership?

I’m so late I’ve considered going back to Montreal – better to just cut my losses and go home.

Or, maybe I should change my destination? Since I’ve only been able to make it Newark, I might as well enjoy the skyline of warehouses and freeways here, rather than bucking it up for a night and trying fresh another day to get where I actually wanted to go.

Nope, even if I’m late, it’s more important that I ultimately arrive. Onward I go. Late maybe, but I’m still showing up.

So I missed my plane. My country’s missed its targets. We’re late. Does that mean we go home with our tail between our legs? Does that mean we pick a different destination? Does that mean we never leave home?

Well, not me. I’ll be in Barcelona tomorrow, ready to talk climate. Oh Canada, let’s sign a truce, I’ll forgive you the lateness if you forgive me. So what if we missed our first round of targets. There are more rounds to come. Let’s agree to do our best and just get there.

With love from Newark,

Rosa Kouri

Disclaimer: I am aware that flying to Barcelona in the first place is a crime against the climate. String me up now. Right after you read all the fabulous investigative reporting we are producing on the international climate talks.