It's Wednesday here at COP16 in Cancun, just two days left of the so-called "high level segment" of negotiations. Here are a few quick updates and photographic evidence of what's happening here on the ground, both inside and outside the conference center.
350ppm/1.5 degrees back in the text: A few days ago a new negotiating text came out, that had erased any mention of long term CO2 and temperature targets. Through the hard work of vulnerable country negotiators and 350 and allies, these important numbers now appear back in the text – though it'll take even harder work to make sure they stay there, and that individual country emissions reductions targets add up to these ambitious numbers.
Marches: Yesterday saw two major mobilizations in Cancun, one organized by the world's peasant movement La Via Campesina, and the other by a broad coalition of Mexican and international organizations called Dialogo Climatico through the downtown streets of Cancun. They were beautiful displays of the global climate movement coming together in solidarity for each other's local struggles. Today, activists will come together for a march against the World Bank being involved in climate finance – for more information on a new campaign launching today on this topic, visit http://www.worldbankoutofclimate.org.
350Dominicana coordinator Vanessa Dalmau marches with her polar bear friend in downtown Cancun on December 7
The 350 contingent at the Dialogo Climatico march in downtown Cancun on December 7th.
Ministers: As these negotiations approach their end, higher level environment ministers and heads of state are arriving to finalize and move forward any possible decisions before the week is out. Everyone is waiting to see what progress (or lack of progress) Cancun will represent, on the path to a fair, robust global deal that will bring CO2 levels to 350ppm. In particular, all eyes are on the Kyoto Protocol, and whether delegates will step up to ensure the survival of the only current global deal we have to regulate carbon emissions. We'll keep you posted on the news on the ground from here at COP16!
Youth activists show their love for the Kyoto Protocol, and urge Japan and other developed countries to commit to keeping it alive.
As the sun begins to set on COP16, we'll keep the focus in on our favorite number, three-five-oh…