One last push

As we go into the last furlong, it seems like an ambitious, fair and binding deal has little real chance of working.

It has been interesting to follow the tcktcktck campaign as it nears its finish. Kumi Naidu, Greenpeace CEO was joined by George Monbiot, Naomi Klein, Katherine Goldstein (Huffington Post) and Andrew Revkin of the New York Times at the full capacity Fresh Air Centre on Wednesday night.

Kumi Naidu was holding out a remote hope that a deal might be met, having seen the Bali conference come together at the last minute. "It is still within leaders' grasp and sense of decency to produce a good deal." He went on to say that 14o billion dollars in financing is still needed per year.

"It ain't over till the thin man from Washington signs a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty...with 48 hours to go all focus is now on Barack Obama."

Greenpeace have delivered a letter to him asking him to deliver what a good deal. This is available both on the Greenpeace and the tcktcktck homepages.

He finished with "We want a Hopenhagen not a Flopenhagen or a Nopenhagen!"

Kumi also spoke about possible plans for tcktcktck to continue into next year.

Andy Revkin mentioned that some of the negotiations have gone back to language that was included in the 1992 Rio Summit. This includes that all incremental costs should be paid for by developed nations. Much of the gulf in debate is over issues since 1992.

George Monbiot talked about the bizarre scenes that went on behind "climategate" with the University of East Anglia's climate scientists inept public relations rather than the accuracy of their data analysis being the real problem. Lies and half truths are spread by many of the spin doctoring climate skeptics whereas the climatologists have a real problem communicating their indepth, perr reviewed research to the general public.

He went on to say that climate change is the tip of the iceberg, when you consider the challenges of peak oil and water to name a few. Ultimately there is a divide between those that want to have unlimited growth consumption whatever the cost and others who are stressing the need for constraint or as he said "a war of human decency over sheer bloody selfishness".

Naomi Klein stressed the need for people to start thinking about post Copenhagen messaging. After talking to Ambassador Lomumba (the Sudanese head of the G77 group), she felt that the negotiations were falling apart. "Developing countries are the only ones who are trying for a deal that is based on both science and justice. No deal may be better than a bad deal."

However whatever happens from now, she pointed out that there are some historical gains that have been won. "People now know what climate justice is ....75% of the problem faced is caused by rich nations, whereas 75% of its effects are felt by the developing world.. the solutions we need should be based on the position of the polluter pays."

Thursday onwards....

NGOs are now regrouping around central Copenhagen having lost their access to the Bella centre. Hundreds are fasting and preparing for an overnight vigil.

What can the thin man from Washington produce?

The few people who are reading this blog can help by joining the tcktcktck campaign. They are now aiming to get to 15 million pledges. Pledge on http://tcktcktck.org/