In from the cold? (COP 15)

16 Dec 2009 – Geoff Lye

It’s Wednesday and chaos still reigns. The only way to be confident of getting into the main conference now is to get here early – very early. So the queues began before 7 this morning but spirits seemed high in spite of the cold and people inside the compound loud-hailing that no new registrations of observers were being processed. Looks of disbelief on the faces of some who had just flown in with their accreditation papers. The common view is that the UN secretariat should have foreseen this and forewarned those seeking accreditation of the likely problems.

But I was happy to be in the queue with my photo card and day pass, chatting with neighbours. This included an ex-busking, ex-globetrotting Englishman who is now working in Sweden with FoE on transport issues. I asked his view on the news coverage of the unusual alignment between FoE and Exxon Mobil who – as surprising bedfellows – share a preference for carbon taxes over Cap & Trade. He suggested that FoE are willing to collaborate with anyone where there is common cause; I was too tired to raise the moral risks of that policy. As I mentioned my role in SustainAbility, a neighbour introduced himself as Chris Fox, Director of Investment programs at Ceres. He has known Judy Kuszewski a SustainAbility alumna (yes) who worked with Ceres on the development of the GRI – and for many years led our own reporting programme.

But as the queue moved through security, I found myself in conversation with the leader of the British National Party and official member of the EU delegation. For those outside the UK, this man, Nick Griffin, is renowned and in many quarters reviled for his anti-immigration policies and his denial of climate change. Initial pleasantries were followed by 20 minutes exploring his views on climate, peak oil, population and his famous appearance on the flagship BBC current affairs programme, Question Time.

Ignoring his insistence that carbon is a great fertiliser(!), I asked what he thought were the real global issues. He cited Peak Oil first and as a related sub issue population growth (in his view an issue generally ignored because the problem is almost entirely in developing economies); he does see, however, that Energy Security and Climate Security solutions can and should be aligned (he is against oil sands, for example, as resource inefficient). I asked him about his famous TV episode when the BBC’s decision to allow him airtime caused a political fracas and resulted in record viewing numbers. He felt that he prepared better than the BBC had; and studied a recording of the first BBC interview with the IRA leader Gerry Adams to help develop a strategy for handling the programme. He views that programme as a high point in building empathy for him and his party. In from the cold then at this COP, in more than one sense?

In the context of climate resistance, last Friday I met James Connaughton at the Business Day. He was with the US delegation at COP 13 during the Bush administration and featured in my blog at Bali:

Exploiting the gaffe by negotiator, James Connaughton who earlier in the week had said: ‘We will lead. We will continue to lead but leadership also requires others to fall in line and follow’, Papua’s speaker challenged the US delegation: ‘If you are not willing to lead, then get out of the way’. Huge applause.

And then back to the US. Dobriansky teased the conference by listing the indications that the US was willing to do its part. It was committed to a long-term GHG reduction target of 50% by 2050. It was willing to sign up to three new commitments: the inclusion of ‘measurable, verifiable and reportable’ reduction targets; qualified emissions limitations and reductions; and accepting the comparability criteria in assessing commitments in the context of national contributions. And then, after a pause, she conceded: ‘Mr President, we will go forward and join the consensus’. Sustained applause. Palpable relief. It was 2.20 pm and the end was in sight.

I asked whether he’d tell me more about that experience and he agreed. Given the chaotic scenes here, I am unlikely to spot him. More here if I do.