The Press Release

We have composed the press-release. We have been working on it day and night, trying to do our best. Our diligence and overexcitement made us include four pieces of news into one writing.

Once I’ve read that a press-release shouldn’t contain more than one piece of news at a time. But this case is exceptional. Everything is very important and every single detail must be taken into account. And the most significant thing! Ukraine must be mentioned. I memorized it very well after talking to journalists before going to Warsaw: only decisions, concerning Ukraine, only actions with Ukrainian participants to mention. Only hardcore, that’s all we need.

And what do we have here: the head of the Philippines delegation announced the fast and a major part of social organizations supported him. The same thing YOUNGO members did, people who were driven out of the negotiations because they had entered the hall with a poster, not according to the regulations.

So, we decided to tell a story. A story about the hero, Mr. Sano. A story about brave activists, who rushed into the conference hall to support the head of the delegation and were driven away without a right to come back. A story about the NGO’s indignation and the absurd partnership of climate negotiations with the metallurgical and oil giants – Arcelor Mittal and LOTOS (meanwhile in UYCA we are much more squeamish in choosing partners!). No, I’m quite familiar with the “pollutant pays” principle, due to my higher education and a teaching talent of Olena Maslyukivska. But something is definitely wrong here.

We didn’t forget about Ukrainian participation – about activists, who joined the fast. Helen Angelova became a starving activist, and Wael Hmaidan, the head of the CAN International, gave an exclusive comment. Everything seemed to be fine.

I started calling and talking to the media on Skype. I know that when you talk and smile on a phone it can be felt. I offered photos, videos, releases, different points of view, exclusive material. But news did not appear to be useful. Sano’s fast was mentioned in media yesterday, and the activist was nice, but… Actually, the negotiations don’t concern Ukrainians that much. Well, they can draw some conclusions, concerning the amount of carbon emissions bla-bla-bla, and the “ecology” will benefit from it. But on the whole it’s an issue of no concern. The Kyoto Protocol, global changes – never heard of them. After all, a panda has given birth to an owlet in a zoo, and underground railway tickets are going to rise in price. These are the issues of an utmost concern and interest.

But it concerns my roommate, Carlie. She is Filipino. Carlie shares her toothpaste with me, and helps me and other trackers till the late night. Despite being very young, Carlie very closely collaborates with the Philippines delegation and Mr. Sano. In her motherland there won’t be any raise in prices for underground railway tickets, because at the moment there is no electricity there and looks like there won’t be any for a year. And dead bodies are still being found on her native island. In the region, where Carlie lives, hurricanes take place up to twenty times per year. But they’ve never experienced a one like this before. I am from Ukraine. I like Carlie. Is it enough to claim now that the climate change concerns Ukraine?

Probably, it’s not. Because no decisions are made here. In Ukraine we didn’t have hurricanes so far, and we keep increasing carbon emissions. That’s why Helen is going to keep on with her fast and I am going to write about it. Actually, it’s me who takes away her food. Because we need an informational occasion that concerns Ukraine. It’s good that Helen is leaving tomorrow and I will find a less fragile victim for tortures and Ukrainisation of information hook.

P.S.: Luckily in Ukraine we have media, whose editors know about the Kyoto Protocol, climate change and the Doha amendment. And I will write a column for them, hurray!