“Are you a climate leader?” asked the green alien as I approached the Gran Via conference centre on our last day of climate change negotiations. “We are from planet B. Our planet was destroyed when we failed to take action on climate change. Is Copenhagen in this galaxy?”
“Yes”, I reply as I show them my badge.
“Ah, you are not a climate leader!” they say, as they NON-GOVERNMENTAL in huge letters next to my face. No, I think, I’m not. And I’m not sure what I’d do if I were.
“Are you a climate leader?” they ask an African delegate behind me. “No, he says, I’m a climate sufferer”. We all laugh, although on some levels, this isn’t funny.
Its the last day of negotiations, and we are hopeful of a deal. I know that our own area, on climate change adaptation (ie: a deal for poor countries to help them deal with the effects of climate change) the latest negotiating text is actually quite strong – and it feels strange to be hopeful and happy amidst so much frustration amongst our colleagues working on a climate emissions deal.
I’m writing this from the first public negotiation on this issue since Tuesday, and we are excited to see what the reception of this new draft text will be...
