I thought my first blog from Poland would be a light-hearted, diary-style ‘what was my first day at COP19 like?’ thing - but things move so fast here and it has already become far more important to talk about something else.

Super typhoon Haiyan is casting a pretty dark shadow over the proceedings here in COP19. There was a girl at our youth conference that was still organising activities for us whilst not knowing the circumstances of her family back in the Philippines. In an open session on Loss and Damage today, the Philippines representative broke down in tears. Most prominently, Yeb Sano (from the Philippines delegation) made this speech (see below) - which was heart breaking and moved the conference to a standing ovation

Yeb Sano’s speech, and pledge to fast until there is a meaningful outcome from this conference, is already probably the most significant thing that will come out of this conference - if you haven’t seen it, please watch the clip below.

Short version: http://www./watch?v=7SSXLIZkM3E

Full speech: http://tcktcktck.org/2013/11/cop19-philippines-speech-moves-plenary-tears/58705

His hunger strike has spurred around 25 campaigners to fast in solidarity with Yeb and the Philippines. This action has already attracted so much attention that the media storm outside the food court today was described as being at a level that was usually only seen in the last few days of a COP.

I know people are inundated with things to share on facebook and social media, but if you would continue sharing Yeb’s speech, it would be playing a part in a very important wider picture. If people keep up the momentum - spreading the message about the carbon we’re emitting now and the unbearable human impacts it’s causing in vulnerable nations - people are saying this moment could be a game changer. If the solidarity efforts catalyse the actions that will help protect and support the people who are trying to live through intensified droughts, bush fires and super storms, then maybe one beautiful thing will come out of this horrendous tragedy.

Photo credit to David Tong at http://adoptanegotiator.org/

It’s been kind of bizarre following New Zealand news from a distance, and watching the way it picks up on what’s happening over here. The main coverage I’ve seen so far has been over Russell Norman being “slammed for linking typhoon to climate change”. For what it’s worth, I think covering Haiyan without mentioning climate change amounts to a type of censorship. 85% of people in the Philippines say they are personally feeling the effects of climate change, and people within the Philippine government have themselves been drawing the links between Haiyan and climate change - and loudly called for the rest of the world to notice. Though it’s difficult to point to one particular extreme weather event and say ‘that’s because of climate change’ - more intense and frequent storms certainly line up with climate science projections, and with the Philippines suffering through two major typhoons in less than two years - climate change at least deserves a mention. Climate change is not just a matter of someone’s politics, it’s a reality, and it’s not just a green environmental issue, it’s about people.

NZYD would like to say to the Philippines that we’re really sorry things got this far, and that you have to cope with so much loss. We would be honoured to stand in solidarity with the Philippines.

By Anna de Roo