Graham Reports from Copenhagen

Graham's Report in the Western Morning News, Thursday 17 December

It may be floods in St Ives. Or hailstorms in Ottery St Mary. Or more frequent visits from the small tornadoes which have become a feature of the weather here on the south west peninsula. Whatever the signs, we cannot deny it. Man-made climate change is happening.

You don't need to take my word for it. But don't listen either to the region's Conservative and UKIP MEPs who will tell you it is not happening. 152 scientists from more than 30 countries on the intergovernmental panel on climate change have studied it. Their work has been checked by more than 600 experts. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree. Man-made climate change is upon us.

That's why so many people from our region have demonstrated, either locally or in London, for more urgent attention to the challenge. It's why I travelled to Truro Cathedral for the 'Steps to Copenhagen' event in October. And it's why I've been in Copenhagen this week, at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, bringing together MPs from around the world who are attending the conference to call for a rapid expansion of renewable energy.

The conference in Copenhagen is to tackle two problems. First, to get all countries to agree to cut their emissions of carbon, methane and nitrogen - the 'greenhouse gases' which prevent the sun's heat from being reflected by the earth, gradually making our planet's climate like that of Venus. Second, to persuade richer nations (mainly responsible for creating the problem) to help poorer nations (which are suffering most) to adapt to current climate changes and help prevent further change.

The world needs a fair, ambitious and binding agreement. It needs governments to admit that what they've agreed to do so far will not be enough; and to commit to do what the scientists tell us is needed to keep temperature rises below 2*C. It needs them to pledge much more money to help developing countries cope with and join us in fighting climate change. And it needs the building of trust between nations, seeing that we're all in this together and it will affect us all unless we act collectively and fast.

The facts are frightening. The Met Office tells us that the rate of climate change is now a cause not only for concern but for alarm. In Britain, the ten hottest years on record have all been since 1990. Sea levels around the UK rose by over 10 cm in the last century and could rise by 75 cm in this. In the worst case scenario the sea level would rise by almost six feet. (Not just goodbye to the railway line, but goodbye to most of Dawlish!)

The problem is global, but decisions are still made in national capitals, influenced by vested interests rather than the interest of humankind.

A rise in global temperatures of just 2*C, almost certain unless we act fast, could mean the extinction of over a quarter of all species. The impact on supplies of water and food, on human health and on the wider environment will be serious. Unless we bring down greenhouse gas emissions urgently, we're in serious trouble.

We know how to do it. The technology exists to start the switch to renewable energies for electricity production. We can make the green energy switch, even in a recession, and emerge stronger and richer - and keep the lights on! We can move to electric-powered cars, busses and trains. Put solar panels and small wind generators on our rooftops to heat our homes. And eat a little less meat.

The European Union countries have agreed to cut their emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by the year 2020. If other countries are similarly ambitious, the EU will offer even a 30% cut. Europe has agreed to contribute 2.4 billion euros (around two billion pounds) a year for at least the next three years to help poorer countries. Britain has played an important role in securing these commitments. We have pressed to make sure that over the last ten years - since the UN's Kyoto Conference on climate change in 1997 - the EU has led the way.

The trouble is - as is clear here in Copenhagen this week - other developed countries have not yet agreed to do the same. The demonstrators here labeled Canada "fossil of the day" on Monday when the Canadian government acted as if climate change was a myth. The same award went to the USA on Tuesday. Obama has spoken of action but delivered nothing yet. Australia cannot get its parliament to agree.

By contrast China, India and Brazil, which are among today's big polluters, have all promised to sign up to a deal if one is on offer.

Can the rich world's leaders summon the vision and the determination, the guts and the grit to make the difference? Will they hear the passionate plea made by the Prince of Wales in his speech to the conference on Tuesday? Will Obama show world leadership and make the whole thing possible?

As I write, the signs are not great. The non-governmental organisations are mobilising world public opinion. The scientists are redoubling their warnings. Yet environment ministers are still arguing. We rely entirely on the heads of state and government who meet on Thursday and Friday. They must grasp the nettle.

Update Tuesday 15 Dec PM

Greetings from Copenhagen!

The Swedish environment minister addressed the Conference today, speaking on behalf of the EU. So too did Prince Charles, though on whose behalf nobody was really sure. One or two junior UK government ministers were present. But it seems little of consequence will happen until the heads of state and government show up at the weekend. The NGOs are calling on the EU to go further in its commitments. The EU hesitates, partly out of fear that its competitiveness will be damaged if other industrial nations fail to reciprocate, partly because the Swedish Presidency has to keep France, Germany and Poland (and smaller sticklers) on board in payments to developing countries.

Meanwhile the NGO activists don fancy costumes to protest through singing, chanting and play acting (partly to attract attention) and those of us in business suits attend briefings by the climate scientists. Today it started to snow, perhaps prophetically. In a few minutes I have 30 MPs from almost all continents attending my renewable energy supergrid supper. But for me it must be over by 1030 pm because tomorrow I rise at 0430 to fly to Strasbourg to vote in the European Parliament at lunchtime.

As such, this will be my last update from Copenhagen, but I will continue to send my weekly newsletter from Brussels and Strasbourg. If you would like to receive this please let me know and I shall add you to my distribution list.

Update Tuesday 15 Dec AM

9 am.

Again in a long queue in the freezing cold outside the conference centre. Despite media headlines about yesterday's disorganisation they seem to have learned little.

Tried to observe the talks yesterday evening only to learn it was a closed session, government representatives only, so I trooped off into town to speak to youth leaders brought here by America's Environmental Defense Fund instead. But how can I inspire idealistic young people to go into politics when they see governments acting with such scant regard for transparency?

Next month I will show in the EP a film entitled World Vote Now. Watch its trailer at http://www.worldvotenow.com/. The case for a global parliament grows stronger by the hour.

Graham

Update Monday 4th December PM

After a brief suspension in the negotiations, talks are now tentatively underway again.

The climate change conference centre holds 15,000 people. It is rumoured there is at least twice that number outside. This must be the first time world public opinion has mobilised so effectively, putting pressure on the government leaders to act.

I spoke to Stavros Dimas, EU environment commissioner. He thinks we will get a deal, at least in the form of a list of commitments by each participating country. Will the commitments be legally binding? It may be better if they are not, since in that case they will be less ambitious. A political agreement would probably be policed quite effectively by world public opinion.

Graham

Update Monday 14 Dec AM

Greetings from the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference!

I am here until Wednesday, and hope to keep you updated with developments.

I left my hotel at 8.15 this morning. Great public transport here got me to the Bella Centre in less than half an hour. Then a two and a half hr queue outside in -1 deg C with 000s of others from all continents before getting inside. Hopeless organisation, either by Danes or UN or both. They won't come here again for quite a few years. Heads of State and Government arrive later this week but much happening before then. Everyone is determined to save the planet.

I will report back again soon.

Graham

Graham's response to climate chnage denier Giles Chichester

"Giles Chichester's comments on climate change come as no surprise to me, and are in line with many other Tories. They are further proof that the Tories have not changed, despite David Cameron's best efforts to give the "Nasty Party" a makeover.

"I am sure it will worry the 81% of people who want to see the EU take the lead on climate change that I am the only South West MEP to campaign for action on climate change.

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a UN body of scientists that evaluates hundreds of official and varied reports from around the world. They have concluded that there is a 90% chance that humans are causing climate change.

"There is a 10% chance that "global warming partisans" like myself are wrong. But as one of my Lib Dem colleagues recently asked, what would you do if the pilot of a plane you were about to board announced that it had a fault, and there was a 90% it would crash?

"Giles Chichester would apparently get on the plane and think about it as they took off.

"He wants to stall by demanding more discussion and debate, but we have had 40 years of this. Now is the time for action. If we do not act now, catastrophic climate will be unavoidable.

"There will be 1bn climate refugees by 2050, vicious wars over resources and wild weather extremes causing overwhelming floods and misery in places like Exmouth. I am disappointed that Giles cannot see this and that his views contradict the many hundreds of constituents who have contacted me over the past year.

"I hope Giles is as concerned as I that, when it comes to climate change, his views are remarkably similar to Nick Griffin's, who is flying the flag for "flat-earthers" in Copenhagen"

Graham will be attending the Copenhagen Conference from Sunday 13 December to Wednesday 17 December, as Chairman of the e-Parliament (www.e-parl.net).

He will be reporting back to his constituents through his website and an emailed newsletter; to sign up for this, email euro_office@cix.co.uk.

Obama Still Needs to Earn his Nobel Peace Prize

Today, Barack Obama travelled to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In doing so, he joined a long list of highly distinguished and inspirational figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa and Desmond Tutu.

There has been criticism from many quarters that this award is, at best, premature. Although President Obama has been a breath of fresh air on the world stage, I must say I am inclined to agree with his critics in this case.

However, in the next week and a half, the US President has the chance to prove us doubters wrong and truly earn his Peace Prize.

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference represents the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change, the effects of which will be far greater than many expect (and do not just involve polar bears as the likes of Jeremy Clarkson would have us believe).

Climate change is a bigger threat to world peace than any nuclear weapons programme or international terrorist group.

As water resources decline in regions such as the Middle East, populations will go to war not because of religious belief or over land disputes, but out of the necessity to survive. No peace envoy will be able to settle this if we have also lost control of climate change.

We are also seeing increasing numbers of climate refugees, fleeing areas of desertification, water pollution and famine, all caused by climate change. In August the International Organization for Migration estimated there have so far been 24m of these refugees- but this figure could reach 1bn by 2050.

Even with belated best intentions, the strain of dealing with such levels of migration will be immense, if not unbearable. The chances are we will simply offer up an army of disaffected and desperate people from which extremist groups can recruit.

An agreement at Copenhagen currently hangs in the balance, mainly because of disputes over binding targets and compensation to developing countries.

The US Environmental Protection Agency handed the world a lifeline on Tuesday, by freeing Obama from the chains of oil-dependent Congressmen, and giving him a means to pledge cuts.

As the head of the 135-nation bloc of developing countries said yesterday, the $10bn currently on the table wouldn't even pay for the coffins of the developing countries' citizens.

I am proud that the EU is leading the way with CO2 cuts and financial support, but sadly this alone is not enough to secure a worthwhile agreement.

The US President needs to put the champagne back in the cellar, hot foot it down to Copenhagen ASAP, and demonstrate to the world why he really does deserve his award.

This week, my Liberal Democrat colleague Chris Davies MEP has been following events in Copenhagen. To read his report from the Conference,

http://www.winwithchris.org.uk/news/2009/December/copenhagendiaries.html

On Sunday 13 December, I will take over watch, and will be reporting back in the local press and through my weekly emailed newsletter. To sign up for this, email euro_office@cix.co.uk.

Chris Davies MEP was at the Conference last week

To read his Copenhagen Diaries, click here.