Oppression

It is in the air. The sense of imminent defeat, fake success photos ops and a clamp down as a street demo is making police extra nervous.  Kids on the street this AM were being asked by police for identification. At 6:30 am, outside the downtown train station. Miles from Bella Centre.

At Bella Centre, more barriers, more security, helicopters overhead in the pre-dawn darkness.  Glad we got to Bella Centre before 7.  We took the Metro and (as always) had the long queue in the cold and drizzle.  But we were lucky and got in by 8.  Less lucky were those who took the Metro slightly later.  It was announced at a stop before Bella Centre that in aid of crowd control, the Metro would not stop at the Bella Centre.

On top of restricting NGOs with special white cards, now getting into plenary requires a red badge. And government delegations only get 4 passes for plenary --silver.  Mass confusion reigns.

I made it to the Canadian government briefing.... A greyer than grey recitation of our non-cooperation delivered in soporific fashion. I asked our lead negotiator when I could hand deliver hundreds of personal messages from Canadians to the Prime Minister or Environment Minister Jim Prentice (primarily from southern Vancouver Island and Nova Scotia and our "Countdown to Copenhagen " events) and he suggested I trust him to deliver them.  I did, but I don't.

One of the youth reps, my dear friend Rosa Kouri, asked what Canada's target was in parts per million.  He said that hadn't changed and he'd answered it before. So I asked two things -- answer Rosa's question and is Canada prepared to accept the penalties for violating the protocol from the first commitment period of Kyoto.

Non-answer to the second part. Answer to the first, "we agreed to yhe G-8 statement of two degrees" which he then stated to be 450 ppm. I asked if he was informing the Prime Minister and Minister Prentice that there was no way to avoid 3 degrees C if GHG levels keep rising, that Dr. Pachauri had confirmed that, to avoid runaway global warming, emissions must peak globally no later than 2015 and fall from there.  And, of course, our targets (even before the watering down for the tar sands) do the opposite and keep GHG levels climbing...no answer.

The plenary session is a nightmare.  Reports on the text for Kyoto Protocol and the Chair of the working group reported no agreement was possible. Brazil was to speak and had to reply that the head of their delegation had not been able to clear security. He was shaking with anger.  President Connie Hedegaard said they would look into it right away.  India took the floor, also angry, to say treatment at security had also been unacceptable.

Tuvalu said we are disappointed. These negotiations are like the Titanic.  We are sinking. It is time to launch the lifeboats but we cannot because one of the crew has decided the ship is not sinking. These negotiations need rescue and we have to launch the lifeboats.  We have to save these negotiations and keep working.

Meanwhile, members of the Canadian delegation do not anticipate a long working session to get to some agreement. They expect to go home on Friday. A bad sign.