CCCC Report # 7 - Tod's reflections on COP15 and what we can do

Tod is en route to Healdsburg. I've linked to today's post about the Copenhagen Climate Change Convention (CCCC), or "COP15": "Reflections on Copenhagen: Activism in Dead. Long Live Activism." This is an achingly beautiful piece. I urge you to read the whole thing.

What have I gained from volunteering to be a non-roving reporter following Tod on his 8,000 mile trip to Copenhagen and back?

1. I've followed what happened at COP15 more closely. For instance, did Obama and Clinton "burst" in on a secret last-minute meeting of China, Brazil, India and South Africa? Apparently the answer is no. Does it matter whether or not they did? I'm not sure.

2. It's helped me stay aware of my inclination to create some mental ease and comfort that creeps in and subtly tells me that maybe this climate change thing isn't so bad after all. I'm referring to the our recent cold snap, that it's raining more than I thought it would, and even D.C. is experiencing a record-breaking snow storm. I wonder if Obama was subject to the same almost-subconscious mind-set when he left COP15 before the vote on the Copenhagen Accord in order to get back home before the storm broke.

3. I'm following the climate change issue more carefully now. The scientific reports seem to be getting worse. For instance, this morning I saw that the prestigious magazine Nature has an article, "Sea level rise may exceed worst expections." Staying informed helps me not be lulled into thinking that if my life is so very, very comfortable, the problem must not be that serious.

4. I'm reminded that my small efforts, from living in a very small home where I have my business, to walking or riding my bike and rarely driving, to helping organize our local 350.org event last October 24 are a miniscule part of the greater collective goal of reducing greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.

5. As I juggle my commitments to helping care for my almost-three-twin grandchildren (you never see me driving them around!), my business, and my citizen activism, I need to remain mindful that if I ruin my health caring too much about too many things, I won't be there with Tod in lifting "the climate message over the fence."

Thanks, Tod, for taking time away from your family to be one of our county's official delegates ahd Healdsburg's unofficial delegate at COP15. You'll be hearing from me.

(photo provided by Tod)

CCCC Report # 6 - Well, that's that - The climate convention has concluded and Tod will return to Healdsburg in a couple of days

What did I expect to be accomplished in Copenhagen? Before I started posting about fellow resident Tod Brilliant's experience there, not much. What happened as a result of Tod's reports and paying more attention to the Copenhagen Climate Change Convention (CCCC)? Somehow, I thought if I and others cared enough about what happened there, somehow our collective energy would make a difference. Weird huh?

So it's done. Tod will leave Copenhagen on the 21st. I hope to meet with him this coming week. Here's Tod's Dec. 18th post, "Obama as White Knight: Naked Ambition at COP 15." As with all his posts, I hope you read the whole thing, though this sentence captures Tod's impression of Obama's influence on the future of climate change: "Barack Obama's honeymoon with both the environmental community and greater Europe has come to an end."

On the home front. Barclay Nalley, whom I've known for 43 years, wrote an angry letter to the Healdsburg Tribune editor, "Copenhagen Hygira." Barclay even called for a grand jury to "demand a complete audit of such frivolous expenditures." What do you think? I'm sure the debate will go on. After some ambivalence, I think the money was well spent even if the result was a weak accord.

For those who aren't quite ready to change their focus from this hugely important issue to the more mundane*, here are some links to articles and videos that I found worthwhile:

1. Bill McKibben of 350.org and Naomi Klein of The Nation on their first take on the results of the convention. A fifteen minute video, worth every minute.

2. "Scramble for the atmosphere," by Tod's and my climate change hero, George Monbiot.

3. But wait! All is not lost. Guess who made sense at the convention? Check it out.

*My "mundane" activity includes cleaning house today.

(photo from Tod's post at the Post Carbon Institute blog)

CCCC Report #5 - A "special magic gift" from Tod

This morning, I received an e-mail alert from Facebook that Tod had given those of us who belong to the Creative Job Agency Group a special gift. Of course, I checked it out immediately, and it was this very funny (if slightly grotesque) video titled "Lord Monckton Raps Al Gore." Watch it. You'll probably get a kick out of it.


If the full screen doesn't show up above, go to the video here.

If time allows, I'll update this post. The news looks pretty grim about the likelihood of a meaningful agreement coming out of Copenhagen. Obama is there today.

What's bothering me, which I hope to dig in to later today:
1. Recent polls show increasing skepticism about the reasons for climate change and Obama's handling of the issue slipping;
2. A leaked UN report shows cuts offered at Copenhagen would lead to a 3C rise.
3. Tiny and poor countries are being pressured to agree to a 2C cut, even though 1.5C will adversely affect millions of people in these countries. The pressure? A promise of cash to help with the problems these countries experience as a result of the increased temperatures. Naomi Klein describes the promise as "blackmail."

Sigh, at least I get to spend the day with my wonderful almost-three twin grandchildren.

Update I: Naomi Klein write a searing article in the UK Guardian, "Better to have no deal at Copenhagen than one that spells catastrophe."

CCCC Report # 4 - Climate Justice looms large - Tod stands up to a CNBC reporter

What I'm gathering for the past couple of days from Tod's posts to the Post Carbon Institute, the mainstream media and the alternate press, "climate justice" is the big issue surfacing at the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. It doesn't appear that it was very high, or even on, the official agenda.

According to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! in her post to Truthdig, "Copenhagen Climate Summit: The Empire's New Clothes," "Both inside and outside the summit there is a diverse cross section of nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, from indigenous-peoples delegations to environmental and youth groups. Their separate but connected efforts have been coalescing into a new movement, a movement for climate justice."

This is how Tod described it on his wall at Facebook: "Real protests. Real anger. Real frustration....The real heart of the movement is truly peaceful but getting incredibly frustrated with the UN's effort to keep poor nations from making their points."

According to Tod, a powerful voice for climate justice is Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who made the opening remarks at Oxfam's "First International Climate Hearing." Read Tod's report here.

It appears from Tod's current post, that "Most of us aren't allowed back into the Bella Centre [where the convention is taking place]...." What's up? I thought Tod and the 6 other delegates from Sonoma County were official delegates. Are they all being shut out?

Leave it to Tod to make a difference, whether he's on the the inside or outside. He took the photo below yesterday. It's of indigenous South American farmers displaying handicrafts to a small but interested audience. What did a CNBC reporter standing 15 feet away see and broadcast to millions? "And behind me we have what is called a sit-in protest...." That was too much for Tod, who got into a "wee bit of a tussle [with the CNBC cameraman] over my live on-air correction of his criminally misleading description."

Tod was so upset that he left the convention and on his way back to the flat where he was staying, he saw the Coca cola poster in the photo above. His reaction? "I was intrigued to learn that the global mega-corp is not only saving the planet, but they've somehow managed to bottle Obama."

Back here in Sonoma County, some people are upset that the county spent $23,000 to send 7 delegates to the Climate Change Convention. If none of them are being allowed in on the official meetings, I'm upset, too. Rollie Atkinson's editorial, "Carbon Neutral," in last week's Healdsburg Tribune, raised the issue. At an event for 4th district supervisor candidate Mike McGuire last Tuesday evening, Mike expressed his dismay that the county sent the incumbent 4th District Supervisor Paul Kelley and 6 others to Copenhagen while people here are suffering from loss of jobs.

So the "climate justice" in a different form is also a local issue. Does our county invest it its commitment to climate protection by sending delegates to Copenhagen at the expense of our jobless?

I admit I'm somewhat ambivalent about this. However, Healdsburg residents seem woefully unaware of the consequences of climate change on our local agriculture. In 2006, the Press Democrat published an article by Tim Tesconi, "Could Global Warming Dry Up Wine Industry? New report warns North Coast may get too hot in coming century."

This seemed like a big deal to me, so last October 24th, I,* with a lot of help from Ann Carranza and Robert and Elizabeth Seton, organized a local climate change event in conjunction with 350.org. About ten of us walked through Healdsburg with grape vines and signs on them, "Destination: Canada," and fliers explaining what will happen to our grapes if climate change continues unabated. I was amazed at the lack of awareness of this problem which will adversely affect our $5 billion regional economy.

Will Tod be able to bring home the urgent message that we need to address climate change now? That it's a local issue? That it's not just about climate change but about climate justice? I certainly hope so.

Update: Today I talked with a woman who has spent her adult life working with the disadvantaged: the mentally ill, the unemployed, the underpaid. When I told her about the county paying for 7 people from Sonoma County to attend the climate summit and that some thought this was a waste of money, she said "A pittance! These people will come back all fired up and will undoubtedly make a difference, including the number of green jobs."

*Photo of my twin grandchildren and me at the October 24th "Grapevine March."
Photos from climate convention taken by Tod.

CCCC Report # 2 - Tod must have landed in Copenhagen by now

Tod's been e-mailing me while en route to Copenhagen. I've been sending him "airplane reading" (long, dense articles), including "Planet Worth - Goldman Sachs bets on global warming."

First, I need to correct yesterday's post. Tod had a place to stay in Copenhagen before he left but he apparently wanted a different place. I don't want you to think he's a rash young man because...well....he isn't!

Secondly, Tod may be Healdsburg's unofficial delegate to the 15th United Nations Convention on Climate Change, but he's an official Sonoma County delegate, according to the Trib's editorial this week by Rollie Atkinson, "Carbon Neutral."

The Sonoma County Water Agency is the lead county that is sending the seven delegates to Copenhagen. At COP15, I'll be checking for updates (blog posts, videos, Twitters, etc.) on the convention from the county's attendees.

Tod is also the Communications Director for the Post Carbon Institute. He suggested I check PCI's website for his reports from Copenhagen.

As Tod landed in Copenhagen, presumably last night, he was met by a huge cheering, candle-carrying crowd (see photo above). Actually, the photo is of some of the 100,000 strong protestors in Copenhagen organized by 350.org.