A Final COP 16 Reflection

At 2:30 pm, December 13^th, 2010, I watched from my plane window as Cancun disappeared from view beneath layers of clouds. The buildings diminished in size as the plane ascended, getting smaller and smaller, until eventually they blended in with the dark green and shining blue of Mexico’s coast. COP16 was officially over.

Now, we’re all settling back into our daily routines. The hustle and bustle of the conference is over, replaced with the familiar routine of school. It was difficult for some of us to adjust. My mind is still fresh with faces, sights, information, and experience – all of the things we learned, people we met and places we’ve been to. I can’t help but wonder – will any of us see any of it again?

We each took different things away from the conference, but we all left with a greater sense of awareness. The world was larger and more vast than any of us had imagined, and thrust into our faces, it became more real. We weren’t reading text from an environmental magazine. We weren’t watching the President on a television screen giving a speech about emissions 2,000 miles away. We were there, in the heat of it all, soaking up as much of it as we could. Each and every day was exhausting, but fulfilling.

The key to saving this planet is information. With information, there comes understanding, empathy, and the drive to right universal wrongs. Our team of 14 has been informed. We know the problem, and we’ve heard the many voices of the world say their part. We have the facts and the figures, the methods, and the opinions. Now, it is up to us to use this information to change the world. As today’s youth, the fate of our future lies in our hands. Now is the time to empathize; now is the time to right a universal wrong. COP16 has changed all of us. We can use the change within us to change our world.

Final Thoughts from COP 16

The SESEF delegation talking with Lord Christopher Monckton.

When you look at the statistics the chance of an average citizen having the opportunity to attend a United Nation’s conference is very slim, but the chance of a group of high school students having the opportunity to attend as official observers is even less likely. Although we may have only been able to attend for a week, the experience is something I’ll remember forever and look back on as one of the most amazing experiences of my life. This feeling is shared by all the students who were lucky enough to be chosen as delegates to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit in Cancun, Mexico, otherwise known as COP16. It required an intimidating amount of preparation that included a class, for most of us, where we were taught the basics about the COP conference and were introduced to some of the main issues that would be discussed at the conference sessions. We were overwhelmed with the enormity of the event that we were about to attend, but at the same time we were all extremely excited for the amazing opportunity. The first group of students left a week before us, sent back news of what they had seen and reported on what was happening already at the conference. Hearing all their tales of the goings on only made our feelings of anxiousness and other mixed emotion grow; 5:30am on Friday, December 3rd could not come soon enough.

SES delegates conversing at the Cancunmesse.

            Sitting on the plane descending into Cancun is something I will never forget. Not because of the amazing view of the Caribbean outside of the plane window, but because in my head I knew that I was arriving into something much bigger than I had been imagining all those months prior. After landing our group of students along with our leader, Patrice Callahan, headed to the parking lot of the Cancun airport to find a man name Luis Felipe because he was going to be our transportation from the airport to our hotel. On our way to the Xbalamque hotel in downtown Cancun city, our new friend, Luis, told us all about the history and structure of our new surroundings. His stories made the drive from the airport to the hotel seem nothing more then a few minutes. Our hotel was the opposite of what comes to the majority of Americans' minds when they think “Cancun hotel”. It was beautiful, and a very nice hotel. But it was in the dead center of Cancun city, which means we were no where near the ocean and our surroundings weren’t as Americanized as the rest of Cancun. The placement of our hotel was one of the many things that contributed to the overall amazing experience we had while staying in Cancun, Mexico.

SES Delegation members

The Brazilian pavilion at the Cancunmesse

SES delegate interviewing a Belgian party member

         The conference was something indescribable. There were so many different cultures and types of people all brought together and they were all working with the same idea. People drawn from all corners of the world working towards a more sustainable earth for not only their descendents but many generations to come. Walking into the conference center for the first time was something I cannot begin to describe; we were so nervous but at the same time  trying to look as if we weren't mesmerized high school students but worldly, intellectual individuals. Seeing all the delegates and party members for the first time, and hearing all the debates about sessions that were occurring, was overwhelming and intimidating. It immediately had me questioning my ability to carry myself among such interesting people. Throughout the week we immersed ourselves into the community that had already built itself the first week of COP. We came to recognize faces, make friends, and interview quite a few of the people we had the privilege to meet. We heard perspectives on climate change from places like Kiribati all the way to Germany. We had the opportunity to attend very interesting sessions such as "Future Bearers of Responsibility" and "The Human Faces of Climate Change".  We also had the opportunity to participate in actions, which were like demonstrations allowed by the conference. The ones we were a part of were specifically led by youth organizations. Mainly Youngo (the constituency of Youth related NGOs) set up the actions, but members of 350.org and SustainUS also participated. Being a part of these actions and working with the organized youth delegations helped to make us feel more a part of the conference.

Posters displayed at the Cancunmesse

Interviewing a delegate from Bolivia

       As the conference progressed we kept up with what was going on with the main negotiations at the Moon Palace resort. The plenary sessions, which included presidents and heads of state, were something to see. The speeches given by these articulate people were inspiring and moving but unfortunately didn't lead to an ending that most at the conference would have liked to see. COP16 in Cancun, Mexico ended with the Cancun Accord, which left a great deal up to COP17 next year in Durban, South Africa. A few of things agreed upon in the Cancun Accord included a total $30 billion from developed countries to undeveloped countries to support climate action up to 2010 and a hope to raise $100 billion in long-term funds by 2020. Also the parties under the Kyoto Protocol agreed to carry on with their negotiations with the goal of making sure there was no space between the first and second commitment periods of the treaty. Overall the view of the Cancun Accord from the perspective of a majority of observers was a feeling of disappointment. "More could have been done" was the most common response when participants were asked how they felt about the negotiation results at COP16. 

As we packed our bags that following Sunday morning we couldn't believe it was over. The trip we had been anticipating for months prior had already come to a close and finished before we knew it. All the stress and preparation we had experienced was going to be over as soon as we stepped on the plane later that afternoon. COP16 is something I will take with me for the rest of my life, and the people I met and information I learned changed me forever. Coming back to Minnesota and spreading the information I learned when I was there and telling people about what is going on at these conferences is something that we all put on the top of our priority lists.

  The whole delegation on the last day of the conference in front of the Mexican pavilian inside the Cancunmesse.

Written by: Anna C.

YOUNGO at Moon Palace

Throughout the past two weeks, we have been participating with the YOUNGO group which consisted of youth from all over the world, including young people from 350.org and SustainUS. Of all the days at COP16, our last day was the most meaningful and certainly the one event that impacted us the most as youth delegates. We arrived at Moon Palace Friday morning expecting to participate in an event with the YOUNGO group. Little did we know how much attention we would attract... Around 2:30 pm we met with the group and discussed the two events that were to take place. Of course, they all depended on UNFCCC approval because without it we would risk losing our accreditation to the conference. It was very important to youth delegates and YOUNGO that these events be approved since all other events that we were expecting to perform had been cancelled. Eventually, we heard that we had one hour approved from 4 to 5 pm to do our events.

During the time we waited, Paul from 350.org, interviewed seven of us. He had us answer three questions: (1) What's your name? (2) What has impacted you most here at COP16? (3) What will you do once you get home? All of us had fairly similar answers which related to the overall culture, people, and environment that we were experiencing. We all wanted to share our experiences here at COP16 back at home and we are eager to do so.

Around four o'clock we huddled up and discussed the plan, passed out signs, and shared the two banners created for the events. The banners reflected the overall message of our event; to limit global atmospheric temperature increase to 1.5 degrees celsius and to send a warning that "Justice delayed is justice denied". As for the small signs held by numerous counters during the event, they read "21,000 climate related deaths in 2010", "Flooding in Colombia - 176 people", and "Landslide in Oaxaca - 500 people". These were just some examples of climate change related tragedies - and the major cause... humans. They are "crimes" committed indirectly by human kind against fellow humans. It was important that we had our voices heard.

 

Isabelle led the first event which included a massive thermometer. 

In a dramatic display, members of YOUNGO acted out how we survival is possible at a 1.5 degree celsius temperature increase and and below and anything above it will have lethal consequences. This display attracted a crowd of reporters and witnesses to our next event - counting to 21,000.

Counting to 21,000 was estimated to take approximately five hours, but SES delegates only stayed for the time approved by the UNFCCC. Standing up there among crowds of people gave me chills because every single number represented one person in the world that had died and every death has it's story. As we counted, members would speak up and tell a story, plead, or share a message that evoked emotion in them or in the audience. We were surrounded by so many people recording us and taking pictures which only caused our event to be even further extended to the world.

By the time one hour passed, we had reached around 1,500. Unfortunately the SES delegates had to leave, and many of us felt badly because of our desire to help convey the urgency of our message. Although we left, we contributed as best we could and I am sure we all feel somewhat accomplished that we had an influence on the people watching.

The counting continued on until security began to interrupt. YOUNGO members insisted on counting until they were forced onto shuttle buses and taken away from the scene. Hundreds and maybe even thousands of people witnessed the emotional event that took place. The youth are determined to push for real action and ask for only justice for humanity and our planet.

"You have been negotiating all our lives. You cannot tell us you need more time."

Sincerely,
The Youth, Future Leaders

The Faces of Climate Change

COP16 is an amazing event filled with many intriguing sessions and debates such as climate change impacts on health care and Kyoto Protocol discussions. These events really work to enlighten and spark multiple emotions in those who are observing, but the thing that impacts the individual attending COP16 the most, in my opinion, has to be the faces they see here. COP16 brings in people from all corners of our planet, and it is here that all the cultures can come and share their cultures, traditions, and make it clear to the world that they do exist and have voices to be heard. Myself along with two other SESEF delegates had the opportunity  on Thursday to attend a session entitled, "The Human Faces of Climate Change".  It was in this session that we learned about the nations of Kiribati and Tuvalo, Pacific Island nations that are experiencing, in a very dramatic way, the implications of climate change. Both Kiribati and Tuvalo are atoll islands, which means that they are a set or single island that encircles a lagoon. These atolls are commonly not very high above sea level, an example being Tuvalo's highest point which is just three meters above sea level.

The panel of Pacific nation islanders. From left to right: Claire Anterea, Peter Embassem, Luana Bosanquet-Heays,
Tony (the MC) and Maria Timon.

Peter Embassem came to the conference to speak about his home country of Tuvalo, and before he started his presentation he informed the audience that the majority of his powerpoint was going to be made up of pictures. At first the slides were of the beautiful island from which he came. It was picturesque; beautiful beaches, lush vegitation and blue ocean. But as his speech progressed he started to inform us of the ways that climate change is directly effecting Tuvalo. They are experiencing king tides and more common cyclones than ever before. When king tides hit Tuvalo they don't only come at the islands on both shores but they also bubble up from underneath the islands. When these tides hit they flood many parts of an island, which puts the majority of the population's houses at least halfway underwater. Along with the loss of their houses during the king tides these Pacific islanders have to deal with contaminated drinking water, because when the tides come up they contaminate the wells which makes the fresh water almost completely undrinkable. As for cyclones, when they hit the islands of Tuvalo, the impacts are devastating. Imagine the picturesque piece of dreamland I described earlier, with it's sandy beaches, beautiful vegetation and crystal clear ocean. Now take that wonderful island and remove everything but the rocks and sand. When a cyclone hits these small islands it destroys almost all vegetation, due to the poor soil and mass amounts of sand, so storms leave these islands with little more then rocks. Similar impacts affect the nearby island of Kiribati. A young woman from the island by the name of Claire Anterea brought this nation to our attention.

Claire Anterea performing a native dance from Karibati.

She was quick to tell us a most disturbing and unfortunate fact. The Pacific Islands have the highest infant mortality rate in the world. We were told that because of the droughts they are experiencing, the inconsistent supply of fresh water, and a variety of diseases, infant mortalities are becoming quite common. Claire even had her own personal story to tell related to this statistic. Her own brother had just recently lost not only one but two of his children. Yes, the Pacific Islanders' presentation was eye opening and crushing, yet the Islanders themselves were still able to smile, joke, and show their hope. They shared dances and songs from their homelands, showing us that they are willing to fight for their cultures and that their countries and their cultures are worth saving. One of the women from the Islanders performed a dance for the observers entitled "We Three", which represented the three main groups of Pacific Islanders (Micronesia, Polynesia and Malenasia).

Luana Bosanquet-Heays performing the "We Three" dance.

Hear the song for "We Three" here. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSl1iTHlQM4

When the session ended the group sang a song of farewell to the observers and then ended with big smiles full of hope. When they had finished the SESEF delegates and myself approached the podium and requested an interview with Claire Anterea from Kiribati. During the interview Claire passionately expressed her views on climate change and how it is affecting her home, as we had just seen in the presentation. 

Claire Anterea during her interview with Nikki.

As we left Claire kept thanking us for attending the session.  This gesture and the overall way the Islanders presented themselves and their information gave the session a sort of personal feel. The observers could actually connect and relate to the presenters even though the majority of us had never experienced problems as dramatic. Leaving a session like this one puts you in a sort of melancholy, abstract mood. You don't exactly know what to think, at least this is how Nikki, Kia and myself reacted to what we had just witnessed. We reconvened with the rest of the SESEF delegation, with rants of "the most amazing session at the conference" and tried to explain to them exactly what we had experienced. 

After sharing with our peers we broke up into two groups. Each group was equipped with some of SES's beautiful audio recording equipment and a person with a camera. Our mission: Get interviews. I was with a group of four, including Nicole, Brooke, Austin and myself. We set off through the booths in search of interesting individuals to interview. When we came to the 350 booth something strange was happening. Lord Christopher Monckton, one of the world's most prominent anthropogenic climate change skeptics, had started to be interviewed by a mob right next to where YOUNGO had been doing an action. 

YOUNGO members having people come vote against sea level rise.

One of the YOUNGO (Youth related NGOs) members, Reed Aronow, was proceeding to yell and invite passers by to come and vote against sea level rise in hopes of drowning out Monckton. Coming across all of this action definitely caught us off guard and left us in a bit of a shock, but as soon as I came to my senses I was quick to disregard Monckton and join Reed in a chant saying, "1.5 degrees in the text. Right here. Right now!" The two of us chanted and brought in people to vote against the rise of sea levels. Eventually we had drawn a crowd and the cameras left Monckton for us. It didn't take long for the rest of the youth to join in and turn our little chant into a song. People came from all over the center to hear us and record us. In the end we had drowned out Monckton, reducing his crowd to three, two of whom were debating him and the third person.  Seeing the faces of the people who came to watch us speak out about climate change and seeing the faces of the youth surrounding me is something I'll never forget. COP16 brings together people from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds, but they come together for one central reason: the changing climate of their earth. Peter Embassem,

 the man from Tuvalo, ended his presentation with a quote which really hit hard for me and it is how I am going to end this entry. "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

Thank you for reading.



Written by: Anna C.

Climate Change Health Impacts

When thinking about COP 15 which took place in Copenhagen last year and COP 16 which is taking place here in Cancun this week I recently found out that within the past two years there have only been 3 sessions on health care and how it is negatively impacted by climate change. When finding this out I was surprised to learn people are dying from the air pollution, sea level rise, and many other causes all because we ignore what is happening around the world. I found out that a majority of delegates attending the conference believe that sufficient climate change action will not be achieved at the international level without public support and the well being of others in mind. Climate change and health are very closely linked together, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) selected climate change and health care as the focus of World Health Day in 2008. If the world starts acknowledging the impact of climate change on human health and takes action sooner rather than later, we can save lives now and limit negative effects on the environment.    

Maria Neira World Health Organization

I recently attended a session with many key speakers including Dr. Maria Neira who is charge of the World Health Organization and Dr. Jose Villalobos who is the Secretary of Health for Mexico. They spoke about how closely linked climate change human health really are and said that the effects from climate change represent the biggest global health threat in the 21^st century. Natural disasters, the rise of atmospheric temperatures, sea level rise, and air pollution are all effects of climate change and affect human health significantly. Areas of poverty are at the greatest health risk from these effects.

When natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, or even droughts caused by climate change hit high poverty areas people are highly susceptible to new diseases due to lack of resources and medical treatment.  Floods and droughts are also harmful to health. Floods create breeding grounds for insects like mosquitoes that transmit disease, while droughts increase malnutrition in countries. When temperature increases, the risk of infection is 3.4 times higher for malaria and other tropical waterborne diseases. Dr. Michael Wilkes from the HEAL organization believes that within the next 20 years doctors will be encountering diseases that they have never seen before because of climate change. He believes that we need to educate people because we all have a personal responsibility to our own health but also the health of the planet. With shortages in water from droughts families have to move from where they live and that can cause many health issues for women including infertility and sexual violence from men. 

Air pollution is something that affects the health of people everywhere but has the greatest impact on the poorest women and children. Indoor air pollution kills around two million women and children a year due to the particulate matter in the smoke given off by wood burning stoves which are used to cook meals in poor  areas. The pollution from these stoves can cause respiratory and cardiovascular disease, allergies,  and asthma in women and children. WHO is promoting physical exercise to help fight climate change. Instead of driving a car they say to walk because it decreases carbon emissions, depression, injuries, osteoporosis, and infrastructure cost.

All of these deaths are preventable if health protection is prioritized and if adaptation aid is given to poor and developing countries. With clean water, better sanitation, vector control, early warnings for disasters and more humanitarian aid we will limit the negative impacts of climate change on health. A new advocacy and public health movement is urgently needed to bring together governments, international agencies,  nongovernmental organizations, and communities to address the impacts on health related to climate change. Training and education are key in combating this problem.  Climate change related impact on human health  is an important issue and needs to be heard by world leaders so that something can be done to help humanity instead of debating it for another year.  

High Level Opening Ceremony

Opportunity is one of the best things about the COP in my opinion; on the bus you are able to speak with party members from all parts of the world, you are able to hear a variety of opinions from speakers in the side events sessions, and once in a while you are able to witness something meant only for the press and diplomats. The opening ceremony of the high level segment for leaders of countries and organizations was held today at the Moon Palace in Cancun, and because of a lottery among the other NGO’s, I was able to attend as a Civil Observer.  

(UNFCCC website photo)

Moon Palace is seen as the setting for the more political aspect of the COP, it is where the majority of the  drafts are written and agreements are made, and most of the meetings that take place in the area are closed to the public. The main building, the Sunrise, was where the ceremony was held. After a brief security check I was in the plenary room fifteen minutes before the ceremony was supposed to begin and had a brief conversation with the Austrian filmmaker, Werner Boote, who is at the COP to promote his film “Plastic Planet”.  The ceremony began thirty minutes behind schedule because of the large influx of press and non authorized observers trying to get into the room. 

Keeping with the theme of Mexico’s rich history and diversity, the ceremony opened with an interpretive dance that including representations of mainstays in Mexican culture, a Conch shell representing the beach, Maize representing agriculture, a Mayan god representing the cultural and historical roots of the country, and a small Mexican boy who was being led around by the dancers as though he had never seen them before. It was a symbol of what the future of Mexico may be like if negotiations are not met by the end of the Kyoto Protocol. Youth will not longer be able to enjoy the rich culture of their home country because of implications caused by climate change.

The highlight of the event were speeches made by the UNFCCC President, Christina Figueres, UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon, and the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon. Among the other speeches were those made by Presidents Alvaro Colom Caballeros of Guatemala, Marcus Stephen of Nauru, and  Johnson Toribiong of the Republic of Palau on behalf of the Association of Small Island States, the Minister of Water and Environment from Yemen  on behalf of the G77 group, the Prime Minister of Kenya, Connie Hedegaard on behalf of the European Union, and many more.

Although each speech was different, they were all trying to say the same thing. Last year in Copenhagen, when new decisions were not made and new agreements were not created, people all over the world were greatly disappointed in the way the UN handled the negotiation process. This year the speakers wanted the world to see that they realize the pressure is on them to complete a new agreement that will advance the commitments set forth by the Kyoto Protocol.  As President Calderon said in his speech, “the crucial countdown for the conference is beginning.”


Written by Nikki M.

US Action on Climate Change

When it comes to initiating national action, the best answer is not as one country but in fact, each of the states themselves. Today four representatives from the United States spoke on state and regional climate and energy policy leadership. These representatives included members from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Georgetown Climate Center (GCC), and the NY State of Environmental Conservation.

Their purpose was to discuss the important actions that are underway to combat climate change in the U.S. despite the absence of comprehensive federal legislation. One of the main focuses discussed by Vicki Arroya, executive director of GCC, was the ways in which individual states are combating against climate change. It was very intriguing because as delegates from the United States we see this happening on a local level personally in our own state. Minnesota is part of the 36 states that have renewable energy portfolio standards and have completed climate action plans. According to Arroya, the GCC goal/strategic role in implementing climate action plans is to inform the development of legislation, regulation, transportation, and adaptation policy as well as bring together academics and policymakers to improve climate policy. The purpose of these goals is to inform people that real reductions can be achieved at reasonable costs and that they are possible for everyone at state and regional levels.

The speakers mentioned a few times about the 3 regions dialogue - uniting the 3 regions of the US in combating climate change by sharing insights, exchanging information, supporting a federal program and its design, and considering opportunities for programs. The advantages of this type of collaboration, said Lauren Faber, the Assistant Secretary for Climate Change Programs, make accomplishing goals easier and gives us "sober optimism" because it is harder at a national level to agree on policies. Faber made California's standpoint on climate change clear saying that, "California is not an outlier in climate change policies". Doug Scott, director of Illinois EPA, also discussed efforts to address climate change in Illinois. Both states have provided essential programs in order to mitigate energy and GHGs (greenhouse gases). California has been a leader in renewable energy by following AB32: the Global Solutions Act inacted in 2006 which set the goal of reducing emission levels to those of 1990 by 2020. Not only do they follow AB32 but they are putting together a Cap & Trade program which is expected to be started in 2012. The plan for the program is to meet the goals of AB32 and provide carbon emission reductions. As for Illinois, they have created the Illinois Climate Action Group and have 23 recommendations for action plans within the group. Scott mentioned that if the 23 recommendations were put in place compared to doing nothing, the gross state product would increase, jobs would increase by 2020, and the total cost of energy would decrease. Obviously from this session, these two states are just an example of what is possible for policies and programs at a state level. Hopefully we can see more of what the United States has to offer involving policies implemented as a result of this conference.

Webinar Presentations

This week the SESEF COP 16 delegates will be presenting two short webinars from the COP 16 conference in Cancun.  The first, on Wednesday, December 8th at 11:30 a.m. CST, will focus on cultural perceptions and impacts of climate change.  The second, on Thursday, December 9th at 11:30 CST, will focus on climate change implications and strategies for addressing it.

To attend these electronic presentations,  go to the url https://my.dimdim.com/ses_cop16 and sign up for the meeting that is taking place. The presentations are dependent on accessing reliable internet connections from the conference, a task that is not always possible.  Notice of postponement or delay will be posted here.  The presentations will also be recorded and available for viewing for a limited time after they are given. The websites for the recorded webinars will be provided here when the meetings have been completed.

Cancun As the Setting for COP16

Since the day I discovered COP16 was going to be in Cancun, the question has continually occurred to me, why has such a tourist filled place been chosen to host the conference when a green revolution capitol like Copenhagen held it just the year before? The answer was always right in front of me and I didn’t even realize it. Cancun is one of the most desired travel destinations in the world and has brought jobs to the more than 1 million citizens that reside in the city. On a tour to the state of Yucatan to visit the historical site Chichen Itza, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of Cancun’s residents, Avelino (Ave).  Ave is one of the many guides who earn a living by becoming thoroughly educated in their country’s history through Universities and spreading that knowledge to tourists through government agencies. While discussing the various sites and natural wonders of Cancun, a discussion of climate change arose between Mr. Johnson and Ave, leading Ave to say, “the population of Cancun 35 years ago was just 150 fisherman and their families, they fished for a living, now there are more than 1 million citizens…and 28 km of hotels along the coast." Tourism is one of the top economic resources that Mexico can use sustainably for years to come. Still, it's value is underutilized when it is not used to educate people, and great improvement could be made in this area. Additionally, the natural resources that tourists come to see are being threatened by climate change.

As we saw on our tour, thousands of Mayan people and their descendents depend on tourists to buy handcrafted goods because those are the only jobs where they can earn a decent living and improve their lives. If ocean levels were to rise, temperatures to fluctuate, or biodiversity to be lost, Mexico's large ecotourism industry would be negatively impacted and a large amount of the population would be without jobs.  Before I viewed the host city of COP16 as a leader of the forward movement to sustainability, but now I see that we should focus in on what we see in Cancun this year, because they have the most to lose, and it very well may be gone soon.

Food Security

In a reading given after a session on food security and sustainable agriculture, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, "food security is when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life". Patrica Cochran from the Alaska Native Science Commission, spoke to the issue of food security using her situation in her community in the Alaskan Arctic. For many reasons, the Inuit peoples' situation is not how food security is defined. Instead there has been higher rates of hunger due to things like changes in animal availability, people's access to the wildlife, the safety and quality of the animals for consumption, and low household income. She said her community and others are witnessing changes in climate that are affecting the availability of species and residents’ ability to harvest them, and likely ultimately affecting their nutrient intake from these foods. In some cases, residents are having to adapt harvesting activities and reduce their consumption of some species, and in other cases, increasing their intake of other animals that are moving into their region.



Patricia Cochran, Kirt Ejesiak, and Ronny Jumeau

Not only are some native animals becoming less available, they're also being contaminated. In a study done by GRID-Ardenal, an official United Nations Environment Program collaboration, they found increased levels of mercury in marine species, that exceed Canadian and international safety guidelines. There have also been traces of pharmaceutical chemicals, and natives have observed abnormalities in native wildlife; meat tasting different, animals like muskrats having liver and lung spots, and caribou having "runny" bone marrow. On Alaska Native Science Commission's website, Cochran had another presentation that she referenced when she spoke, called 'Impact of Climate Change on Alaska Native Communities, which blamed the possible sources of pollutants on mines, military sites, chemicals used for dust control, vehicle oil leaks, fire retardants, acid rain, local sources of contaminants ranging from fuel tanks, asbestos, lead based paint, and pulp mills. Due to the contaminants found in local foods, many are now relying on store bought goods. This shift is resulting in an increased intake of carbohydrates and saturated fats, and is projected to increase western-type diseases among the population in the future, having possible negative impacts on the health of these communities. But the Inuits have already begun to see changes in their health, and more people are dying from stomach cancer, ulcers and other cancers than before.

The Inuit people are not the only indigenous group experiencing these threats of food security, it is being felt everywhere. In April 2009, 300 indigenous representatives from 7 regions of the world came together in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss among other climate change issues, food security. As quoted from UNEP's publication called 'The Environmental Food Crisis,' "The current world food crisis is the result of the combined effects of competition for cropland from the growth in bio-fuels, low cereal stocks, high oil prices, speculation in food markets and extreme weather events". Groups like Patricia Cochran's, FAO, and others are working towards safer food supply for all.

Young and Future Generations Day

Today was a very exciting day at the conference because it was Young and Future Generations Day. This was a perfect day for youth to make themselves known at the conference. So with YOUNGO, SustainUS, WAGGS, and other NGO's we had the opportunity to participate in actions to get the negotiators attention.

The first action of the day involved the t-shirts we got that show various profiles of youth on the front and a quote from COP15 on the back that says, "You have been negotiating all my life, You cannot tell me you need more time." With our shirts on we lined the entryway from the buses into the Cancunmesse in silence with our hands behind out backs as all the negotiators passed by. It was amazing to hear all the words of encouragement from people who walked by us. Many people took pictures and videos; some media members interviewed various youth standing in the line.

The second action of the day was performing the climate dance. It was performed at both the Cancumesse and the Moon Palace. We did the dance multiple times near the negotiator lunch area. The dance was full of energy and once again we got a lot of attention.

The final action of the day was definitely the most effective. In Cancunmesse, one of the conference centers,  there is a row of youth booths where we created a "carbon market". At the carbon market we got people's attention by yelling "we're selling out future!" Within the market we "sold" various items of the environment which represent our future. Some of the items being "sold" at the market were bits of ozone which "guaranteed no holes", the last of the melting glaciers, trees, ocean, air and more. As the people walked past us we made them hear us by asking, "How much do you think our future is worth?" We definitely got the biggest reaction and most attention from this action.  I think in total these actions really made people see that youth are here and we care.

One session today was an Intergenerational Inquiry on Climate Change where we heard different youth perspectives on the way that youth are participating in finding solutions to climate change. Specifically, the focus was on Article 6 of the UNFCCC Convention which addresses the issue of climate change education as well as public awareness. This session was full of energy right off the bat. The opening speaker  was a man from Jamaica who showed a music video on climate change that was created by Jamaican youth, in which one of the lines was, “see the signs they all reveal that global climate change is real.” During the song all the speakers stood up and starting dancing, as well as the majority of the audience.

The second speaker was a girl named Hillary Boehman from Australia. She spoke about how even after the disappointment of COP15 youth still have faith in COP16. She expressed how youth are hoping for an effective post 2012 agreement. Australia has participated in Powershift events in which a massive amount of youth participated in actions that support efficient energy solutions. Her point was just to say that youth are capable of big things and are willing to do whatever they can to get solutions.

The final speaker at the session was the Executive Secretary of theUNFCCC, Christiana Figueres from Costa Rica. She told us that climate change is the most complex challenge that humanity has ever faced and that nothing has been so big since the industrial revolution. She explained that because this problem involves everyone we have to create a structured plan with consensus among all governments and this is very difficult to accomplish. She pointed out that youth have the advantage of technology; we are masters of social networking and therefore we should not let national boundaries hold us back. She ended by saying that climate change isn't our future, it is now, and the time to act is now. At the end of her speech she got very emotional and it was very easy to see how passionate she is about this. It was a great experience to see and hear her speak.

Presidents and Mexico on Climate Change

Ed. note:  The delegates from SES are at the COP16 with student delegates from our partner school, the International American School of Cancun.  IAS is serving as our host institution during our time in Mexico and we are extremely appreciative of both their generosity and the contributions of their student delegates to our efforts here, including blog entries like this one.

It was an eventful day today: turns out COP 16 is full of surprises! We started off by walking around the NGO booths. Even after a day of conference, I still feel overwhelmed at the fact that I'm surrounded by every important organization in the world. I found the courage to go to the Yale booth and talk to them; turns out the guy was Mexican! He told me all about the Latino community at the University and how great an experience it is to study there. It feels good to dream.

After lining up to get free t-shirts, we went to an exclusive question and answer session with Patricia Espinosa, the President of COP 16. It felt oddly pleasant to be right in front of such an important figure and being able to hear what she had to say to the Youth; the generation who's feeling the strongest impact of Climate Change. After the session, I went up to her, to meet a fellow Mexican woman, and ask her about renewable energy in Cancun. Of course I didn't forget to get a picture, too!

I wrapped up the day beautifully by going to a side-event led by Mexico to talk about how Climate Change affects Latin America. It was extremely interesting to learn thoroughly about where we stand as a country and region. The panel was full of strong Mexican women who are basically in charge of taking over, and pushing for a greener Mexico. They're the heads of all those organizations that are trying to steer our environment in a smarter direction. However, after listening to all those issues, mistakes, and urgent needs we have, I don't know if I feel wiser, or utterly confused. It seems we have a huge load of work to do, and it is difficult to know where to start.

Camilla Rodriguez
International American School of Cancun

Climate Related Water Scarcity in the Seychelles

Today was a busy day at the Cancunmesse. We started off the day planning out which events we wanted to attend. There were many sessions that seemed exceedingly interesting, but we finally decided on 3 different sessions that the whole delegation wanted to attend. First, we went to a session on indigenous people in the Arctic and small island states with a focus on food and water security. Second, we went to a session informing us on indigenous views on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Lastly, we attended a session titled “Where do we stand in terms of gender and women”. All of these sessions were very interesting but the one I want to focus on is the one about indigenous people in the Arctic and small island states.

During this session there were four speakers, but there was one we unanimously decided was our favorite speaker so far, Ambassador Ronny Jumeau. He is the the ambassador to the UN for the Seychelles. The Seychelles are a group of islands off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The main focus of the ambassador's speech was the issue of water security. He noted that it was not normal for him to be doing a session with people speaking about the Arctic, but he said “the small island states have as much necessity to save the arctic as the people of the arctic do. If they go, we go too”. With that statement he proceeded to explain the issue of fresh water in the Seychelles today. There has been record low amounts of rain this year in the Seychelles, in fact on the third largest island there has been only one percent of the rain total they usually get this time of year. Only one percent! Something I found very interesting was how the Seychelles are a big tourism hub, and how that is related to the fresh water problem. Tourists use a lot of water, and there isn't enough water to spare as is. This has made the government ask the hotels to build there own desalination plants, which are very expensive and fickle pieces of machinery. This has raised the price for tourists to stay at the hotels. His speech related to the arctic, water, tourism, and what is happening today. The whole idea is much more complex than most people would imagine.

Overall, today was a very busy day. It was worth all the hustle and bustle to learn all this new information about the indigenous views of climate change and how it is affecting them. We are really getting a feel for the conference and will keep up the blogging on all our new ideas.

COP 16 President Patricia Espinosa

Today was the second day of the conference.  Transport to Cancunmesse was a lot smoother; the stop-and-go traffic we experienced on Day 1 was gone. All of the buzz surrounding the first day of the conference seems to have quieted down a bit.  Now that we have a feel for the conference, we can begin to branch out and absorb more content.

As a group, we decided to first attend an event at the Moon Palace. Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Mexico and the president of COP16, lead a discussion with youth at the conference, answering questions about Mexico’s policies towards climate change.  Mexico recognizes the importance of the issue, and also the importance of the need for predictable funding to combat climate change. She stated that she was “cautiously optimistic” about a decision being reached by the end of the conference to establish a fund to help Mexico along its path of mitigation. The session ended with Mexican Congressman Moreno  encouraging us to “not respect all of the laws”  (push the status quo) and to “be a little crazy” (tap into the passion of the youth movement) in our actions to combat climate change, because ultimately, the fate of the global environment rests in the hands of today’s youth.

After the session at Moon Palace, we ate lunch at the newly discovered restaurant paradise, and then we split up into small groups and attended sessions that were more specifically linked in some way to our designated topics. Now that we have had the chance to scope out the conference and dip our toes into the water, we can begin to focus more on our individual obligations of information transfer back to SES and the community. Each of us have our own specific pieces of the puzzle that we need to learn more about and we will share information about these pieces with you over the coming days.

We ended the day by once again meeting with YOUNGO (constituency of youth related NGOs). The meeting was primarily for planning, specifically for the event on December 2^nd. Through creative advertising, YOUNGO hopes to get the point across to negotiators at the conference that ultimately, the issue primarily concerns future generations. The ideas promoted at the meeting seemed like wonderful, creative ways to spread the message effectively and memorably. Hopefully, when the events come to play, YOUNGO will be successful in its efforts.  

We’re continuing to adapt more and more to the environment of the conference. We’re looking forward to tomorrow, and a healthy and efficient next week-and-a-half.

First Day of the Conference

Today was the beginning of the two week conference here in Cancun. Being the first day, getting to Cancunmesse was a bit hectic, and even though we were all up and on the road by 8:00am or so, we didn't arrive until about noon. We were told that this may in part have been due to the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón, being at the opening ceremonies, but also getting all the delegates, observers, and staff there was a challenge on it's own.

Our goal today was to get a feel for the center, and become more comfortable with what we will be dealing with over the next two weeks. After passing through a brief security check, we walked into the first building to see about a hundred little cubicles where different organizations had their own space to promote their cause. These included Greenpeace, UNICEF, and Oxfam, along with many other international campaigns. At one that we were all familiar with, 350, a group started by author Bill McKibben, we ran into fellow Minnesotan Paul Thompson who biked to Cancun with the 350 Solutions Revolutions group starting after the October 10/10/10 event at Mill Ruins Park in Minneapolis. We also met with the our friend Reed Aronow, who invited us to join him and the SustainUS group at a YOUNGO (non-governmental organization designated for youth) meeting with international youth.

From left: Reed, Mr. J, Carly, Kia, Paul, Nicole, and Ausin.

At the YOUNGO meeting, we were joined by people from places like New Zealand and Germany, to discuss the events YOUNGO will be doing throughout the conference. The purpose of these events are to show the negotiators that we are here, getting involved, and also to get the point across to them that we will be the ones living in the world they're creating policy for. There were many great ideas circulating during the meeting, including what they are planning to do on the Future Generations Day on Thursday December 4th, which we will share more about when they happen. In addition to the YOUNGO meeting, we were able to see the end of a REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries) discussion panel, which was specifically focused on the role of women in REDD and the importance of women in forestation. Unfortunately, within REDD women are not recognized as stakeholders, and therefore not considered in part of REDD's decision making.
What we got out of today was an idea of how things will work while we're here. For tomorrow, we are each planning out the events we would like to attend in order to get a sense of where we need to be and when until we leave the conference for the night.

The Adventure Begins...(Our first weekend in Cancun)

After an early arrival to the airport at 5am and a long day of flying we all arrived in Cancun in one piece. So far we have just been getting to know our homestay families and getting used to the drastic change in weather (it has been in the 80s and very humid). On Saturday after arriving in Cancun Mr. Luis Felipe Trigo picked us up and gave us a tour of the area. After we registered at the Cancunmesse and ate a quick dinner we got dropped of at our homestays. The rest of the night we spent getting to know our homestay families and getting some much needed sleep.

Sunday morning we spent with our homestay families. Kia and I spent it on the beach with our host sister Jennie, which is located right outside our back door. In the afternoon we all me up at Ms. Montse's parent's house (where Mr. Johnson and Austin are staying) for lunch. At the lunch we ate some traditional Mexican food and helado for dessert. We spent the rest of the time figuring out the logistics of our trip to the conference. The biggest issue was probably getting everyone in one place in the morning, but we managed to figure it out. Now that we have gotten our bearings here in Cancun we are ready and excited to begin attending the conference.