Al Gore provides an insight into the COP15
We weren’t able to get in to the COP15 today, but at 7pm last night I got an insight into Thursday’s proceedings from Al Gore as he spoke to a small gathering of The Climate Project. What he said seemed to me to be a bit different to what was being said on the media websites as I write this so I hope you will find it interesting to hear some of the things he spoke about. I thought it was fascinating and encouraging.
Mr Gore recognised how things are swinging between hope and despair at the COP15. He praised Prime Minister Meles Zanawi of Ethiopia who has emerged as a positive force in this process, engineering in Africa and then in the G77 an acceptance of the formula on the long term financing issue. Finance has been one of the four principle issues which may be potentially be resolved.
The unprecedented complexity and scale of this issue was noted and Mr Gore explained that it is understandable that it seems to require so much effort to really solve it.
Encouragingly Mr Gore highlighted the draft forest agreement as a very positive accomplishment of the process. It is not concluded yet as it will depend on finalising some of the other agreements but the fact that that has been prepared in readiness for the full agreement is a fantastic result.
Mr Gore was present at Kyoto and he pointed out that only one head of state, the Prime Minister of Japan attended that meeting and yet heads of state from 120 countries are coming to COP15. He thought that whatever happens at COP15 these leaders will go back to their country and most of them will renew their commitment to making progress He thought it was really encouraging that the entire world leadership has placed this at the top of the world agenda for the next few days. He pointed out that many countries have already used the Copenhagen deadline to pass legislation and put pledges on the table.
The point was well made by Mr Gore that whatever the formal outcome at Copenhagen tremendous progress has been made. He thinks that it is a really important moment in history and we should feel a sense of accomplishment. He also pointed out that it is not over yet, there is still hope that they will make more progress than commentators were saying at the beginning of the day. Mr Gore told those present that he will continue to do what he can to help to get a good outcome in the next 36 hours. He noted that President Obama arrives tomorrow morning and he hopes that this will help to get a good agreement..
There was one area where Mr Gore was less positive, he pointed out that even if we get an agreement at this or the next Conference of Parties (COP) even if all the pledges put on the table were completely adopted and fully implemented the world would go to 1000ppm CO2e. He said that although this was not acceptable perhaps we will have to walk before we can run. He thought that an agreement would at least start setting longer term expectations, affect business and government planning and build on its own momentum.
Mr Gore explained that he is encouraging the UN not to wait a year for the next COP which will be in Mexico. He thinks it should be in mid July after the World Cup when the world has a great sense of cohesion and statistically it’s the hottest week of the year. Others are suggesting November.
The Climate Project is an initiative which Mr Gore established and he re-iterated that he thinks the key to success remains as it has always been, to convince one by one, family by family, community by community of the need for present generations to accept and understand the obligation we have to the future of humanity, to take the steps necessary in our time to safeguard their future. Mr Gore thinks that the grassroots communications that The Climate Project represents and the passion of the people involved in it is really key to that.
So there you have some insights on the process and prospects for a fair and ambitious deal from Mr Gore. Don’t forget to keep making a fuss today and let the government know that you care. Yvo de Boer, head of UNFCC said yesterday that world leaders need to have the support of the people to do the right thing. You can register your wish to get a fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement using the Avaaz petition. Pass it on….
Sue Riddlestone
Executive Director and co-founder
