Beyond COP-15: Why Climate Action Failed

With the end of the Conference, the entire world got busy trying to figure out how COP-15 fared and what the Post-mortem report looked like. It was almost a unanimous consensus, that Copenhagen, billed as the globe’s largest effort to combat climate change, ended in a complete disaster. No one was satisfied with the compromising and unambitious “accord” that was struck behind close doors by five of the largest nations in the world.

Climate Action Demonstration

Copenhagen Withdrawals?

Tyler Hess, Louisville, KY

Looking for places, people, and countries to shift blame to in regards to the failed Copenhagen talks? Here’s a short list:

U.S. News Media Coverage on Copenhagen Outcomes Confusing

-Keelin Kelly, Castle Rock, CO

Last Saturday, I giddily skipped to my computer, excited to read about the outcomes of the final day at the COP. However, after spending an hour or so skimming the web for information related to Copenhagen, I was just confused. Some articles called the COP mediocre and others argued it was a massive failure. One thing I did ascertain from pretty much all the articles is that Copenhagen was chaotic and contentious.

Who will write the history?

It was the last day of COP 15.  One hundred seventy-nine heads of state came together to deliver their nations’ positions. Keeping in mind that the Danish government had produced a three-page-long political declaration meeting no one’s needs, I was a little reluctant to listen to what they had to say. According to the Danish text, which was negotiated behind closed doors, there will be no second commitment period under Kyoto and no

Copenhagen Climate Conference: Hard to reach a strong agreement哥本哈根气候大会艰难促成协议:

By Pucong Han, Beijing China
After the Copenhagen climate negotiations, countries and regions with reservations do not have to sign the agreement.  As a consequence, the global deal becomes a weak agreement. Many observers said that the conference has failed. Although the deal becomes a weak agreement, it was reached during a difficult and dramatic night. President Barack Obama announced in Copenhagen that different parties will reach a “meaningful and unprecedented breakthrough.” However, many

What is the Defintion of a “Deal”?

Countries have been struggling with this question for weeks, months, and even years. NGOs and poor, developing countries may describe a deal as an agreement between parties that gives each benefits to all. Developed countries clearly have a different idea. Even though many news agencies around the world are calling Obama’s rushed, climate consensus in Copenhagen a “deal”, the rest of the world has failed to see how it differs from any other proposition raised during the two weeks of negotiations.

The Reinvigoration Generation Finds Religion

Reflections on the activist Vigil held Thursday reveal a new side of environmentalists’ campaign.  Now, as a deal seems to have been reached, will it satisfy the demands of clergy and follower alike?

Three first impressions of the so-called “deal”

When I was young, I always lobbied my parents for the flashing, colored Christmas lights. Plain white lights just seemed too boring. But as the colored lights of Obama’s motorcade flashed across the television screen in my Danish host home, I wasn’t too excited.

Headlines from the last day of COP-15–Don’t be fooled

Early Saturday morning—hours after COP-15 was scheduled to end and when Obama gave his final speech—Alex and I perused the brandings that different media outlets had placed on the climate change summit.  Let’s just say they gave us a few laughs.

童话中的现实—哥本哈根气候变化大会落幕 The Reality in the Fairytale — The Last Day of COP-15

今天是12月18日，我在Okstenhallen 度过了一天，这里是属于所有NGO的空间，这里是没有政治立场，没有利益冲突，只单纯为了拯救气候变化，保护整个地球的地方。我看到了许多为了环境保护努力奋斗的人，他们并不是来自遭受气候变化摧残最严重的国家，但是他们为了那些岛国，那些濒临淹没的小国，用自己最大的力量让世界知道改善气候不可再等，明确的减排事不宜迟。不论站在舞台上的全球各国领导给我们留下了什么，我们都会牢记一个绝望的呼喊：“我们不会安静地等死。”