Naomi is representing the BCSEA and Sierra Club
of Canada, BC Chapter, at the conference, dubbed COP12/MOP2
- the 12th Conference of the Parties and 2nd Meeting fo the
Parties top the Kyoto Protocol, filing reports from the conference.
Naomi's updates will be posted here as they
are available. She is also blogging
at this site.
NAIROBI--The Canadian Youth Delegation issued a declaration
of demands directed at the Canadian government today at the
UN Climate Change Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
"After watching Canada's actions leading up to and at
this conference, it has become clear that we need to push
the government further," said Naomi Devine, Canadian
Youth delegate from BC. "Canada needs bold leadership
on this issue and that has clearly been lacking."
1) A re-committment to the Kyoto Protocol, specifically meeting
our targets from the original 2008 timeline;
2) A committment to negotiate the post-2012 phase of Kyoto;
and,
3) For Canada to commit to meeting the "2 degrees Celsius"
target in the post-2012 phase.
"This is long term strategy on the part of the Canadian
youth here to bring the message home to Canadians and lobby
for stronger action on the issue," said Zoe Caron. "We
are presenting solutions and expect the government to take
us seriously, and engage in work with us when we return to
Canada."
21 Canadian youth aged 18-29 self-fundraised to be present
at the 2-week long negotiations and have been leading in staging
actions, meeting with government delegates, working with business,
industry, non-governmental groups, and joining forces with
other youth from around the world.
For more information, contact Naomi Devine, Canadian Youth
Delegation: nsdevine@mac.com or 254.720.666.948
After each countdown, we launched into a spirited
version of that now-famous song - “Oooo, it’s
getting hot in here,” which generated quite a bit of
attention at the UN’s Gigiri complex, here in Nairobi.
Our chants were heard throughout the conference centre and
we were filmed and photographed several times over.
This is not the last that the delegates will
hear from us while we are here in Nairobi. Youth will be
there each morning reminding everyone that this is our future
that is being negotiating and that the time to act is now.
Sunday November 12, 2006
A Crazy Week at the COP
It has been a crazy week - and the learning curve has been
steep, but I think I've finally gotten the hang of things.
I am also proud to say that the Canadian Youth Delegation
is the largest youth delegation at the conference. This
is all underscored by the fact that we each fundraised individually
to get here. We are everywhere at this conference - in plenary
meetings, in delegation meetings, in ENGO meetings, at press
conferences, and building a youth movement at the same time.
It is fast paced, exciting and exhausting all at once.
This COP/MOP is seen as a "working" COP and not
as exciting as, say, last year's meeting. However, this
is the first COP on the African continent and that lends
both a sense of urgency to the issue and the importance
of having mandates and work-plans in place in order to move
forward. Africa will be disproportionately affected by climate
change and to get a small sense of how, read
this Reuters story about the loss of some historically
famous glaciers in neighboring Uganda.
For those that tell you climate change is only an "environmental"
issue – have them consider the fact that the loss of
these glaciers greatly decreases water security for millions.
Climate change cuts across all sectors of society and needs
our focused attention and immediate action. The climate
is changing more quickly than these negotiations are moving
forward, and some days I am left more frustrated than optimistic.
Why so frustrated? There are competing interests that shape
the outcome of negotiations like this - and competing interests
take time. The posturing is something to see: as you sit
and watch negotiations, you hear every nation speak very
positively about whatever topic they are speaking about,
but nothing moves forward. However, at some point, the fate
of the future must trump competing interests. We are running
out of time. We need urgent action and the time for that
is now.
The reason for having youth involvement at these conferences
is that the future is ours. We feel that the delegates here
do not fully appreciate this fact and are not acting in
the best interests of future generations.
Whenever a country does not want to speak about something
here at the conference, they put the text in brackets to
remove it from discussion. This year, the youth delegation
has a t-shirt with the globe in brackets on the front, attempting
to send a strong message to delegates that they must take
our future more seriously.
To give you an example of how the negotiations have been
going, read
this short, but succinct article from the BBC on the
shenanigans around the Adaptation Fund. You clearly see
the squabble over who will administer the fund.
One of the interesting points is that the article frames
adaptation as the main issue at the conference, whereas
the really big issue at these negotiations is the post-2012
debate (found in the Article 3.9 and Article 9 negotiations).
The big deal, from the ENGO perspective, is that if there
is no workplan that comes out of this COP regarding setting
hard targets for the post-2012 era, then Kyoto is essentially
dead.
Remember how I said things move slowly? Here’s the
ideal scenario: Parties at this COP commit to a two-year
workplan for setting post-2012 targets, so that in 2008
at COP 14 there is a mandate to negotiate the post-2012
installment of Kyoto. Essentially, this is the process that
leads to another Kyoto Protocol. So, the goal of this COP,
when it comes to the post-2012 track, is getting a workplan
with a firm end date of 2008.
How do parties mess this up? By saying things like, “We
need to wait for the US to join Kyoto before negotiating
post-2012 targets”. The most likely scenario for the
US is that they set their own internal targets in the next
two years and negotiate into the Kyoto Protocol for the
second commitment period. The US is not about to join Kyoto
any other way.
If we don’t get that workplan, we are in serious trouble.
All parties know this – so those who argue that we
cannot move forward are being disingenuous.
That is what the negotiations look like up close. That
is the type of detail and analysis required to strategize.
Has a workplan ever looked so important? The devil (as usual)
is in the details.
Amongst the youth, there is a sense of insecurity that
we have never felt before. Responding to climate change
is the challenge of our generation – and it is having
profound effects on our lives. To give you an example, many
of us consider whether or not we should even have children,
because, quite simply, what will the planet look like 50
years from now? The more I speak to people my age about
this, the more I find that I am not alone in my thinking.
What kind of world would my children inherit?
Canada is not leading these negotiations. A year ago we
were held in high esteem by the rest of the world on climate
change. A year later, the “new” Government of
Canada thought they could get away with an inadequate bill
in the Clean Air Act, they did not see the significance
of retracting their position on climate change on the international
stage, so now, as a country, we are an embarrassment.
If the future is to be any different than this, then we
need significant movement on climate change. To get this
movement, we need pressure. And that means pressure from
all of you. I would like to encourage each person reading
this blog to contact their federal Member of Parliament,
by phone, email, or letter, and let them know that you find
Canada’s lack of leadership and action on climate change
unacceptable and that our action will effect how you will
vote in the future. I am doing that here, and I need your
help at home.
Our future depends on it.
Tuesday November 7, 2006
AYICC & Day One at COP12/MOP2
Jambo everyone (jambo is swahili for hello),
Welcome to U.N. acronym alphabet soup - there are so many,
and I have been learning them all and will share with you
below.
Much has happened since I arrived in Nairobi - which is
beautiful, by the way.
I have already attended one three-day conference, to help
launch the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC),
and completed day one of the UNFCCC conference.
The United Nations complex here is also gorgeous, although
it is considered one of the smaller UN offices in the world.
The Canadian High Commission is nearby and the American
Embassy is right across the street, with a lot of security.
You are not allowed to take pictures of it.
The African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC)
has launched!
The Canadian Youth Delegation attended the second International
Conference of Youth (COY2) from November 3-5. Arriving here
on the morning of the November 3rd, after 25 hours of traveling,
I jumped right into this exciting initiative.
Over 100 concerned youth from across Africa and from around
the world convened in downtown Nairobi to discuss their
concerns about the lack of adequate action being taken on
their behalf with regard to climate change. Africa is the
continent most vulnerable to the effects of climate change,
while at the same time the smallest contributer of greenhouse
gas emissions.
The idea for the AYICC was hatched at COY1 in Montreal
last year, and after a year of hard work on behalf of the
international organizing committee, the conference was successful
and a new youth organization, in the AYICC, has been born.
I have never met so many eloquent and dedicated young people.
It was very exciting and inspiring to be around all of them
and learn from their diverse experiences. I delivered a
workshop on working with the media, and have made many new
international friends in the process.
The first of three launches for the AYICC took place on
the last day of this conference, and it was quite a success,
garnering much media attention. It was quite an emotional
experience for all involved, and I am proud to say that
the Canadian Youth Delegation was a part of it. The second
and third launches will take place at COP12.
I encourage you to visit the website of the AYICC: www.ayicc.org
Opening day of the UNFCCC's Conference
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mesdames et Messieurs, this is the
big time. After entering security, I walked up the sidewalk
of international flags to the Gigiri Complex in the UN compound
here in Nairobi, with 20 of my fellow youth delegates. This
is where the world makes decisions (or not). It was a proud
moment.
First on the agenda was attending a Climate Action Network
(CAN) closed environmental non-governmental organization
(ENGO) meeting. There are a series of open and closed meetings
here at COP12/MOP2, and the ENGOs have closed meetings every
day to strategize and update each other on what has happened
in the past day.
The opening session was not attended in person by the President
of COP, otherwise known in Canada as Rona Ambrose, our Federal
Environment Minister. She opened the session via a recorded
message and handed off the presidency. Ironically enough,
in her message she couldn't say enough about needing to
find a truly effective solution to global climate change.
Ms. Ambrose is expected to attend the COP late next week
for 2 or 3 days. The Canadian Youth Delegation will be requesting
a meeting with her.
Hero to Zero & Rona Ambrose's Hair
The perception of Canada among the ENGO crowd is that we
have gone from "hero" at COP11 to "zero"
at COP12. For more on why, I encourage you to read
this article about her, written by the Climate Action
Network and published in ECO - the daily NGO newspaper at
COP. It is found in the first issue of ECO, and it entitled
"Hair today, gone tomorrow". Needless to say,
this article upset the Canadian government delegation.
ENGO Strategizing
CAN organized a helpful meeting on Sunday to orient delegates
to this massive conference. I attended and it was quite
helpful. The ENGOs meet daily to strategize in one big meeting,
and they also have working groups on specific issues. There
is no shortage of meetings to attend!
It has been interesting to meet the international ENGO
representatives, and watch them in action - I am at the
observer stage, as I am interested to see how the international
environmental community handles conferences such as this.
CAN sees the Nairobi conference as an important one, as
the outcome of negotiations here are critical to securing
a mandate in 2008 similar to the Berlin Mandate. The Berlin
Mandate led to the Kyoto Protocol.
Since we are interested in seeing Kyoto continue beyond
2012, and that Kyoto took over 3 years to negotiate, the
planning for the next mandate begins now, so that it is
in place by 2008, in order to have a new protocol negotiated
by 2012. ENGOs are pushing for outcomes that favour this
outcome.
ENGO working groups
I have joined CAN's Article 3.9 and Article 9 working group,
also known as the Post-2012 group. These articles deal with
following the meetings on further commitments for developed
countries under the Kyoto Protocol (article 3.9) and the
review of the Kyoto Protocol (Article 9). The other major
issues working groups are: Adaptation, Carbon Capture &
Storage and Clean Development Mechanism, and Communications.
I will update you on the major happenings of these meetings
as they unfold.
Initial expectations of the Canadian government delegation's
actions are that they will be low key as the Conservatives
are polling low in Atlantic Canada and Quebec right now
and cannot afford to lose polling points over inadequate
environmental policy. It's an interesting analysis - but
not one I completely agree with. There is also speculation
that the delegation will push back on targets and timelines
for post-2012, as this is an effective way to make sure
nothing happens. We shall see what they do.
Fossil of the Day
For approximately 8 years, CAN has been issuing a "Fossil
of the Day Award" to the country that stalls negotiations
the most, or acts in a manner that is unhelpful in moving
things forward. The award is a kerosene lamp (representing
fossil fuels and the health effects caused by the burning
of them) and is presented everyday at 1:00. We vote on who
should win during the morning ENGO meeting, based on the
previous day's negotiations. The current competition is
to see how often Canada and Australia will be the winners.
Concerns - Russia & Timing of Negotiations
Something for you to watch at home - the Russian Proposal.
It was launched at COP11, and is not really clear to anyone.
However, it is important because if Russia is not happy
with how it is handled, they have the ability to halt negotiations.
Basically, Russia wants non-Annex I (Annex I nations are
the developed nations, who have greenhouse gas emissions
reductions targets to meet) countries to be able to become
Annex I countries. There are many questions in the air as
to why and we expect this to become clear in the coming
days.
At COP11, it was mandated that negotiations would end every
day at 6pm. Extensions are allowed for "extenuating
circumstances". Many think that this limit is not feasible
as negotiations take lots of time and should be allowed
to occur at their own pace. At the end of day one, Australia
argued for the closing of negotiations of one of the meetings
- of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice - just after 6pm. Congratulations to Australia for
its forward thinking attitude on progressive negotiations.
Meeting the Canadian Delegation
The Canadian Youth Delegation will be meeting with the
Canadian Delegation on Wednesday evening. This will be very
exciting - I have only spoken to some delegates briefly,
so it will be very interesting to hear their perspectives
on the negotiations and see what they tell us. The delegates
seemed quite happy to have us here, which is encouraging.
Media
I will be on CBC Newsworld again for a quick interview
this week. I am working out the details and the time, and
as soon as I have those, I will pass them on to you. I appeared
on Newsworld's "Today" show on Wednesday November
1, before I flew to Nairobi.
Naomi's award for best (meaning silliest) acronym
LULUCF, pronounced "lulu-cef". Has nothing to
do with yoga pants. Stands for: land use, land use change,
and forestry. I kid you not. If you are interested in the
place of deforestation in the Kyoto Protocol, then this
is the acronym for you. The Climate Action Network has a
LULUCF expert and this is the one issue she follows.
Well, this is a long update and the first day of COP is
a "slow" one! The coming days will be long and
the work very exciting. I am so pleased to be here, and
will be in touch again soon.
Sawa sawa (Swahili for things are good),
Naomi
www.bcsea.org
Thursday November 2, 2006
Leaving on a Jet Plane....
Well hello to everyone, from Heathrow International
Airport in London, England! I am en route to Nairobi, and
as my flight leaves in a few hours I wanted to take some
time to get my first blog entry posted.
First off, I have to say how honoured I am to be the
BCSEA's representative to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference this
year, and to have been chosen as a Canadian Youth Delegate.
I am especially humbled by the generous
financial support I have received from BCSEA members,
familly and friends, and the University of Victoria in
order to get me to Nairobi. Your generosity has overwhelmed
me, and I am very grateful. Thank you very much.
I will be your guide to all things COP12 for the next
few weeks - but, wait, "what's COP12?", many
of you ask, and that's a good question.
Here's the lowdown: UNFCCC - United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. This is the international
treaty that deals with the global plan to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in order to stop global warming. It was
the result of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 (United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development), and was opened
for member nations to sign the same year. 1994 was the
year it came into force, after 154
nations signed on to the treaty. While it did not set
hard targets for emissions reductions (what it did do
was get the signatories to agree to talk about significant
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of
preventing anthropogenic [human-caused] climate change),
it called for updates to the treaty or "protocols"
that would set targets for reductions. This brings us
to:
The Kyoto Protocol - Much has been said and written about
this, and I will not go into detail right now about it
(I will do that in the coming days), but what I want to
point out is that this protocol is a result of the UNFCCC.
The important thing to remember about Kyoto: it established
legally binding obligations for the nations that ratified
it (and this is key) to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
to set targets. Canada is one of those nations.
Conference of the Parties (COP) - The nations that signed
the agreement are known as 'parties'. They have been meeting
once a year since 1994 to assess the progress on reducing
GHG emissions, and these conferences also negotiated the
Kyoto Protocol. Last year, COP 11 was held in Montreal.
Our president, Guy Dauncey, blogged extensively about
it right here.
Hopefully that provides some clarity for the non-climate
junkies reading this post.
As for me - what am I doing at COP 12? Here's some more
information about me:
Member, Canadian Youth Delegation to Nairobi (CYD). The
Canadian Youth Delegation is sending a 19 member delgation
to Nairobi as part of a 3 phase project to engage and
develop Canadian civilian and political leadership on
climate change. We have a number of goals and objectives,
so to find those out and meet the delegation in full,
visit our website: www.cydnairobi.ca
I am also representing: The BC Sustainable Energy Association
and the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter.
As part of our strategy, the youth delegates have been
doing their best to be profiled in the media, and I am
happy to report that the delgates from BC - myself, Maia
Green, and Jessica Duncan, have been quite sucessful at
this. We have been featured in the Times-Colonist, News
Group, and Martlet (UVic's student paper).
I have also been interviewed by CFAX 1070am and yesterday
I appeared on CBC Newsworld's Today program for a short
interview and I will provide them with a telephone update
next week from Nairobi.
Members of the CYD will also be attending a three day
conference prior to COP12, from November 3-5th. This is
to launch the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change
(AYICC). One of the goals of the CYD is to strengthen
the global youth network on climate change and build capacity
amongst African youth as they will be disproportionately
affected by climate change.
Well, that is a lot of preliminary information to put
out there in one post - I hope it helps to clarify a bit
of what will be happening over the next few weeks. I will
be posting here regularly, and also for the blog that
was started by North American youth at COP 11: www.itsgettinghotinhere.org
I encourage you to read that blog as well. There you
will get a sense of what is happening with youth around
the world with regard to climate change action, and there
are some very talented writers who post on a regular basis.
There is a special page for the COP12 delegates.
Once again, thank you to everyone who has helped to get
me here - I am very excited to be attending this conference
and I hope that you enjoy the reporting that I will be
doing here in the coming days.
Take care,
Naomi
Thanks to the support of many generous people and agencies,
BCSEA board member, Victoria Chapter chair and University
of Victoria student Naomi Devine is off to the United Nations
Climate Change Conference in Kenya. Thank you all!
As part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary 19-member Canadian
youth delegation team, Naomi will be working to help African
youth build capacity on climate change action, secure a
permanent youth constituency with the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change and increase the capacity of youth to
engage with international climate policy during and after
the conference.
She will also be representing the BCSEA and Sierra Club
of Canada, BC Chapter, at this event, dubbed COP12/MOP2
- "12th Conference of the Parties and 2nd Meeting fo
the Parties top the Kyoto Convention", filing a daily
blog from the conference. Watch this space for updates.
