Because Anna couldn’t control herself, and is perhaps slightly obsessed with Paint, we have had to give her an entire blog post. It is a great insight into what its like being here in Warsaw, and has awesome pictures, so be sure to check it out here. Find out how Matt, Jacob and Meghan have found the first week below.
Matt: COP is madness. 12,000 people representing governments, NGO’s and businesses all running around the stadium attending meetings, writing articles, networking and one hundred other things. It is easy to try follow all these things but achieve nothing. I tried this for a few days but I finally found the key; is to have a specific goal for the day and just get it done. I have found most people are approachable but if you want to find something out, you must do your homework and have the right question. Find the right question and you might get the answer you are looking for.
My thoughts on the process are mixed. At one end I don’t think much is achieved at COP in terms of tackling climate change, every country has its own agenda and is unlikely to sacrifice something for the planet. However the convergence of knowledge that each organization or individual brings to the table is incredible. This sharing of information and ideas is unparalled to anything I have experienced before. And it is this I put my hope in when it comes to facing the overwhelming challenges of climate change.
Jacob: To be honest, I came here not really sure what I would be doing. I arrived in Warsaw and took a cab from the airport to the apartment where we are staying. During this journey it looked like how I imagined Eastern Europe would look – grey and with lots of concrete. On this ride I saw a big billboard advertising the show Warsaw Shore and it all unfolded from there….
On the first day of COP I was mostly learning and trying to understand the structure of these events. There are so many things going on you are constantly playing catch up. There is no way you can learn it all – it’s just too much. So as the week progressed I started to figure out the best way to spend my time here was to focus on a few components of COP19 that interested me. People here in Warsaw, have come from all corners of the globe. It’s exciting because everyone here is trying to combat climate change from their own angle. We have all walked different roads to get here but then the roads cross. It’s inspiring to see so many like-minded people coming together and sharing how they are working towards resolving the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. Learning what people have been doing back home has been the most enjoyable thing for me so far.
Meghan: It is a bizarre thing to be equally optimistic and pessimistic at the same time. During the first week of COP19, I have come to understand that one can be an absolute proponent and a critic. My stance on the actions to combat climate change have always been the middle of the road. At present, though, I feel that that instead of one car on this street, there are now two vehicles, speeding, interweaving, and repeatedly colliding together. That’s a whole lot of carbon emissions.
I would not never pretend to be an outspoken activist who consistently conducts actions against governments and corporations for their lack of action. I have met some astounding people from YOUNGO who fit this criteria, who are unafraid to question the current system and call for a complete revolution. The work they do will always be important, but I sometimes do find it to be a distraction from the main issues taking place at the negotiations. That does not, however, place me in the category of accepting government and private sector actions. I definitely do see the snakes in the grass, but I would rather see it continue to grow than lawnmower straight over it. I believe working with these agencies, understanding these systems, and providing constructive insights into how they can be improved, is far more effective in creating action What is required is a greater scale of these steps. It is critical that we go beyond tiptoeing to making giant struts if we are to ensure a limit of two degrees temperature increase and the time needed to adapt to the effects of this warming.
The first week of COP19 has done very little to make me think that there will be much swagger from parties, and I admit that I have become disillusioned. It is hard not to be when the whole thing seems like a farce. The venue is powered by coal, the (albeit, hugely comfortable) beanbags are provided by Emirates, and there are a constant stream of free and fancy canapes, that despite my moral reservations, I still gleefully devour. This does not seem like a center of action, but more of placation. No matter the amount of youth actions I attend and the interesting side events providing very real solutions, I still feel like no one is listening. Next week, I have a feeling everyone will be shouting a bit more louder. Whether or not this actually leads to a receptiveness by the negotiators is unknown. I sure hope that my electric-powered car of positiveness will win the race.
All of us felt a bit like this by Saturday evening:
The NGO Party was a welcome relief from all the head scratching and frustration of the first week. Now we are thoroughly back into it and doing lots of actions, attending plenaries and meeting with New Zealand regularly to make sure they know our views. Only three more days to go!
