Cancun climate change compromise

I had a very late night.  Actually, I didn't get to bed this morning until around 5.30am, just as the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon.

At the unearthly hour of 3pm, anticipation of a lackluster outcome from the climate summit gave way to near euphoria at the closing plenary here in Cancún. It marked another dramatic end to a grueling two weeks of touch talks.  With the massive convention hall filled with self-congratulatory cheers accompanied by numerous standing ovations as conference president, Patricia Espinosa -- who is Mexico's minister for foreign affairs -- heralded the result as "a new era in international cooperation on climate change."

Having been attending these negotiations myself since Kyoto, your grandfather had become quite jaded by the rollercoaster of ups and downs that I've witnessed over the years. And yet I was deeply moved by the dramatic finale as Espinosa, described as a goddess by India's gregarious environment minister, was given a standing ovation as she formally presented the text to the negotiations with tears in her eyes.

It was a real joy to hear another woman, the newly elected U.N. climate chief, Christiana Figueres, who was sitting next to Ms. Espinosa throughout the proceedings, pronounce: "The beacon of hope has been reignited and faith in the multilateral climate change process to deliver results has been restored."

History will tell just how much of a success this summit has been.  I would describe the outcome more as a compromise than a triumph.  At least the process has been kicked forward to the next meeting at the end of 2011 in Durban, South Africa, when we must hope that the 194 nations of the world finallly come to an agreement on a new international treaty that will effectly reduce manmade greenhouse gas emissions.  It is so frustrating to see how slowly the wheels of international negotiations turn.  Years and years of wrangling seem to have achieved not much more than an agreement to continue talking.

However, the climate change challenge is clearly an issue that is of concern to every country on earth.  In the years that I have been involved, I have certainly seen an ecouraging shift towards universal agreement that something needs to be done.  Gone are the days when there were voices of doubt about the whole topic.  And many countries are implementing all kinds of environmentally-friendly measures that no one would have expected only a few years ago.

But it is quite shocking that decisions about what amounts to the most issue to face humanity are being deliberated by the nations of the world at 3am in the morning.  The summit was supposed to have finished nine hours earlier, but the leadership was determined to keep going until some resolution could be found.  So, as usual, this highly complex process was saved from collapse at the last minute. 

This has been another extaordinary experience for me to witness at first hand how the world is run.  In spite of the frustrations, I do remain confident that good sense will eventually prevail and that we will join together as one world to avert a real crisis.  I've met many interesting people, spent time with old friends and colleagues, and written many words about this summit.  It's been another life-changing week for me.  Here is the conclusion of my blog that I contributed to the Huffington Post by way of summarising the experience:

Personally, Cancún took on a whole new meaning for me. I've been one of many voices talking for years about the essential need to ensure that our grandchildren inherit a viable and healthy planet. Last August, I became a proud grandfather.

Climate change must be abated. An enduring agreement must be reached. We owe it to my new granddaughter, Yael, and all the grandchildren of the world.

After all the drama, and a distinct lack of sleep, I spent much of the day dong nothing of any consequence.  I swtiched from saving the world to swimming in the warm sea, and lying in a deck chair by the pool wating for the pretty Mexican girls to notice me.  They didn't, but at least I had a relaxing time.


Grandpa Jonathan
Cancun, Mexico

Crunch time in Cancun

It's nearly midnight here at the climate summit in Cancun and there is still no indication of the likely outcome.  Negotiators remain behind closed doors while the rest of us are generally milling around in expectation that the plenary sesssion will start any time now.  The chairman of this event had committed to closing the talks promptly at 6pm, but that has never happened in the past, and this is Latin America.

Talking to people here, I do sense a growing feeling of optimism that at least something positive can be agreed so as to keep the process moving forward.  Last year in Copenhagen, the summit ended in miserable deadlock with everyone leaving with a deep feeling of despondancy.  We are all just hoping and praying now that something more upbeat will emerge.

It's going to be a long night as we await the results of these critical negotiations.  With 13 years having passed since the historic first agreement on climate change mitigation reached in Kyoto, I am keeping my fingers and toes firmly crossed that good sense and goodwill will prevail.  The future health of Planet Earth is in the balance tonight.


Grandpa Jonathan
Cancun, Mexico

More student protests in London

Today's scenes of huge student protests in London against the British government's proposal to triple university tuition fees seem like a world away from here in Central America.  All day, I have been watching angry scenes over there as the debate took place in the House of Commons.  By early evening, as news reached the protestors that the government won the vote and the legislation will therefore go through, tensions on the streets mounted.

Unfortunately, as is so often the case with demonstrations, a minority took advantage of the situation to behave violently and destructively which has the effect of diluting the credibility of the arguments of the mainstream protestors.  But I am pleased to see students bothering to go out on a freezing cold day and make their feeling known.  It is important for people to express their views and British students are at least fortunate to live in a country where they are allowed to do so.  Alas, they are less fortunate when it comes to taking advantage of a university education.  Inevitably, there will be those from poorer families who will be deprived of further education as a consequence of this austerity measure. 

While I am not against some charge being levied for university education, the sum of 16,000 pounds will be prohibitive to many.  I do not beleive that a civilised socieity should expect young people to have to fork out so much for going to university.  The government is taking a regressive step for which I am sure they pay a heavy price as its popularity surely takes a nose dive.  It is extraordinary that the Liberal-Democratic party, who are in coalition with the Conservatives, have supported this draconian measure.  They will definately be punished by voters at the next election.  The party has long been marginal in British politics and I wouldn't be surprises if, after this brief foray of power, the Liberals will be driven to the edge of extintion.  And your grandfather says: "Good riddance!"

Amazingly, Prince Charles and the Dutchess of Cornwall got inadvertently caught up in the protests as their Rolls Royce was pelted with paint bombs and the back window smashed while on their way to the premier of a show at the London Paladium.  "Off with their heads" were the cries being chanted by some protestors.  Well, I have no doubt that there will be some senior police officers whose heads will roll for allowing the Royal couple into the eye of this storm.

Meanwhile, here in Cancun the climate summit progresses.  Or does it.  With less than 24 hours to go and negotiations as in flux as ever, who know whether there is going to be some kind of positive outcome.  This grandfather's fingers remain firmly crossed.



Grandpa Jonathan
Cancun, Mexico

El Presidente

The highlight of my day at the climate summit was meeting the president of Mexico, the country hosting what is turning out to be the usual spectacle of intergovernmental haggling over the future of our planet.  I snapped him on my Blackberry just prior to shaking his hand

But what makes this even so differant from last year's in Copenhagen -- apart from it being a pleasant 22 celsius in contrast to 15 below in the Danish capital -- is the Latin approach.  President Felipe Calderón, who has two years remaining until the end of his six year term in office, has been setting the tone by walking around the conference in a relaxed manner and talking friendlily with anyone and everyone.

But this casual appearance disguises the critical and high pressure negotations that are going on betwen the 194 nations represented here.  Meetings went on well into last night.  Right now, the differances seem to be as great as ever with fears that the event will end in deadlock.  Everyone who wants a solution knows that it would be quite disasterous for this whole process for these talks to end in the same dissapointing way as last year.  I honestly beleive that the credibility of multilaterilsm is at stake here.

Another contrast to last year is the limited media coverage.  In Copenhagen, where 120 heads of state and government came, the summit attracted massive news attention.  There are some 2,000 reporters here as opposed to the 3,000-strong press corps at the previous event.  I was told by the single BBC reporter here that the BBC News budget had been stretched by the huge coverage of the dramatic Chilean miners' rescue.  There were 30 BBC staff covering the Copenhagen meeting.

My expectations for a meaningful outcome here are low.  But I really do hope that enough will emerge to allow the process to move forward to next year's scheduled talks in Durban.  It's 16 years since this U.N. series of international discussions started and 13 years since the first legally-binding treaty was agreed in Kyoto.  While I had been beginning to doubt that a successor agreement will ever emerge, I can see that there is concerted effort going on to succeed.  The original treaty expires in 2012, so time is surely running out.

On a lighter note, it is so pleasant to go to bed at night with my balcony window open and hear the soundes of the waves.  Waking up in the morning to the sight of a beautiful beach with the sun rising on the horizon is exilerating.

Grandpa Jonathan

Cancun, Mexico

 

Our days our numbered

Although I am almost fully immersed in the climate summit here in Cancun, I was moved today at the sad news of the death of Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of the former U.S. Senator for North Carolina, John Edwards.  Elizabeth was only 61 years old, and had endured a long battle with cancer. 

John Edwards became particularly famous when he ran as the Democratic VIce Presidential candidate in John Kerry's failed campaign in 2004, which they lost to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.  When I took your father on a visit to Washington DC a few years ago, it was through the then-Senator Edwards office that I arrange a tour of the Senate.

The baby-faced, clean-cut senator's career crashed when it was found that he had a child with one of his campaign staff, which he subsequently denied.  It marked a tragic end to a promising political career.  Although Elizabeth, who was an impressive woman in her own right, initially stood by her man, they subsequently separated, but never divorced.

It was reported that John Edwards was at her bedside along with their children when she died, at their North Carolina home.  Infidelity so often destroys the trust that people like the Edwards had built together over many years of marriage.  Having met at university, it is clear from everything I have read and seen that they had been very much in love.  How sad that her life should end in this way.

Tragedy is not new to the Edwards whose son Wade died in a car crash in 1996 at the age of 16 in a freak wind storm.  I've written about this before, and will say again that it must be unimaginably painful to lose a child. 

Just one day before her death, Elizabeth made this very poignant facebook entry:

Her comment about all of our days being numbered really touched me.  We never know what will happen tomorrow,  Writing this daily blog makes me has raised my awareness that our days are numbered, this being my 123rd missive since your birth, my darling Yael. I do hope to have the opportunity to write many thousands of entries, which will certainly keep you busy,

You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces -- my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel towards everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know.

Grandpa Jonathan

Cancun, Mexico

Climate talks in Cancun

It has become something of a regular pilgrimage for me to attend the United Nations annual climate change summit.  As usual, this is an incredible spectacle of more than 20,000 people from 194 nations come together to try and reach agreement on how to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and avert irreversible climate change.

My first summit was in 1997 in Japan's historic city of Kyoto at which an initial international treaty was agreed.  Sadly the United States, which is the world's single largest emitter of GHGs, subsequently failed to have the agreement ratified by Congress.  Without U.S. participation the deal has been relatively ineffective, and anyway, the so-called Kyoto Protocol is due to expire in 2012.  So this gathering is particularly critical, especially after the dissapointing breakdown of last year's talks in Copenhagen.

This has increasingly become a debate between rich and poor nations.  There is pressure on the developed countries, who are the biggest polluters, to reduce their use of fossil fuels, which are the main cause of the problem.  Meanwhile, the poorer countries are demanding financial compensation in return for curbing their emissions.  The science seems as complicated as the problem.

Your existence in the world makes this event a very differant experience for me.  Climate change is an issue about the future.  For years now, those like me who have campaigned for meaningful steps to be taken to mitigate climate change have argued that this must be done for the sake of our grandchildren.  We have long argued that it our responsiblity to protect our precious planet so that future generations will not suffer.

My dear Yael, you represent the true inspiration for finding the solution to climate change.  While it's unlikely that there will be any agreement reached here in Cancun this week, the political process will continue.  I remain optimistic that the world will come together to fix the problem, for the benefit of you and future generations.


Grandpa Jonathan
Cancun, Mexico

Caribbean sunrise

I awoke before dawn and threw back the curtains to see the sun rising on the horizon.  As the sky brightened, the dark ocean developed that wonderful azure colour that associate with the Caribbean.  Looking out over the Gulf of Mexico is a wonderful way to start one’s day.

My main mission was accomplished in obtaining my media pass.  There is massive security surrounding this U.N. climate convention.  I passed many Mexican police and army roadblocks on my half hour journey to the conference venue.  But being Sunday, there was no official business and everything was quiet and effortless.  This is the calm before the storm, as tomorrow will be buzzing with 20,000 delegates.

I’m happy to report that your grandfather spent a relaxing afternoon by the pool.  Actually, I should say pools, because this hotel has more than a dozen of them in their gardens overlooking the beach.  Back to hard work tomorrow.

Grandpa  Jonathan

Cancun, Mexico