On Wednesday around 150 youth leaders of this movement were invited to the White House for the first Youth Clean Energy Forum. They voiced the concerns and ideas of young people from around the country to Cabinet members.
On Thursday, 1Sky and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network delivered banners from the 350 Day of Action to the White House, representing the thousands of people calling for bold, decisive action on climate.
Which brings us to today, when President Obama announced that he would move his visit to the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen from December 9th to December 18th, at the end of the negotiations. The first week of negotiations involves, speeches, demonstrations and a lot of strategic posturing between the countries, but the real decisions and agreements are reached in the second week. This places Obama at the negotiations at the most critical time for him to jump into the ring.
Also this past week, China offered to reduce it’s carbon intensity (emissions per GDP) 40-45% by 2020, India offered a 25-25% carbon intensity reduction by 2020 and Obama announced that the U.S. would offer to reduce emissions 17% by 2020 and 83% by 2050 (all compared to 2005 levels). While the numbers may not be as ambitious as we need, they are the first major steps any of these three countries has taken towards specific action.
Perhaps even more exciting is the proposal outlined in the White House press release:
This week, the President discussed the status of the negotiations with Prime Minister Rudd, Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy, and Prime Minister Brown and concluded that there appears to be an emerging consensus that a core element of the Copenhagen accord should be to mobilize $10 billion a year by 2012 to support adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable and least developed countries that could be destabilized by the impacts of climate change.
That’s right, Australia, Germany, France, the U.K. and the U.S. may finally be putting their money where their mouths are. Funding for adaptation and mitigation of the impacts of climate change are crucial but always seem to be ignored when discussion turns to emissions targets and carbon markets. While this level of funding isn’t nearly sufficient, it is a major first step.
So now, we have several major breakthroughs in the last few days before the negotiations actually kick off, whereas just a week ago the media was still declaring the negotiations in Copenhagen essentially dead on arrival.
And why is this finally happening?
I am utterly convinced that such major policy moves would not have happened without the groundswell of action from individual people around the country and the globe who refuse to sit on the sidelines. So while the Youth Clean Energy Forum and the 350 banner display probably didn’t cause India and China to commit to emissions reductions, they may just have been the extra oomph to get Obama to change his flight plans. These actions a part of the ever more visible and powerful movement that is working to secure a better future. We are providing the political pressure and cover for our leaders to do get on the right track. And it feels good to see the fruit of our labor. Let’s keep it up!
Posted in 350, China, Climate Policy, Copenhagen 2009, global warming, Government, India, International Affairs, Political Participation, Politics 
