The post break up silence…

Posted on 09. Apr, 2010 by annac in United Kingdom

There’s something I need to tell you…it’s pretty big news…

Jan’s Gone!

She is no longer the lead negotiator for the UK.

I heard the news for the first time just last week and you know, I have to say, I was really sad. Through this whole thing Jan has been one constant, and as the time went on last year I really grew to trust and respect her. Just as I always hoped to present to her a human face to these negotiations, she eventually came to represent the human face of negotiators to me.

She was a hard nut to crack but when I eventually got there I found someone who I could really respect. Jan was human! Perhaps that’s why she has left, because to be a human in this process is pretty hard. And Jan didn’t even get the chance to run around on marches or hang out with the international youth to bring some humanity into the process for her.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Jan for everything she did last year, she was open and receptive to the project and put up with me jumping out from behind pot plants all over the world. She spoke honestly and openly to me and always respected what I was trying to do.

Thanks Jan, I’ll miss you!

But Jan’s not the only one who isn’t back here in Bonn. Because I’m not even being over dramatic when I say that the UK negotiating team has been decimated since Copenhagen! Every negotiator I have ever mentioned on this blog is no longer on the team. Harry who was always a friendly face has left, as has Dagma who was always open and frank, with not just me but all the youth here. I will miss both of them and again want to say thanks for all they did.

But the UNFCCC does not wait for anyone, and so here we are sat in Bonn. I am still here and I have tracking to do! But who on earth am I going to track? What is happening with the UK? What does all this change mean for our position here?

Well…that’s an interesting one and proving difficult to find an answer to. Because I feel like I’ve been broken up with! And much like in a break up I’m being given the post break up silent treatment.

Only turns out it’s not just me.

It’s all of us!

And it’s not just the negotiating team.

It’s the entire department (and all other government departments too)!

To make things that little bit harder here in Bonn, as a consequence of the UK government calling the general election, all our departments are now in what they call a purdah. I’ll let wikipedia help me out here…

The Cabinet Office imposes Purdah before elections. This is a period of roughly six weeks in which Government Departments are not allowed to communicate with members of the public about any new or controversial Government initiatives (such as modernisation initiatives, administrative and legislative changes).

Purdah, is a term used in United Kingdom politics to describe the time between an announced election and the final election result. The time period offers a prior opportunity for government departments to develop guidance and policy due to any impact resulting from the election.

At the national level, major decisions on policy are postponed until after the purdah period, unless it is in the national interest to proceed or a delay would waste public money. The Cabinet Office issues guidance before each election to civil servants, including those in the devolved national parliaments and assemblies.

Now don’t tell me you don’t learn anything from my blogs!

Basically the UK are a lame duck here in Bonn who can do and say nothing…

So maybe the fact we have lost some of our most experienced negotiators isn’t too bad for this session, since they wouldn’t be able to do anything anyway!

But we are certainly in an interesting and confusing time. Who and how the UK will engage with the UNFCCC over the course of the year is definitely not clear, and we shall have to wait for the results of our election before we can even begin to get a clear picture of what our position in this all will be.

Before opening plenary this morning I had a chance for a quick chat with Charlotte, who has taken over from Harry on the negotiating team, hopefully over the next few days there will be a chance for me to chat to a few more of the team and I will try and get as much info for you as I can.

For the UK this is one more huge change that has taken place since Copenhagen, what it means for us all…only time will tell!

But for now I am sat in opening plenary listening to everyone’s reactions to the outcome of Copenhagen, and there’s lots to report on.

The rest of the world is getting back to business! Let the fun begin…

Tags: Bonn, climate change, Jan Thompson, postcop15, UNFCCC