Tuvalu stops play in Copenhagen by demanding legally-binding agreement

Posted by jamie — 9 December 2009 at 4:32pm - Comments

A couple of hours ago, we heard that the plenary session had been suspended. Tuvalu, the Pacific island nation so vulnerable to climate change, demanded a legally-binding agreement - not in six or 12 months, but at the end of the conference next week. It's a demand that should not, and can not, be ignored.

This goes to the heart of one of the most important questions hanging over Copenhagen and yet a group of industrialised countries - the US, Japan, Canada and the EU - stayed completely silent. Nothing. Not a whisper.

Tuvalu called for a suspension of the plenary which was granted and while the delegates went into recess, the activist network within the conference centre went into overdrive to rally support for Tuvalu's demand. The word went out and by the time the plenary session resumed at 3pm, a large crowd (I guess at least 200-300 people) had gathered at the doors of the plenary room. Banners had been rapidly crafted and off-the-cuff slogans boomed out across the confined space.

Now I'm normally a cynical bugger, but to see such a response generated in such a small space of time thrilled even my jaded senses. The energy was electric and shows just a taste of what's possible with some many people here dedicated to a FAB agreement - that's fair, ambitious and (legally) binding. Expect more of this sort of thing as the summit progresses.

About Jamie

I'm a forests campaigner working mainly on Indonesia. My personal mumblings can be found @shrinkydinky.

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