Wen Jiabao: China has made unremitting efforts and positive contributions to address climate change 温家宝: 中国为应对气候变化作出了不懈努力和贡献

By Pucong Han, Beijing China

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen on December 18.  During the Conference, premier Wen said that China is important to the process of the development of climate change.   In order to address climate change, China has made unremitting efforts and positive contributions.  Premier Wen said that China was the first developing countries that implemented a “National Climate Change Program” and called for an energy-saving emission reduction in recent years.  As of the first half of this year, China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP has reduced by 13% compared with the figures in 2005.  This reduction of energy consumption is equivalent to cut 800 million tons of carbon dioxide. Based upon Premier Wen’s speech, China is the fastest-growing country in the world to practice new energy and renewable energy while experiencing the period of industrialization and urbanization.  In particular, China currently experiences a critical stage of development which coal-dominated energy creates difficulties to reduce its emissions.  However, Premier Wen further clarifies that China always treat climate change issues as one of the most serious tasks.

（Come from: China News 中国新闻网  新华社记者 曾毅 摄）

Stay tuned to the news…info is still sparse

The last two hours or so have been frantic.  I feel like it’s New Years, except it’s New Treaty.  The only difference is you have to phrase it “New Treaty?” because it’s not for certain what will happen.

The rest of this post will walk you through what we were discovering live in Copenhagen.  Considering our access to the Bella Center no longer exists and we are watching from our host homes, your info may be as good as ours.

Some perspectives from Germany’s position on Cop-15

We are now in a time when the world wants and needs a global deal in Copenhagen that is ambitious and fair. The global deal is necessary because climate change is not just a planetary emergency but a human emergency. As the largest two emitters, U.S. and China has been baring the critiques from the rest of the world for quite a while. Germany, considering itself the pioneer of climate protection in the worldwide action for climate change.

Steven Chu and CO2

I’ve had the glorious opportunity to be here at Copenhagen amidst the ongoing action between a 117 heads of state and tens of thousands of climate champions and activists. Its been a great experience so far, only to be enriched by actually getting to see some of the heroes face-to-face. One of those heroes is the great physicist, now government official, Steven Chu

Steven Chu alongside a young climate change activist (Me!)

The climate issues in the region of Taiwan

By Pucong Han, Beijing China

Today I when to the Climate Forum with the rest of my classmates, and it was exciting to see the delegation from each country’s leader, particularly the prime minister Wen Jiabao from China and the president Obama from the United States.  They all announced the difficulties to reach an agreement and the opportunities for different countries to cooperate each other in climate change.  I am particularly interested in the opportunities of different parties in Copenhagen, because this is how they cooperate and reach an agreement to save the planet.  I am also excited to know that there is going to be a deal reached in Copenhagen tonight.  Right now, I am in front of my computer watching the DR channel and wait for the climate deal.

1Sky Question: What’s next step for Indiana?

Today I got the chance meet Gillian Caldwell, the Campaign Director for 1Sky. All of the NGOs have been gathering in a drafty old building together to watch the heads of government speak and plan future actions. Between listening to an angry speech by Hugo Chavez and eating two clementines and some crackers with peanut butter, a student from Middlebury college and I began talking about climate change legislation in the Senate. He then introduced me to Gillian. She asked me what I thought the next step for the USA and Indiana was after Copenhagen. Her full post is here, and I’ve embedded the video below.

NGOs Show No Signs of Accepting Defeat…Ever

Shortly after Obama’s speech, hundreds of people from Klimaforum (an alternate climate conference for NGOs) rushed out into the square with “climate shame” posters and banners as well as pictures of heads of governments. It was cold and windy, but it attracted the attention of the Danish news and others.

A blessing in disguise

Tonight hundreds gathered and paused, worlds away from the painfully slow, potentially useless negotiations. Worlds away from misleading media and crowded hallways. Worlds away from leaders and followers stuck in an outdated lifestyle.

Hundreds gathered for a vigil in downtown Copenhagen Thursday.

A candlelight vigil brought some of the world’s most dedicated climate thinkers together to set aside the policy, and reflect on what really matters. It helped me remember too.

Obama Addresses the World

I just heard a speech President Obama gave at 12:30 today to heads of government, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon, and Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Yvo de Boer. In his speech, Obama maintained the U.S.’s position, and he did not introduce any new targets or goals. I was watching the speech in Klimaforum, an alternate, downtown, conference area. Obama’s speech mostly drew boos and derision from the audience.

It won’t be long

Having taken my last final for 4 hours, my professor and I ventured out into Copenhagen’s freezing wind to join the rest of the class at Okstenhallen, a space for NGOs, the civil society. Today is the 17^th December, just one day before Mr. Obama arrives. Today is the global