The Daily Tck

Race to the Future: www.tcktcktck.org

17 June 2011

Summary of the Current status/situation

Another session ends, but the job is unfinished and so the conference is suspended for another time. But suspended is better than closed at least there is acknowledgement of the need to continue work and it does mean that the next session will go straight to business without spending days arguing about the agenda and process. It was a slow start last week, but things have picked up this week as the talks progressed and the outlook is more positive than at the start. As the sun sets over Bonn we await a decision on an intersessional in September (due next week) where negotiators should get back down to business and set the groundwork for ambitious and achievable outcomes in Durban on the road to a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty. There has been some progress on adaptation and draft texts have emerged in other areas. But, while parties have recognised the massive gap between what they have committed to and what is needed according to the science the gigatonne gap they have not come up with any measures to close the gap and so the ambition for urgent action is still missing. The Saudi Arabian delegation played a disruptive role throughout these talks, highlighted by the fact that they were the overall winner of the Fossil of the Day over the two weeks. This process, while taking steps in the right direction, continues to be held hostage to the vested interests of a few at the expense of the many.

What is happening?
With fewer campaigners and activists at these talks, the session most definitely belonged to the Youth who brought their imagination, creativity and expertise to a range of actions during this second week. The Push Europe campaign remained in sharp focus throughout the week with Young Friends of the Earth holding an action today to highlight that the science is calling on the EU to move to reduce GHG emissions by 40% by 2020 (photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/youngfoee) and the move to 30% is a stepping stone to the safer target of 40%. Meanwhile out in the real world of the freezing Arctic, GCCA Board Chair and Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naid oo climbed an oil rig to protest against Arctic oil drilling. As this is being written, Kumi and an activist companion, Ulvar Arnkvaern, have been arrested http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/17/greenpeace -kumi-naidoo-arrest-oil-rig. The bravery and commitment to put life and liberty at risk stands a stark contrast to the bickering between government negotiators. Essentially Kumi is showing what governments should do if they don t who will?

Message for the day

There is slow progress at these talks and we now need to see negotiators stepping up to resolve issues at a faster pace as time is running out. Speak to your delegation once they return home and impress upon them the need to be ambitious and show leadership in these talks.

We must continue to Push Eur ope (www.pusheurope.eu) as the European Heads of State meet next week! European governments could change the game a 30% emissions cut target (from 1990 levels) would create the impetus for economic recovery in Eur ope, and create a dynamic within the talks to move forward. Momentum is building up for the Global Day of Action on the Financial Transaction Tax with over 35 countries now signed up and more committing to take action everyday. Download the Toolkit at http://www.makefinancework.org/IMG/pdf/eng_mediaonline_packfinal.pdf More Bonn talking points are at: http://bit.ly/mFJ6MP and at: https://sites.google.com/site/dailytck/rapid-response

What you can do today?

The talks may have been suspended here in Bonn, but the work does not stop. You can organise your own day of action later this year, on September 24th 2011, when people from all around the world will be gathering together for Moving Planet (http://www.moving-planet.org/). Follow Kumi and help everyone to move beyond fossil fuels. Tomorrow, Saturday 18 th June 2011, is International Tar Sands Day and there will be actions around Canadian Embassies around the world. Check out the website and go along if you want your voice to be heard: http://stoptarsands.yolasite.com/ If you want to update your supporters on what s going on in Bonn, check out the latest blogs and videos the Adopt-A-Negotiator team has posted on their website ( www.adoptanegotiator.org)

Other materials:
Our Adopt a Negotiator team has been busy and we are grateful for all of the content that has been supplied over these past two weeks from those here in Bonn and further afield. P lease promote this to your membership and continue to visit the site for more coverage: Interview with Christiana Figueres: hope for the UN Climate Talks in 2011 (the 1st of a 3 part series) - http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/17/interview -with-christiana-figueres-hopefor-the-un-climate-talks-in-2011/ Srinivas Krishnaswamy on future of the UN Climate Talks http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/15/srinivas -krishnaswamy-on-future-legal-options-for-theun-climate-talks/ Lost and damaged at the UN Climate Talks - http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/17/lost and-damaged-at-the-un-climate-talks/ After a long night of negotiations -http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/17/after-a-longnight-of-negotiations/ The good and the bad: The last fossil and ray awards at UN Climate Talks in Bonn http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/16/the -good-and-the-bad-thursdays-fossil-and-ray-at-unclimate-talks/ Digging deeper on markets & safeguards: Carbon markets versus communities: balancing the scales http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/16/carbon -markets-versus-communities-balancing-thescales/ Eva Maria Filzmoser on the Clean Development Mechanism http://adoptanegotiator.org/2011/06/15/eva -maria-filzmoser-on-the-clean-developmentmechanism/