It\’s Getting Hot In Here

Written by Taj Schottland, a member of the College of the Atlantic delegation to the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations this past December

When discussing climate change, liberals love to cite facts. We believe facts can’t be argued with. Scientific facts are neither political manipulations nor individual opinions. They are well-reasoned, neutral statements that will convince any rational person – provided the person understands them. This is what we believe. But have you ever tried to “lay out the facts” to a climate skeptic? You probably didn’t get very far. Likely, regardless of what you said, they countered with some unfounded argument. In the end they weren’t swayed and you were left frustrated because they couldn’t see the logic behind your brilliant argument. Why did your facts fail to convince them? After much thought, I believe I have an answer.

George Lakoff, a renowned cognitive linguist and political thinker, asserts that people reject facts that are outside the frame with which they see the world. That frame, or framework, is often created by values that are instilled during childhood. The frame ensures that we see the world, and only the world, that agrees with our values. In other words, we block out facts and reasonable arguments to ensure that our core values are justified. The frame alters the reality that our senses detect.

Continue reading ‘Climate Security: How to Frame a Winning Argument’

[written by Kendra Kallevig and Matt Maiorana from SustainUS]

Just days after returning from the UN climate meetings in Bonn, Germany, State Department Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern made it a priority to address young people, congratulating us on our work so far, and asking that we keep it up. It is clear that youth pressure will be essential in building support for domestic legislation and securing a strong international agreement at the UN climate talks this December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Youth have made it clear over the past month that we are stepping up to the plate. At the recent Bonn climate negotiations, a group of 20 passionate youth from around the world came together to take action, just as thousands are currently doing in their home communities. This is truely a global movement with amazing people working at every level.

Continue reading ‘An Eye Towards Copenhagen…’

by Jennie Hatch, who is attending the UN climate negotiations in Bonn

I cannot tell you how many times I have been told that we are at a turning point in history.  I am sure you have heard it too.

I thought that this sentence was meant to inspire and motivate, to create that turning point and keep us from going on the path of business as usual.

What I realized today was that there is no such thing as business as usual anymore.  I have heard that sentiment before, intellectually processed it, accepted the actions that we need to take in order to veer away from this “business as usual” direction.  But today I saw business as usual for what it was, and this is the paradox; it is nowhere near business as usual.  With the carbon that already exists in the atmosphere, we are facing 1.4 degrees C warming, even if all emissions ceased today.  We are already beyond the point where action is an option.  Action is mandated whether we welcome hundreds of thousands of climate refugees into our countries or deeply cut our emissions.  Take your pick, we still have to act.

Continue reading ‘The Paradox of Now’

Our intervention during the Bonn climate meeting leading up to the Copenhagen negotiations in December. We were very well recieved by all the delegates.

Kirsty rocked! 

Hey all, below is a video montage I put together focused on youth at the recent UN Climate Negotiations in Poznan, Poland.

We have a huge amount of work to do before Copenhagen this December, but the youth in Poland gave us an amazing start. Enjoy!

[compiled by international youth at COP14 for the daily youth publication]

I have to say, I’m pretty disgusted with many of the developed country statements. They are more than willing to talk about progress and how much they care – and then block text necessary for the survival of entire countries. Negotiators are essentially trying to decide if the most vulnerable countries are worth saving at this point. For some countries, such as Australia, Canada, Japan, and the US, Christmas bonuses for multi-millionaires and bailing large corporations out of debt seem to be more important.

As one minister from a small island put it this morning, we are talking about mass murder here. Mass murder of nations, peoples, and cultures. Again, as another minister put it, we are asking small island states to sign onto a suicide pact with the way negotiations are currently proceeding. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to put everything I have into reshaping the political landscape over the next year so that we leave no one behind in this process. Survival is non-negotiable.

Continue reading ‘Survival in Poznan’

[From Jennie Hatch, SustainUS Agents of Change Co-Coordinator]

There is no doubt that the outcome of today’s election will have a huge impact on global warming in this country and around the world, but whichever candidate wins we will still have an uphill battle in the fight for international climate justice.

That’s why December is such an important month.  Never mind that it’s my birthday.  SustainUS, the U.S. Youth Network for Sustainable Development is sending twenty youth delegates to the UN Climate Negotiations in Poznan, Poland from December 1-12.  SustainUS will be joined by delegates from 350.org and hundreds of youth from around the world. This will the first chance for the US President-elect to show his commitment to climate change.  350.org has been putting pressure on the President-elect to attend the negotiations by gathering thousands of personal invitations from the likes of Van Jones, James Hansen, and Vandana Shiva.   To send your own invitation, visit 350.org/invite.

While the negotiations themselves are incredibly important and we’re lucky to have youth representatives from all over the globe present a unified vision for climate mitigation to global leaders, it’s just as important that we bridge the gap between international climate policy and local grassroots action.  Last year at the climate change negotiations Dan Riefsnider famously told SustainUS delegates: “Frankly, you don’t have the votes” to support a strong international treaty.  Let’s show him he was wrong by bringing not only US youth delegates to the negotiating table, but a broad base of youth ready to show their support on the International Day of Climate Action, December 6.  Already students at George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the University of Montana, among others, will be taking action in support of a strong international climate treaty. This will not only show our current administration that a weak international climate policy is unacceptable, but also hold the new administration accountable before they officially enter office.

We need to show the US that we are watching in December.  As the future leaders and stewards of this planet, we demand action and leadership from the US in Poland this December.  As the final week of campaigning comes to a close, the hardest work is ahead of us.  After the confetti comes to a rest, let’s not lie complacent until January, but take the election momentum to Poland and the UN.

For more information on the US youth delegation, check out sustainus.org.

In case anybody missed this a few days ago…

Combined with the recent solar moratorium news, you begin to seriously wonder what our government is thinking. November can’t get here soon enough.

First, a bit of history:

Standard Oil, the company John D. Rockefeller founded and turned into an economic superpower, was forced to break up into roughly 34 different companies around 1911. Two of these pieces eventually became Exxon and Mobile respectively. As you all know, these two companies are now combined, which has created the worlds largest integrated oil company. Since this new economic superpower was born from the Standard Oil breakup, the Rockefeller family still has significant power within ExxonMobile – through stock ownership, trusts, and personal clout.

This is a very good thing. They are on the offensive.

A statement issued yesterday by the Rockefeller family was a warning shot, saying that Exxon’s leadership is “failing to address the future of energy and related industry hurdles,” and that “a majority of the family is now so concerned about the direction of ExxonMobil Corporation that it is urging a major change.”

Continue reading ‘Rockefellers Want Change!’