On Sunday, the first UN Climate Talks of 2009 begin in Bonn, Germany. It’s hard to describe just how wonky and boring these talks can be–and equally hard to describe how important they are for the future of the planet.
These talks in Bonn will start to set the stage for the upcoming talks in Copenhagen, which will establish a global treaty that will determine how (or more importantly, if) the world actually solves the climate crisis.
Jeremy and Will, members of the 350.org team based in Europe, will be updating us all on progress (or lack thereof) in Bonn throughout the week. Expect more once the meetings get rolling, but Will just sent us this rather frantic dispatch about an article in Reuters:
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Will Bates <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Subject: REQ: Can someone else blog this?
350 is already being talked about in Bonn?!? Check it out:
http://in.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idINTRE52Q2E820090327
Don’t know how this happened, but I’ll certainly dig up what I can here.
WB
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I just hunted down the source: 350 is called out as a possible long-term target in this summary document here: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/awglca5/eng/04p02.pdf
According to the author of the document, “There is broad support by Parties for a science-based indicative goal for the reduction of global emissions of greenhouse gases to the middle of the century.”
We all know what that should be: nothing higher than 350.
But, he goes on to say: “There is a lack of convergence on the issue of…the long-term goal and pathways to it.”
Well, that quote perfectfully illustrates a crucial, strategic leverage point of the international climate movement. If all of us all over the world can create convergence on the issue of the long-term goal, we ratchet up the scale of the global ambition, resources, and effort we devote to actually solving the climate crisis.
More from Bonn soon–have a great weekend everyone!