New optimism as leaders are said to have broken deadlock

Journalists view proceedings from the screen

 The arrival of United States President Barack Obama in Copenhagen this morning has added new optimism that world leaders may finally come up with a deal to control global warming.

The talks had deadlocked until yesterday when leaders of key countries especially in Europe, the US arrived at the Bella centre – venue for climate talks.

COP 15 president resigns

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen

Connie Hedegaard, the president of Conference of Parties (COP 15) at the Copenhagen talks has resigned.

This was after ministers failed to reach agreement on two negotiation processes.

Under the Long term Cooperative Action (LCA) which includes all 193 countries, all the text remained in brackets – meaning that there has not been agreement whatsoever. In another process called Kyoto track (KP), developed countries refused to put numbers on targets to reduce emissions.

Climate talks reach critical stage

Ministers have 24 hours to solve many outstanding problems

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen

Perhaps the two best placed people to judge the tempo of the ongoing Copenhagen talks say there is a huge amount of work facing ministers over the next 24 hours if there is any chance of reaching an agreement in Copenhagen.

Danish minister and the President of  COP 15, Connie Hedegaard said: “Ministers must be extremely busy and very focused in the next 24 hours, if we have to see success,” said Hedegaard.

Uganda’s two-track strategy at climate talks

Environment Minister Maria Mutagamba with PS David Obong in Copenhagen

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen 

Uganda’s delegation at the climate change talks in Copenhagen wants to make sure that no matter the outcomes of the global negotiations, they should have something to take home. 

During her first official briefing on Monday December 14, Water and Environment Minister Maria Mutagamba told the delegation that they must ensure they look for alternative funding opportunities and knowledge from some of the successful projects that have been implemented in other countries.

Furry over new REDD draft text

Happy Protester? She was one of the people who prested last week to ensure that rights of indiginous forest communities are recognised

The text of the draft agreement on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) leaked late on Friday December 11, and reportedly contains no targets for ending deforestation.

Community and biodiversity activists have reacted furiously to the new text for what they say is its failure to set targets as well as for failing to provide sufficient safeguards for indigenous communities that utilise the forests.

“Without targets, REDD becomes toothless,” said Peg Putt of the Wilderness Society. “The so-called safeguards will be nothing but fancy window dressing unless they are given legal force.”

Reversing climate change needs help from stewards of the land

Author, Alexander Müller IISD photo

By Alexander Müller 

Across the vast rangelands of West Africa, pastoralist farmers have long kept herds of cattle, sheep and goats, but the livestock, and herders incomes, are starting to decrease in many areas. 

Drought, rising population pressure and inadequate management have contributed to widespread depletion of soils – with nutrients being sucked out of the earth. 

Largely gone, too, is the land’s ability to hold large amounts of carbon. It’s no small loss. The beaten-down land here and around the world, along with degraded farmland, are an open wound not only because of the loss of productive land but also because it is a lost opportunity to slow and reverse climate change.

Does religion agree with science on climate change?

By Henry Lutaaya, in Copenhagen

Declaring that climate change is the most important spiritual and moral issue of our time, religious leaders from over nine faiths groups called for radical action by politicians to halt the rate at which the globe is warming.

On Wednesday December 9, religious leaders shared the podium with scientists and declared that this is not the debate about creation but rather that it is a debate about values.

Going semi-naked in freezing cold to press for a good climate deal

Semi-naked protesters braved freezing cold to call for radical action in climate negotiations

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen 

Chanting “We are in the Cold to stop the Heat,” about a dozen protesters put up a show of bravely this morning by removing nearly all their clothes in zero degree temperatures in an effort to press for radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions during ongoing negotiations for climate change in Copenhagen.

Developing countries split at climate talks

Leader of LDC bloc, Bruno Sekoli from Lesotho

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen

Divisions have emerged within the G77/China group of countries as well as between the African bloc threatening to make the possibility of reaching a deal next week the more difficult.

Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the Executive Director of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and a member of Uganda’s negotiation team told me that African countries have begun to shift positions and are now pursuing economic interests rather than environmental goals that have largely bound them together for over a decade when the talks begun.

D-Day of the long-awaited Copenhagen climate summit

 

A team of journalists and facilitators of the Climate Change Media Partnership arriving in Copenhagen on Saturday ahead of the UNFCCC talks

By Henry Lutaaya in Copenhagen

It has been a rather unfriendly one and a half day of stay in Copenhagen. The extreme cold and strong winds have conspired with very high cost of almost everything the malls to ensure that we remain indoors.

I and a colleague of mine Emmanuel Okella who works with Radio Simba in Kampala jetted into Copenhagen from Entebbe through London, on Saturday afternoon.

We are part of the Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) that is sponsoring over 40 journalist fellows from the developing world with the view of increasing the coverage of the forthcoming climate change negotiations starting December 7, 2009, from a developing world perspective.