Civil society march in Copenhagen. Credit: Claudia Ciobanu/IPS

By Raúl Pierri and Daniela Estrada

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva)  COP15 proved to be a “spectacular failure even according to its own terms,” but civil society had “some successes,” such as the inclusion of certain issues on the climate agenda, and making the voice of the South heard loud and clear.

That was how activists assessed their efforts at COP15 as the climate change talks came to an agonising end Saturday in Copenhagen. Continue Reading

Activistas arrestados por la policía danesa antimotines. Crédito: Claudia Ciobanu/IPS

Por Stephen Leahy

COPENHAGUE (IPS/TerraViva) No se hizo historia en Copenhague. Tampoco se selló ningún pacto contra el cambio climático. Tras dos años de intensas negociaciones entre 193 países, rompe los ojos la división entre el mundo rico y el pobre.

Los países pobres quieren reducciones drásticas de las emisiones causantes del recalentamiento por parte del mundo industrial, y éste sigue resistiéndose a cortes sustantivos y metas obligatorias. Continue Reading

Climate activists arrested by the Danish police. Credit: Claudia Ciobanu/TerraViva

By Stephen Leahy

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) There is no Copenhagen climate treaty. History was not made here and no deal was sealed.

After two years of intense negotiations by 194 countries, what is abundantly clear is the enormous divide between the rich and poor countries. Poor countries want deep cuts in emissions by the industrialised world, and the latter continue to resist significant cuts and legally binding targets. Continue Reading

By Darryl D’Monte

COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 (IPS/TerraViva) – Many countries treat Bangladesh as a country that is so afflicted by calamities that it is incapable of pulling itself out of dire poverty. Yet, it has blazed a trail in drawing up blueprints for community-driven climate adaptation strategies.

Part of this blueprint is to revive traditional farming practices that could withstand extreme weather changes. Continue Reading

Marcha de la sociedad civil en Copenhague. Crédito: Claudia Ciobanu/IPS

Por Raúl Pierri y Daniela Estrada

COPENHAGUE (IPS/TerraViva)  La COP-15 demostró ser un “espectacular fracaso en sus propios términos”, pero la sociedad civil tuvo algunos “éxitos”, como imponer temas en la agenda climática y hacer oír más fuerte la voz el Sur.

Así evaluaron activistas sus esfuerzos al cierre de la COP-15 (15 Conferencia de las Partes de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático), que todavía sesionaba agónicamente el sábado. Continue Reading

Fabricio Vanden Broeck

Mario Osava

RIO DE JANEIRO (IPS/TerraViva) – “In a year’s time, the Japanese archipelago will be completely under water.” This official announcement was made following a violent eruption of Mt. Fuji, as a series of devastating earthquakes shook the country, forcing the world to face the challenge of taking in 110 million refuges within a very short time.

After a brutal diplomatic battle, the Japanese government managed to secure frail support from its fellow nations and evacuate 65 million people. Twenty million sank with the islands, many of them voluntarily, out of love for their country or to give younger people a better chance of fleeing. The rest are believed to have died before the islands sank, victims of the quakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters. Continue Reading

Activists meeting at Klimaforum. Credit: Daniela Estrada/IPS

Daniela Estrada

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) Before the outcome of COP 15 has even emerged, Latin American social organisations are already discussing their strategies for the next climate summit, to be held in a year’s time in Mexico.

The primary challenge is to broaden and strengthen the links between the different civil society movements and networks in the region, the international coordinator of Jubilee South, Beverly Keene, told TerraViva. Continue Reading

By Mantoe Phakathi

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) -

Protesters from local Ogaden community. Credit: Mantoe Phakati

The Ogaden region is found in the southeastern part of Ethiopia, bordering on Somalia. It is a semi-arid region that has suffered increasingly frequent droughts, with harsh consequences for its pastoralist population. But the 100 or so members of the Ogaden Community Association of Sweden (OCAS) were not outside the Bella Center to make a point on climate change. Continue Reading

"It will take lot of us – probably in the streets" to make politicians face the truth, says climate scientist James Hansen. Credit: TerraViva/Stephen Leahy

No Real Deal, and No Exit

Analysis by Stephen Leahy

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) The roof of our house is on fire but our leaders, our economic system and we ourselves are ignoring the alarms and continuing to add more fuel. There are no exit doors in our house; there is nowhere else to go.

Dangerous climate change is already here.

The two-week climate summit in Copenhagen came to an end with disappointing results and details that are still vague. Continue Reading

Civil society's message to the leaders meeting in Copenhagen. Credit:Ana Libisch/IPS

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) Heads of state and government are working fervently to complete an agreement in Copenhagen, but texts coming out of their midst so far lack details on emissions cuts and long-term funding.

Negotiations – resumed after U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech failed to deliver any tangible targets – are likely to continue into tomorrow. Continue Reading

Tierramérica talks to Juan Carlos Soriano from IPS Inter Press Service on Vimeo.

President Barack Obama meets with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during a bilateral at the COP15 on Dec. 18. Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.

COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) Tempers flared after U.S. President Barack Obama dropped a bombshell before making a quick exit from an informal meeting of heads of state and government at COP15 Friday.

“Obama said something very ridiculous this morning before going out through that small door,” fumed Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Continue Reading

Stephen Leahy, environmental journalist, gives his views on the climate conference from IPS Inter Press Service on Vimeo.

Members of Friends of the Earth not allowed into the Bella Center. Nasseem Ackbarally/IPS

By Claudia Ciobanu* COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) World leaders speaking in Copenhagen on Friday, the last day of negotiations for a deal on climate change, retreated into their national positions.

US President Barack Obama and his peers could not have been further from the call to “cooperate internationally to ensure respect for human rights everywhere in the world” contained in the People’s Declaration issued by NGOs working at the KlimaForum09 alternative summit. Continue Reading