copenhagen Archive

  • frog

    Welcome to “Eaarth”, please tread lightly - by frog



    It’s a more complicated world post Copenhagen. Bill McKibben’s Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. read more
    April 26, 2010 6:21 am - 2 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Trifling with the Truth - by Kennedy Graham



    In politics, it is said – especially by those not in politics – truth is the first casualty.  You do not have to be long in this game to know that ‘truth’, whose ‘true’ meaning philosophers spend aeons in the hereafter debating, is an elastic commodity on the parliamentary market.  But among politicians themselves, there [...] read more
    February 24, 2010 4:45 pm - 13 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 10: Goodbye, Therese - by Kennedy Graham



    We never really gave up on each other, Therese and I. I doubt I shall see Therese. Not this time. Not at the Copenhagen Climate Conference of 2009. Perhaps, perhaps not. Anyway, as she would say, ha, ha, ha. Bye Therese. Thanks for everything. read more
    December 19, 2009 6:00 pm - 6 Comments
  • frog

    At Copenhagen, world leaders bicker while biosphere burns - by frog



    I might as well keep featuring George Monbiot, incisive as ever, this time about the “leadership” shown at Copenhagen. Even before the farce in Copenhagen began it was looking like it might be too late to prevent two or more degrees of global warming. The nation states, pursuing their own interests, have each been passing the parcel [...] read more
    December 19, 2009 5:04 pm - 121 Comments
  • Jeanette Fitzsimons

    Copenhagen Diary: It is a disgrace - by Jeanette Fitzsimons



    Tonight’s outcome in Copenhagen is a tragedy for humanity. It is  widely recognised as a failure papered over with some fine sounding words by Obama. The purpose of the meeting was to agree on a second commitment period for the Kyoto  protocol. That has not been achieved. We came here wanting an ambitious, fair and [...] read more
    December 19, 2009 1:03 pm - 76 Comments
  • Jeanette Fitzsimons

    Copenhagen Diary #6: Catching the climate train - by Jeanette Fitzsimons



    A crowd of people set out to catch a train. The train had already left some time ago but was moving quite slowly, though steadily. It was still possible to catch the train if everyone ran. It was vital that they caught the train as disaster was chasing them. Also, no-one could get on the [...] read more
    December 19, 2009 8:24 am - 9 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 9: Let Us Refuse to Acknowledge ‘Defeat’ - by Kennedy Graham



    The ‘blame-game’ industry will get a new lease-on-life in the New Year. The Danish leadership has been trenchantly criticised – both for its organizational shortcomings and, far more importantly, for its hapless strategic misjudgements in the negotiations. read more
    December 19, 2009 4:52 am - 12 Comments
  • Jeanette Fitzsimons

    Copenhagen Diary #5 - by Jeanette Fitzsimons



    In the midst of the gloom about the chances of a deal, it is worth recording one small victory for the planet. There has been a huge amount of work by the NGOs to protect biodiversity and indigenous rights and they have been restored in the text. read more
    December 19, 2009 3:21 am - 1 Comment
  • frog

    A video message from Green MPs in Copenhagen - by frog



    As the COP15 climate summit draws to a close, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Kennedy Graham offer their views on what is, and isn’t, happening at this most important of international meetings. Jeanette discusses the lack of emissions reduction targets thusfar offered by rich nations, and the $100 billion pledge from the US that will begin in 2020 to [...] read more
    December 18, 2009 11:14 pm - 1 Comment
  • Kevin Hague

    Key at Copenhagen: A stomach turns - by Kevin Hague



    Like all those who inhabit this particular pond, I’m extraordinarily grateful for authoritative, lucid and moving posts from Jeanette and Kennedy in Copenhagen. I hang on every word, both online here and in our offline caucus briefings, and it’s no surprise that Jeanette is clearly the “go to” person for NZ media trying to figure [...] read more
    December 18, 2009 12:57 pm - 53 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 8: Peering through the Eye of the Needle - by Kennedy Graham



    We are at the moment of truth, here in Copenhagen. For 8 days the conference has ground along in true diplomatic style, officials parsing words and bracketing phrases within the mindless straitjacket of 193 inflexible cabinet decisions thrashed out in advance of what purports to be multilateral negotiations.  Behind the screens, leaders are talking.  But [...] read more
    December 18, 2009 11:12 am - 5 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 7: Living with Therese - by Kennedy Graham



    I live with Therese. We are cohabiting in her apartment these past six nights. From Friday to Thursday today, I have left in the dark around 7.00 a.m. and returned in the dark around midnight. It is not a routine guaranteed to meet Therese. I email her. This is from your phantom guest, I say. It is proving difficult to meet up. read more
    December 18, 2009 5:14 am - 6 Comments
  • frog

    More Copenhagen video than you can shake a stick at - by frog



    Go to http://cop15live.com and have a poke around… Here is one I found: Looks like things are heating up. read more
    December 17, 2009 4:58 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    This is bigger than climate change. It is a battle to redefine humanity - by frog



    It’s hard for a species used to ever-expanding frontiers, but survival depends on accepting we live within limits George Monbiot continues to speak bluntly of the reality humanity faces in this article on the Copenhagen climate summit. I was sorely tempted to post the whole thing as I did recently with another here, but instead a few excerpts and [...] read more
    December 17, 2009 6:09 am - 27 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 6: Screaming into the void - by Kennedy Graham



    OK so there are 45,000 concerned humans milling around. Only one-third are getting into the Bella Conference Centre. Yesterday I arrived at the gates at 7.45. It is still dark. And very cold. A young woman next to me, not yet accredited, had stood in the queue yesterday in zero degrees for 10 hours. That’s not easy. And she was unsuccessful. She was back this morning at 6.20 a.m. I think... read more
    December 17, 2009 1:14 am - 20 Comments
  • Jeanette Fitzsimons

    Copenhagen Diary #4 - by Jeanette Fitzsimons



    Different cultures have very different views on the relationship between population and climate change. In some circles population is the great unmentionable. It is still associated with the coercive policies some early family planners tried to impose. In others it is the perfect excuse for why we should not have to do anything about our [...] read more
    December 17, 2009 12:52 am - 8 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 5: Supping with the World Bank - by Kennedy Graham



    Jeanette and I are at the Copenhagen Conference as part of GLOBE – Global Legislators for a Balanced Environment. Today (Tuesday) I was part of a delegation meeting with IBRD President Robert Zoellick. If you are unaware of Mr Zoellick’s career, it might be worth looking it up. read more
    December 16, 2009 11:47 am - 8 Comments
  • Jeanette Fitzsimons

    Copenhagen Diary #3 - by Jeanette Fitzsimons



    Copenhagen has a public transport system to die for. With a population similar to greater Auckland, although covering much less space, it has a new (2002) metro that is very fast and I’ve never had to wait more than 4 minutes even though I’m near the end of the line. read more
    December 16, 2009 3:27 am - 5 Comments
  • frog

    37% of people commute by bike in Copenhagen - by frog



    I am very impressed by the bicycle infrastructure in Copenhagen. Highlights of this video include: Many double-laned bike lanes; special blinking lights on the road so turning traffic know that bikes are coming; traffic lights that are synced for vehicles travelling at 20kph… read more
    December 15, 2009 12:43 pm - 40 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Copenhagen 3: Concentrating the Global Mind - by Kennedy Graham



    Monday has opened Week 2 of the Greatest Show on Earth. Over the weekend the Danish hosts, PM Rassmussen and Environment Minister Hedegaard gave upbeat presentations of where we are at. Of course they must. Their presentations were greeted with a touch of cheerful derision from those watching the conference video. read more
    December 15, 2009 9:33 am - 1 Comment
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