Sara:
Global climate change talks are not generally where you head if you are seeking an emotional moment. But, the first morning of this two-week ‘make or break’ summit in Bali surprisingly produced something passably close to that.
Almost at the same time as Australia’s new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, took the oath of office back home in Oz, the Australian lead-negotiator in Bali announced that Australia would “move immediately to ratify the Kyoto Protocol”.
For a split second you could have heard a pin drop, and then the gathering of representatives from nearly 200 nations broke into spontaneous and prolonged applause. As the clapping of representatives from the majority of the world’s nations continued beyond the mere politeness of these occasions, one dared to hope - and pray - that maybe, just maybe the Aussies had set a tone that might last at these negotiations.
"I think I can speak for all present here by expressing a sigh of relief," said conference host and Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar with classic understatement.
And so that leaves the USA as the only large developed country here in Bali – or the world for that matter - outside of Kyoto’s binding commitments to cut emissions. Despite huge pressure within the US - ranging from ordinary citizens to parts of Congress - the intransigent shadow of the US government may once again hang over these talks…
Herry:
I started today full of hope, but it was quickly dampened. The first meeting I went to about co-ordinating NGO activity was not what I thought. And, although I am getting used to it, this conference is still so big. Finding my way around the hundreds of seminars is not easy. But I am getting there.
I attended a meeting of something called the Climate Action Network, a coalition of hundreds of groups who are lobbying governments here this week. I was struck by just how they all worked together without too much hierarchy, all pushing towards the same broad advocacy goals. And it was interesting to observe how confident they are to criticize governments – every day they announce a Fossil of the Day Award, in Bali to shame a government that is seen to be obstructing progress towards a climate change deal – and they expect representatives from that country to come and collect the award! These are interesting lessons for me in playing it tough in advocacy.