(Un) Confidential report
news from scientifical events
15th United Nations Climate Change Conference
Dec 7 – Dec 18, 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark
Last December, I attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. This conference was widely anticipated to be an historic event, during which 192 countries would negotiate a binding international treaty for climate change mitigation beyond 2012. Tens of thousands of representatives from environmental organizations, academia, industry, government and intergovernmental organizations flocked to the city, hoping to make their voices heard. For the global environmental community, the level of expectation leading up to the summit was exceeded only by the bitter disappointment at its failure. In the second week, many non-governmental participants were barred from even entering the conference center due to overcrowding. Businesses were, for the most part, shut out of the conference entirely. In their sessions, government delegates spent the time
spring 2010
Brett Dietz B.W.Dietz@tudelft.nl
reiterating their individual positions, alternately pointing fingers at the developed and developing world, or storming out of negotiations in displays of defiance. At the last minute, a deal was hastily put together by small handful of nations. The accord lacks meaningful detail, is not binding, and it still remains to be seen whether the developing world will accept it. And yet, while the delegates grandstanded, there were reasons for optimism. Forward-thinking businesses held forums and lectures for those left out of the conference, insisting that they saw huge growth opportunities in a post-carbon world. NGOs organized events inside and outside of the conference center, rallying support from the global community for
their causes. An alternative climate conference, Kilmaforum, was open to the public, attracting nearly 50,000 participants. 100,000 people took to the streets to call for action from their governments. The collective energy in the city was virtually palpable and extremely inspiring in spite of the failure of the delegates to accomplish their task. In the private sector, NGO community, and in many world governments, the call for action has reached a crescendo. Next November, in Mexico City, the few powerful holdouts will have another chance to act in the best interest of the planet. Hopefully, this time, they will heed the call.
Brett Dietz (San Diego, USA) is a visiting Fulbright researcher in the Economics of Infrastructures department at the Technology, Policy, and Management Faculty in TU Delft.
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