As I was sitting listening to the 80’s style hold music, with over 2,000 other people, I actually got quite nervous. After a few minutes the call got going and the PM gave an update of where they currently are with the Copenhagen climate talks.
The news yesterday was that the talks were stalling and the PM confirmed the disappointing news that there won’t be a legally binding deal this time round. However, he told us that he wants one within at least 6 months and that these talks have to chart the way forward for high-targeted emissions cuts.
Then we had questions from Brazil, Italy, Canada, UK, Egypt, USA, and Ireland, on topics ranging from deforestation to charcoal making. How will he pressure other leaders to agree to cut their emissions further? How will he make people honour their agreements? What does he need from civil society? Is a 2C limit enough? It was quite a list!.
We also talked briefly about civil society organisations being blocked from the summit. He couldn’t comment on the UN blocking people from the conference centre but he did tell us that non-governmental organisations, environmental groups, and an active civil society do an enormous job by setting the agenda for debate, bringing peoples voices to decision makers and that people like us (meaning active citizens like you and me) are important when it comes to the greatest cause of our lifetime.
It feels a little strange to be on the phone to the PM, but when it was over I realised I had nothing to be nervous about - he is human after all. Gordon Brown said a lot of the right things about ambitious emissions cuts, adaptation financing, long term and short term goals… the list goes on.
Let’s just hope that behind the now closed conference doors, he lives up to his word.
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Tags: climate change, COP15, Copenhagen, Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, uk
