Sara:
Woke up this morning with a sore throat and a cough. Hard to believe in this weather, but then we are constantly scooting from air conditioned meeting rooms, out into 35 degree heat (and there is much debate among delegates about the rights/wrongs of this air conditioning - and the likely damaging HFCs that result).
The 144 ministers from around the world have been starting their addresses today. However, many of the past weeks negotiations are continuing behind closed doors in what they call ínformals’. And we in the lobbying team still have a big job to do.
At 2am this morning one of the negotiating sessions broke down while discussing the issue of the transfer of clean technology to the developing world. The breakdown shocked many of the delegates and was apparently due to countries using the agenda to push their own interests. We are also still seeking the latest information on whether crucial text on financing for poor countries to adapt to climate change has survived after the Americans opposed it (see yesterday’s blog).
One has to hope and pray that the arriving ministers will pick up some of these dropped balls and run with them, bang heads and strike deals. Certainly, UN General Secretary Ban-Ki Moon, laid it clearly before us all this morning: "This is the moral challenge of our generation. Not only are the eyes of the world upon us. More important, succeeding generations depend on us. We cannot rob them of their future."