It's Getting Hot In Here

Immediately after hearing the announcement of what was sold as ‘the deal’ in Copenhagen on Friday night, over 150 people, many who had been locked out of the COP15 summit, organized a flash rally at the Bella Center to oppose efforts by a small group of countries to subvert UN process and weaken global ambitions for a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty.

View the Liveblog from youth still inside of the Copenhagen endgame this morning.

3:11: A Bolivian delegate comes out of the Bella Center to address the crowd as we are wrapping up. He speaks about how a few countries picked off members of the major developed country bloc – the G77, in private, to gain support for the deal. Describes how behavior tonight has set a bad precedent for democracy in the United Nations process. Explains how the U.S. target of $3.6 billion by 2012 is well below what is needed and expected and how the $100 billion/year by 2020 isn’t a U.S. commitment, but rather something developed and developing countries may have to contribute to. While he was very disappointed in the deal, it sounded like it is basically settled and we will have to live to fight another day. “It looks like we have lost this battle, but we will win the war because of the strength of the youth.” [Note - we soon learned that the EU has agreed to the deal, although is very disappointed.]

3:05: Incredible dedication of people here – 2.5 hours in and still chanting in the freezing cold (after one of the warmest Novembers in Copenhagen it’s gotten frigid in recent days). Reuters and CNN were both spotted at different times.

2:25: UK Climate Minsiter Ed Milliband just sent a message to the youth rally from inside the Bella – its youth and connected mobilization that put the pressure to get anything, especially 130 leaders here. Stay strong.

1:41: We’re hearing that there’s still a chance for the EU to save the deal by agreeing to strong targets. More to come as we learn more. In the meantime, start calling EU leaders to tell them you want a 40% reduction by 2020 to secure a Fair, Ambitious and Binding deal in Copenhagen!

1:31: Important – While the media is calling this a deal, its really just an announcement at this point. Most countries didn’t know what was going on at the time of the announcement. This means our rally and your actions are even more important than we thought. Just caught the police huddled in a hug circle to stay warm. Cuteness.

1:15: Chants of “3-5-0 survival” are echoing through the crowd. The deal just announced will never reach 350ppm, since it doesn’t involve any legally binding agreement. Instead, countries will make voluntary emission reductions. Reports from inside the Bella Centre tell us that the G-77 said the deal wasn’t shared with them before it was shared with the media. The EU still hasn’t decided whether they’re going to agree to it. The implementation of the accord would only be required to take place by February 2012. Copenhagen wanted their name on the agreement more than they wanted a strong deal, evidenced by their taking a green fund that Mexico proposed weeks ago and naming it the “Copenhagen Green Fund”.

1:12am: Reports tell us that Obama has already left. Instead of taking the time needed to come up a with strong, just climate deal, he flew into Copenhagen, held back-room dealing with a few powerful countries, and jetted right out again. Some process.

1:06: Bill  McKibben is with us here with us – and says he didn’t see this coming. Video interview in a moment.

1:00am: Crowd is growing by the minute. Bill McKibben just joined our crowd next to a couple people in Survivaball suits.

12:56am: A few chants – “What do you want? Climate Justice! When do you want it? Now!” “Binding treaty! Fair, Ambitious!” “History will judge you. Obama.” Ben Powless is in the plenary right now and says there are 5 members of civil society in there right now. Some kind of democracy. Reminder: Only 300 of about 10,000 were allowed inside during these last two days with heads of state in Copenhagen.

12:43am: I’m sitting here with about 150 people from around the world here in Copenhagen angry at the weak climate deal just announced. The agreement was written by the U.S., China, South Africa, and India and is insufficient to ensure the survival of vulnerable peoples and future generations. Two years after committing to sign a fair, ambitious, and binding treaty in Copenhagen, world leaders have failed to get the job done. People are fed up by how the UN process has let us down completely – instead of being open and transparent, this decicion-making process has been completely hijacked by a few countries strong-arming the rest.