Daily Tck - December 2nd
Posted on 03. Dec, 2010 by adoptanegotiator in Daily Tck
Every day during the Cancun climate talks, The TckTckTck campaign hosts an open meeting for people to discuss areas of concern and opportunity, and for people & organizations to collaborate on taking action. The following is based on that meeting.
by Paul Horsman, Global Campaign for Climate Action
Summary of the Current status/situation
‘All You Need is Love’ even if you are Japan, although the government is suffering from a withdrawal of affection and awarded the Fossil of the Day for undermining Kyoto by not including their emissions target in the Kyoto Protocol and or agreeing to a 2nd commitment period. But they are clearly looking for love as at a press conference last night they said they are not alone but that Russia, Canada, Australia and New Zealand take a similar stance. These countries are currently quiet so Japan remains isolated.
We need to keep our focus on this at the moment as a lack of mandate to continue the Kyoto Protocol would make progress on other fronts difficult. The debate about climate finance and a new fund is moving and there is careful optimism that Cancun might deliver on finance – though it is very much in the balance. This is a crunch issue and the next few days will show how real the talk of compromise is. The US might have signalled some flexibility on accounting which is another topic that could cut the Gordian knot; indeed any additional flexibility by key parties is very welcome.
AOSIS is trying to bring back the proposal for a 1.5oC process; Tuvalu has a proposal on the forestry loopholes (LULUCF) that could provide a lifeline from the bad text currently on the table. The Small Island States also managed to establish a discussion group to focus on the legal outcome of the negotiations - previous attempts to get such a group have failed badly.
What is happening?
This morning TckTckTck and partners helped to improve the troubled relationship between Japan and the Kyoto Protocol. “Take your photo with Kyoto!” activists asked delegates on their way to the negotiations. Many did, posing in a giant heart held by wearing “I love Kyoto” t-shirts, next to Japanese youth activists dressed in traditional dress starring as Kyoto. Delegates were clearly excited to show their support for Kyoto, after Japan threatened to break up the 13-year relationship and run away from commitment. Activists sang “All you need is love” and “Don’t let me down” which turned into a Pro-Kyoto-Choir. Photos: http://www.mediafire.com/tcktcktck-cop16media
While some campaigners are working on how to increase the pressure on Japan (contact: Julia Sanchez: [email protected]), others are working on a forestry loophole activity (contact: Alec Marr at [email protected]). Oxfam are brainstorming about how to promote the climate fund (contact Frida Eklund: [email protected]). Sierra Club is looking for support with a “heads in the sands” activity tomorrow morning on the beach (details to be confirmed; contact Jim Dougherty: [email protected]). Youth groups are in action around the clock and have a “climate not for sale” fair - anyone interested in auctioning their rainforests on Treebay?
Saudi Arabia, Norway, Kuwait, Algeria, UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar and Jordan were awarded fossil of the day last night because of their support for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) being included in the clean development Mechanism (CDM). Ukraine, Russia, Australia and New Zealand got fossil awards, for supporting carrying over unused emissions credits from the 1st to the 2nd commitment period. Allowing this would allow industrialized countries to increase emissions while buying ‘hot air’ from Russia and Ukraine which would increase the gigatonne gap between what’s needed and what countries are currently pledging.
A few links beyond Adopt a Negotiator
Brad Johnson: Winning climate messages combine dire scientific threat with solutions for a just world
Sven Eberlein: DailyCancun: A Mayor Breakthrough!
Deborah Phelan: It takes a Tamale
Karl Burkart: President Calderon’s new take on climate action
Kate Sheppard: Japan says “sayonara” to Kyoto Protocol
New Report: Efficient lighting equivalent to removing 20 million cars over 10 years
New Report: China surges ahead on clean energy investment
We Need Kyoto
Kelly Rigg: Building our future, block by block
UN climate change conference in Mexico highlights Cancun’s disappearing beaches
EU, U.S., Japan Say $9.9 Billion Spent on `Fast Start’ Climate Change Aid
Heather Libby: Consumer Goods Forum takes initiative on climate change
A few tweets that were noticed:
- @adoptnegotiator trackers following your country delegate:http://ht.ly/3i08b #tcktcktck
- @HuffingtonPost blog by #tcktcktck ED @kellyrigg: ‘Building our future, block by block’ http://ht.ly/3hZp5 #climate #COP16
- Cancun should be about those responsible for #climate change committing to reduce greenhouse gases http://ht.ly/3hYZs
- News in more than 140 characters from #COP16 #climate http://live.tcktcktck.org #tcktcktck
Message for the day
Despite what Japan says no one is backing them publicly – they remain isolated.
Japan’s fear of commitment and compliance doesn’t mean the death of the Kyoto Protocol, but isolates the country as others try to negotiate in good faith. Everything here is still possible and there are encouraging moves from some that shows they are serious on compromise.
There remains a lot of work to do to ensure funding and action to bring us closer to a strong treaty. National self-interest is best served by international cooperation; lack of action as short-sighted and narrow-minded. This spirit would help restore momentum in the talks, while achieving positive outcomes for environment, economy and society as part of the race to a low-carbon future.
What you can do today?
- ALERT: Please send your Cancun and digital actions to [email protected] and [email protected] to be posted on live.tcktcktck.org and promoted on social media. Follow the Cancun Twitter list http://twitter.com/#!/tcktcktck/cancun-cop16-global-twitter-global
- Oxfam tweets: By the year 2100, rising sea levels & water shortages could force 125 million from their homes in South Asia http://bit.ly/hbmkDS #COP16
- What is your country doing at the #COP16 #climate talks? Track their progress #TckTckTck @adoptnegotiator team http://ht.ly/3iCXa
- OneClimate TV – goes LIVE TODAY, please embed their widget on your site and promote the content. Over 1700 hits on ‘Fossil of the Day’ award from yesterday.
Other materials:
See the delegates’ reaction to Oxfam’s ‘Will you back a climate fund?’ activity: Pictures, VideoLinks to OneClimate
Tck’s Karl Burkart talking about mosaic:EARTH
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