As the final day of the COP17 negotiations dragged on, a youth protest erupted in the halls of the International Conference Center. A York Suburban HS science class got a first-hand view of the protest during a skype session that happened to be occurring when the protest began. A more complete description and video of the protest can be found on the blog site of our ACS students.

The Press Release is found below;

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As we approach the final hours of the COP come to a close, there is a lot of talk about what might happen.  The African Group press conference shed some light on what might happen.  They understand that the EU is willing to sign on to the second commitment period of Kyoto, and that China has been the surprise of the COP with their willingness to enter into a legally binding agreement.  The US is once again viewed as unwilling to participate. The African group points out that African countries will be punished by those that can afford to wait.  A delegate staying at our B&B told us this morning that he had left the conference center last night at 1:30am and negotiations were still intense.  We begin our day of waiting. We’ll report more when decisions are announced.

Here is where we stand as we near the finality of this critical climate conference.  On mitigation, the science says that we need to reduce our emissions – there is no time-reserve, i.e. pushing it off to some future date is not an option.  There appears to be a poker game taking place among the negotiating parties, but there is still time to break the gridlock.  Everyone is waiting for someone to step up to the plate and demonstrate leadership.  We are looking for a champion – someone to go first.

Yesterday was the opening day for the high-level segment of COP17.  Our media room was packed in the first joint press briefing by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and chief UN climate negotiator Chistiana Figueres which immediately followed the opening plenary session with heads-of-state and government ministers.  They gave a cautiously optimistic outlook for a positive outcome of COP17. 

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At a COP17 press conference earlier today in Durban, South Africa, top leaders of NGO’s made some powerful, unflattering statements about U.S. obstuctionism.  

Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director, Greenpeace International, said:

“On Saturday, in Durban, the US eviscerated draft language on mitigation that would have offered real protection to those who are being hardest and fastest hit by climate changes that are already happening. The time has come for the US to stand aside. If it is not willing to save lives, save jobs and save whole ecosystems then it should get out of the way and let those who are willing move on. Any failure to move beyond US obstructionism will be measured in lives.”

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