COP-17 Press Conference Climate Justice Now

9 December 2011 --- Climate Justice Now had a Press Conference at 6:30 pm tonight that was webcast on the UNFCCC website. It should be here on-demand <http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop17/templ/play.php?id_kongresssession=4720&theme=unfccc>. Here is a quote from one of the speakers, Pablo Solon, "From Pablo Solon (a rush translation): A few moments ago we found out the decisions that they have been cooking behind the scenes. In Durban they won't approve a second period of commitments of the Kyoto Protocol. This will happen at the end of next year: in COP18. In Durban they will only take note of the draft amendments and the "intention" of rich countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol will lose its heart. The promises of reductions by rich countries will be incredibly low until 2020 and will lead to a temperature increase of more than 4 degrees C. The Kyoto Protocol will turn into a Zombie without a global figure for reduction of emissions by industrialised countries, and will carry on walking until 2020 just so that carbon markets don't disappear. In 2020 it will enter into effect in "a new legal framework appliable to everyone". By everyone, they mean diluting the difference between developed and developing countries, between countries responsible for climate change and those who victims. The US managed to eliminate any mention of a "binding" agreement. That means the "new legal framework" will be an empty gesture without any effect. This will become known as the lost decade of the fight against climate change. Genocide and ecocide will reach proportions that we have not yet seen. The Great Escape by the Rich has turned into the Great Swindle."

Pablo Solon (center) was Bolivia's lead negotiator last year in Cancun. There were four other speakers (from left) Ahmina Maxey, Silvia Ribeiro, Pablo Solon, Nnimmo Bassey, and Lidy Nacpil. All speakers deplored the proposed agreement, which did not approve the second period of the Kyoto Protocol, but said that negotiations would go on throughout the year to approve it at COP-18. But isn't that what we heard for the past two years? At then end of the Press Conference Nnimmo held up a sign saying, "Don't kill Africa." He is the International Chairman of Friends of the Earth. In response to a question Pablo Solon said that developing countries should block this agreement.