Moments ago at the Copenhagen climate summit -- also known as the COP15 meetings -- 100's of people lined the entry way to the main plenary to stand with Tuvalu and all small island nations. Earlier today, Tuvalu, a small island in the south Pacific, showed true leadership at these negotiations, showing ambition by attempting to initiate an open conversation on how the world can achieve a legally binding treaty. However just mere suggestion of transparent communication, or "formal contact group", was thumbed away by rich nations trying to continue back-room negotiations that are wrecking havoc on a real deal in Copenhagen. While entire countries like Tuvalu combat raising sea levels, the richest countries refuse to pony up fair financing and set targets ambitious enough to avoid complete climate catastrophe.
Rich nations bound determination to continue with a business as usual mentality, or "informal talks", forced Tuvalu to appeal for temporary suspension of the Kyoto Track of the COP15 (one of the two major tracks hey re) realizing that transparent talks are essential to their survival and to achieving a fair and binding treaty. Word of these developments spread fast through the conference center and as the plenary came back to their reinitialized session 100's were standing there to greet them.
Video below.
The vulnerable communities and countries like Tuvalu are on the front lines of climate change. They're experiencing impacts which, unless we act, will eventually affect all of us. We would be wise to listen to them.
Video: Adam MacIsaac, Josh Lynch, Daniel Boese
Thanks to Nick Magel from the Avaaz Action Factory
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