Expectations, Expectations

Why global summits matter: Rio+20 by Ana Puhač When last December TIME magazine featured the “the protester” as the person of the year, I thought how in the future, that publication could be seen as one of the most symbolic images that marked the start of a new global era. The world is in crisis? Isn’t that what every generation before us, facing a transition into a new global paradigm has...

The Clash of Paradigms and Durban [Disaster]

by Samuli Sinisalo In the UNFCCC, and especially in Durban, there are two major forces in play. The obvious surface is of course that of saving the planet and the climate system from disastrous anthropogenic interference. That is why these meetings are organized in the first place, and it is even inscribed in article two of the convention. The other force in play is how is this to be done? Who...

Time to come up with solutions

by Samuli Sinisalo The final negotitations in Durban just began. The different negotiating bodies will meet in this order: Ad-hod working group on Kyoto Protocol, Ad-hoc working group on Long Term Cooperative Action, Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to Kyoto Protocol and finally the closing plenary of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. It’s 9pm on Saturday,...

Negotiations drag onwards..

by Samuli Sinisalo The ministerial consultations went on last night. The announcement after 11pm was that no plenaries will convene before 10am on Saturday. It is no about 4pm on Saturday, and no negotiations have begun. Consultations continue. The situation is too unclear to give a comprehensive update at the moment. But, I have come across the transcript of a speech held by the minister of...

The last night draws on

by Samuli Sinisalo The texts just presented were not accepted by the Group of 77 and China. Later EU also denounced the documents. Canada had called more ambition from China and India. This was done by name, which is not very politically correct - especially from a country like Canada, which has notoriously low ambition. They were just awarded the fossil of the year award from being the biggest...