disillusionment

Yesterday I spent half the day in the Bella Center and half the day at the People's Forum, and realized that the COP15 negotiations are not about what I thought they were about. This conference is not intended to solve the environmental and social problems exacerbated by climate change. The negotiators in the Bella Center have no interest in these problems whatsoever. Rather, the conference is simply a massive business meeting, with big-cheeses brainstorming how to generate big profits behind closed doors. 

I know this sounds cynical. Just a few days ago, I believed that our leaders were gathered in Copenhagen to debate solutions to the biggest environmental crisis facing our times. I thought they were trying to decide on a specific number for global emissions targets, and a specific amount of reparations for poor nations. I thought they were working to save future generations from disaster. 

But the more I learn about the proposed "solutions," the more I realize that these negotiations are not about any of those things. Almost every "solution" that is being discussed by the leaders in the Bella Center is a false solution: REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), CDM (the Clean Development Mechanism), Cap and Trade, Carbon Markets - all of these are destructive programs designed to shuffle money around and give the illusion of environmental protection (not to mention many of the alternative energy proposals, which I am also learning to mistrust: "clean" coal, biofuels, nuclear, hydrogen). 

I'm rushing out to the Bella Center now to join a massive protest, but I will tell you more details about false solutions and my time at the Bella Center as soon as I return. 

yours,

Natasha