The Climate Conversation

As the delegates arrive in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP15, we’re switching our focus to what’s happening on the ground. This means that our COP15 Top 15, Topic Trackers and Power Charts will be updated on a weekly basis starting Monday 7 December. The last update will take place on Monday 21 December, with a post-COP15 report early in 2010. Keep tuned in for further analysis and insight.

Meanwhile we take a look back at how the conversation has developed in the month leading up to the event, by looking at the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts.

w/c 2^nd November

• Over a month to go before the summit and speculation over which of the world leaders was going to attend. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President of Brazil Lula da Silva, highlight the urgency and critical nature of climate change. Gordon Brown states that there are only ‘30 days to save the planet’ while Lula da Silva makes a call to all world leaders to attend the summit in order to address a globally significant issue requiring leadership of Presidents and Prime Ministers. Yet the biggest question that remains unanswered is whether US President Barack Obama will attend.
• The pre-Copenhagen summit in Barcelona becomes an emotionally charged event, when a coalition of African countries walks out of the negotiations in an effort to express their discontent regarding industrialised nations’ reluctance to commit to ambitious carbon reduction targets. South Africa’s chief negotiator, Alf Wills, warned they “will not accept a weak, green outcome”.

w/c 9^th November

• The Climate Conversation shows increasing signs of becoming a politically dominated one, with main focus around which of the world leaders will attend. Pressure on US President Barack Obama mounts, not only to attend the summit but also offer much needed leadership in the climate debate by announcing a carbon reduction emission target.
• As it is acknowledged there is a rapidly diminishing chance of a Treaty being signed at the COP15 summit, the conversation starts to consider what can be realistically expected as an outcome – the call for a Framework as a possible compromise begins to emerge.
• Debate continues around the west versus developing nations with speculation that a ‘bitter divide’ will emerge as it is clear that there is a lack of responsibility from developed countries around global warming compensation for poor countries.
• A rift between countries in the east and west of the European Union begins to develop as they struggle to agree to a proposed 15 billion euros to aid countries in the developing world.

w/c 16^th November

• Conclusion of a US & China meeting confirmed that the two countries, (revealed to be jointly responsible for 40% of the world’s carbon emissions), took centre stage in the Climate Conversation this week. Though it was announced there had been an agreement to expand cooperation on climate change and assist in positive outcomes of the Copenhagen summit, it was reported that there was ‘much goodwill but scant progress’, and that carbon emissions received a small mention in a list where many other issues, including economic growth and trade imbalances were given more attention.
• As a result , the conversation on the role of the US and China at COP15 soared to become one of the top three most prominent topics across the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts.
• NGO Greenpeace was the leading voice and topic outside of the US/China discussion, thanks to the appointment of Kumi Naidoo as their International Executive Director. Naidoo was quick to accuse Obamaof losing “urgency of tone” on climate change that had been so clearly present in his election campaign.

w/c 23^rd November

• ‘Climategate’ takes hold in the Climate Conversation, as hundreds of private e-mails and documents were stolen from the University of East Anglia and posted online prompting a debate over whether scientists have overstated the case for man-made climate change. Academics gain prominence in the Climate Conversation as they allege the incident is indication of how desperate sceptics have become in the lead-up to COP15.
• At the beginning of the week, interest in the US and China wanes and the responsibility of developed nations and their emissions cuts emerge as a favourite topic in the Climate Conversation, becoming the second most prominent discussion across the most active print publications, blogs and Twitter accounts.
• China’s announcement of an intended 40-45% reduction in carbon intensity was a top story across both Chinese and global titles. This news story was reported alongside news of the US pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17%. Only in the blogosphere was it reported that the US pledge is far more significant than that of China’s.
• The EU shows signs that it is taking on the role of arbiter between the US and China. A meeting between 27 EU environment ministers led to an appeal for a rise in the level of ambition from the US and China.

w/c 30^th November

• Following the Commonwealth Summit on 27^th November, the Climate Conversation diverted its attention to the outcomes of the meeting. Countries in favour of a legally binding treaty at COP15 were widely reported across English language press. The scheme for funding developing countries, touted by Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown, received attention across the globe.
• Proposed 5% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 were rejected by the Australian Senate. The outcome of the vote was reported widely on in the global press, and particularly in the US press, as they acknowledge a similar law will need to be passed next year.
• Following the China-EU summit on 30^th November, China repeats its commitment 40-45% reduction in carbon ‘intensity’ by 2020, and urged the EU to increase its own commitment and support calls from developing countries for funding. Although welcoming China’s commitment to carbon reduction, the EU ‘struggled to assess the real impact of its proposal’.
• A document drafted by Denmark with ‘tough’ proposed carbon dioxide limits for developing countries was leaked ahead of the COP15 summit soliciting angry reactions from countries including India and Brazil. A faction called BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) has formed, and threatened to walk away from Copenhagen talks.