Hectic negotiations among the climate negotiators from different countries, never ending protest and demonstrations carried out by various activists in the freezing cold winter and unbelievable busyness of the environment NGO workers and also the media persons inside and outside the historic Bella Center at the Danish capital remained some important highlights from the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009.
With formal negotiation process starting from December 7, the climate summit is going to culminate on December 19 though the probable outcome is yet to get assured as the divide between the developed (western) and developing (eastern) countries continues to hunt the organizers. The diverse and arrogant opinions from America, Australia with some other European nations and the subsequent counter attacks by the representatives from China and India were in the media headlines worldwide for the last one week.
The rich countries, who are responsible for the green house gas emission and that way for the global warming and climate change have expressed their readiness to reduce their carbon use. But at the same time, they want to force (or compel) the developing countries like India to reduce the use of carbon to a greater extent.
India on the other hand has made it clear that it will take its own actions to reduce the emission of green house gas and increase forestation throughout the country. India will not agree to a legally binding emission cut theory as it has many miles to for development in the coming days. While initial negotiations are supervising by the Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is arriving here today for final agreement on the deal.
At the same time, the poor countries like Bangladesh which are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change are demanding some bail out packages from the developed countries. The Bangla Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a hint that she might raise voice for the space of climate refugees.
The heads of respective governments of India’s neighbours have already joined the crowd of delegates in the massive Bella Center. In fact, the final hours of the summit will witness the participation of the heads of state and governments from over 130 countries around the globe including the US President Barack Obama.
Amidst all the debates, the high level segment of the conference was inaugurated on Tuesday evening where the UN Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon addressed the gathering and appealed all the country heads and representatives to go for a comprehensive, ambitious and effective international climate change deal.
The UN chief, while urged the environment ministers from different countries to compromise in the final days of discussions as various factors already apprehended a failed summit in Denmark capital, concluded his remark with the positive note, “Our future begins today here in Copenhagen.” The highly anticipated
conference, which marks an historic turning point on the way the human population faces the impact of climate change that relates to the health, food production and prosperity of all the human beings, was also graced by the Prince Charles of Britain.
In his brief speech, the Prince of Wales advocated for a safer planet to our next generation and hence emphasized on an accepted and sustainable approach by all the concerned. The Prince termed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit as historic.
“I can only appeal to you to listen to the cries of those who are already suffering from the impact of climate change. The eyes of the world are upon you and it is no understatement to say that, with your signatures, you can write our future,” Prince Charles added. The distinguished gathering was also addressed by the Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who pointed out that the affect of climate change knows no boundaries and it does not discriminate one from another. “The magnitude of the challenge before us is to translate this political will into a strong political approach,” he concluded.
The Danish government expected around 15,000 delegates for the summit, but to their utter revelation, over 30,000 delegates including a huge number of journalists form both the print and visual media gathered here. Though it was a difficult and painful task for the organizers to get them registered promptly, they have however provided thousands of laptops with high speed internet connections. Many of the journalists even go on working whole night to make the coverage in details and also comprehensive in nature.
Add new comment