Voices from the Climate Rescue Station

Strictly speaking, this post doesn't come from Poznan, but it involves a protest parcel which is theoretically "heading" to Poznan.

Greenpeace was very disappointed to learn that despite the urgency of the UN climate change talks in Poznan, Poland, Hong Kong Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau is not attending.

Greenpeace protested his apparent unconcern with climate change by placing a giant crate, addressed to Yau at Poznan, outside the Environment Bureau.

Even though Hong Kong is not a signatory to the UN climate change convention, Greenpeace feels that these talks are criticial and Hong Kong should send a senior environmental minister to Poznan.

Instead the government sent a junior officer from the bureau.

Concert for the climate

As the UN climate change talks begin to wrap up The Britten Sinfonia plays the Greenpeace Climate Rescue Station in Poznan's Freedom Square.

Despite the cold, a big crowd came to watch the two-hour performance.

Listen and enjoy!

December 6, 2008. Poznan, Poland

Iris Cheng, Greenpeace campaigner

Today, youth from around the world gave their two cents about climate change as part of the Global Day of Action -- synchronised demonstrations around the world on global warming.

In Poznan, Poland where the UN is holding key climate change talks, it was spectacular.

More than 200 people gathered in 'Freedom Square' (no one can pronounce its real Polish name -- Plac Wolności -- so we just call it Freedom Square) here in Poznan.

When I walked towards the square, I thought there had been a big accident -- there were policemen everywhere on horse back. The police, clad in bullet-proof jackets were at every corner, stopping trams and other traffic.

But then I turned around the corner, and literally walked into a festival -- people with face paint cheering, powerful drumming, beautiful hand painted big banners from Oxfam forming a 'banner dragon'.

There were even a few polar bears roaming about [see video below].

Most inspirational for me was seeing the Greenpeace USA youth congress coming out in force.

Their message to the world leaders: “We Are Ready To Save The Climate! -- US citizens.”

From what I have gathered from the political team, it has been a tough week.

Negotiations are now happening behind closed doors and progress is painfully slow. Furthermore, Germany and Poland are threatening to scupper the EU climate package negotiations by demanding free-emission permits for their power sector and heavy industries.

If the EU gets a weak climate package, it will send a very bad signal to these UN Poznan negotiations.

A colleague from the political team told me that a few days ago he arrived early to give a briefing to a national delegation. As he arrived the negotiators were just saying goodbye to a big group of senior representatives from the coal, oil and steel industries.

A brief exchange of knowing glances reminded him that environmental groups are not the only movement that is out in full force at these talks.

As I left the Global Day of Action march and walked towards the other end of Freedom Square, I saw our action team was constructing the wooden and metal frame of our Climate Rescue Station which has travelled from Konin. It was a fascinating sight.

We have arrived in Poznan at the right moment.

With a week of tough talks ahead, everyone in Poznan needs to be reminded of the reason why we are here -- for this beautiful blue planet, and the life on it.

December 4, 2008. Poznan, Poland

Li Yan, Greenpeace Climate and Energy campaigner

At midday just as I was just rushing off to the third UN meeting of the day, shoving a sandwich in my mouth a friend from Xinhua news agency called out to me.

"What have they been saying in the meetings? Any major progress?” the reporter asked.

Having my mouth stuffed with food gave me time to think.

The problem was I couldn’t think of any progress that had been made at any of the meetings I had attended – nothing at the General Assembly Ad Hoc Working Group, nothing at meetings of the subsidiary bodies and nothing at gatherings of the consultation group.

So I gave him quite a bitter answer: “Why don’t you write it this way. Over the past two days the only thing each side can agree on is that there no common vision. You can add a subtitle: 'We are all anxiously waiting'."

At these climate negotiations it is clear that each country has its own idea of what a “common vision” is.

Depending on where you live will affect how much of a global temperature rise is considered dangerous, for example. For long-term global long-term cooperation on climate change there needs to be common goals (and these definitely don’t exist) so that developed and developing countries join hands and work together.

So the literal meaning of “common vision” is pretty meaningless. Some people say we should be demanding that the world cut its greenhouse gas emissions, we have to stop mean global temperatures rising above 2 degrees Celsius.

Those parties that are taking the lead in cutting emissions should endeavour to speed up their reductions while encouraging others to make similar measures. We shouldn’t be increasing our emissions any further.

But who can promise that?

How can we protect the climate while ensuring economic development? Every country has its own position. From this, it looks like it’s going to be very difficult to reach a consensus. The negotiators need to agree on a clear-cut scientific forecast and they also need strong domestic support.

Actually, science has given us some very clear numbers on climate change. Winner of last year’s Nobel Prize, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is made up from more than 2,000 scientists from across the globe, came up with some hard figures.

They said developed nations must cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels. And by 2050, the whole world’s greenhouse gas emissions must fall by 50 percent by 2050. As scientists conduct more research, this figure may increase in the future.

After listening to all the different delegations, my feeling gets stronger that after Bali, everyone is just waiting.

Particularly China and Europe are waiting to see what America’s new president will do.

It also looks like Europe is not listening to developing countries when they ask for their help in terms of technology transfer and investment to help them reduce their emissions, or at least we are still waiting for a positive response from Europe.

Everyone – Europe, America and all the developing countries are also waiting for the next step from China. If China makes some advance on its fight against climate change, it will have a great effect on the rest of the world.

Finally my Xinhua friend asked me: “So what shall I write about Greenpeace? What have you been doing?”

I’ve come here as someone who knows something about climate friendly technology transfer; I’ve attended press conferences given by NGO’s that are participating in this Poznan meet; I’ve bluntly said that developed countries need to agree on a clear-cut way forward at the end of these negotiations, otherwise how can we go forward?

But I don’t know if my message can reach Brussels, where EU talks on climate change are looking very shaky indeed.

December 1, 2008. Poznan, Poland

Right now I am sitting in the Poznan meeting.

First I want to reply to questions we’ve been getting from our Chinese audience.

“Nothing much can be achieved at Poznan, we should wait until next year’s Copenhagen meeting.”

“Next year’s Copenhagen meeting is getting closer and closer. I hope that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) doesn’t change into a WTO.”

“It would be the worst thing for humankind if nothing is achieved at these talks.”

The first thing I need to say is that if we really believe that we cannot achieve anything, then we wouldn’t be here. We believe that the possibility of change exists and that we can achieve it through action.

Before I set out, I gave a few of my journalist friends that I had met at the UN conference in Bali a call to ask them if they were going to be at Poznan.

But a lot of them said they thought Poznan wasn’t going to be very interesting and they were waiting for next year’s meeting at Copenhagen instead.

At the opening meeting this morning, Greenpeace set up a public action but it didn’t attract as much attention as those at Bali. Over the year it seems people’s attention has just fallen away and they are just biding their time until next year.

But if you ask me if Poznan is important or not I would say loud and clear: Every negotiation between now and Copenhagen is crucial.

Every round of negotiations has to make some headway or by the time the world meets at Copenhagen there will be a mountain of difficulties to overcome.

There are too many unknowns – even in these 12 to 14 days of negotiations there is not enough time for all parties to reach a consensus. There will be no stroke of midnight at these climate negotiations.

The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. All governments at the Bali climate change conference last year agreed that it was crucial that the world continues to reinforce and strengthen the fight against global warming and that at the end of the 2009 they would meet again at Copenhagen and agree on a new climate change agreement.

Poznan is the midway point between Bali and Copenhagen and I hope that we can hit a turning point at these talks.

During these two weeks, we hope to see developed nations express a commitment to make stronger pledges – that they are willing to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 24 to 40 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels. We also hope that developed countries will offer enough assistance – funding and technology– to developing countries to help them control their emissions.

I am paying close attention to what we can expect from member states of the European Union and America’s new president. I am also looking closely at China. Our Chairman Hu Jintao talked about a “responsible nation,” and I am wondering how that will happen. Can China take a leading role at these talks? How much can China commit to cutting emissions and promote a low-carbon economy but still protect economic development?

This year there has been little progress on climate negotiations. Now we have 12 days (rumour has it this may be lengthened to 13 or 14) and in fact another 12 months to push for change. There is so much do. I am ready to start the fight. These are my weapons!

December 1, 2008. Konin, Poland

We had another action today.

We made a huge banner with the words: “Climate Change Starts Here” and suspended it over the edge of the massive coal pit next to our Climate Rescue Station.

Three days earlier we started preparing – drilling and tying ropes and banging in nails. Our Czech volunteers helped write out the letters.

Because we were afraid our work would be stopped we did a lot of it after nightfall. It made it a bit inconvenient but more exciting.

Some of us were put on watch for security guards while others worked as quietly as they could making the banner.

Today, the sun was shining. It was probably the warmest day I’ve experienced since I arrived and great for our action.

The whole operation went very smoothly.

We gathered in the tents and then after an hour we all rushed out and as planned hung the banner across the edge of the mine.

By the time the security guards arrived we had finished the action and were back at the tents.

During these few weeks we have grown friendly with some of the security guards. And it was these friendly ones who came today.

When they arrived they smiled at us and like before tried to persuade us to leave but still posed and smiled for our cameras.

To be honest – I’ve really grown to like them.

Compared to actually stopping the mine’s operation, me taking part in this action really is nothing. Maybe it’s not even worthy to be called an action. But for me, this is a really precious experience. It’s not everyone who gets a chance to hang a big banner of protest!

Not counting the time it took to prepare the banner, it only took us five minutes to carry out the action.

During this time I didn’t think about anything, just worked at getting the banner up. I forgot the police might arrive at any time and I might be arrested and sent to jail.

In the few weeks I’ve been here I’ve felt myself changing.

I’ve become more and more focused on things. For example when I’m chopping vegetables in the kitchen, with the knife in my hand and the vegetables on the chopping board, I am absorbed in my task. I don’t even notice how cold it is.

I don’t know if these changes are good or bad. I just want to write them down.

November 30, 2008. Konin, Poland

Finally, with the arrival of Li Yan and Zhang Hanchu at our freezing Climate Rescue Station in Poland, our Chinese team is now complete.

Here we are in front of the station. From left: Li Yan, Liu Shuang, me and Zhang Hanchu.

It was great to see them and not only because they brought me some tasty Chinese snacks – salted egg and beef jerky – but their arrival also made me feel warm and happy.

So far away from home, surrounded by foreigners and stuck in the middle of nowhere, it’s really great to have them here.

Yesterday the camp was quite empty. A lot of the volunteers had packed up and left. So the girls really made it more lively.

Liu Shuang and I are old timers now – we’ve already been here for two weeks.

I don’t know whether they like the camp or not, and I don’t care whether they liked my introduction, I only cared that I had more people apart from Liu Shuang to talk Chinese to!

The two girls only stayed for less than four hours, and they took Liu Shuang with them when they left.

Reallly Liu Shuang is worth more than a couple of salted eggs and some beef jerky! I really lost out on that one. Now I am the only Asian person at the camp, but I don’t feel lonely.

But it also doesn’t matter that there’s no one left to speak Chinese to because I have made some good friends at this camp and they are still here.

The focus now is on Poznan, where the United Nations is holding its climate change conference.

It’s not certain whether our actions can directly affect the negotiations and help stop climate change, but what is certain is that an agreement at the end of this meeting could change the world.

While direct action is exciting, the real drama will be at the negotiating table.

Life at the Climate Rescue Station

Images © Greenpeace/Nick Cobbing

Posted by Lisa at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

_____________________________________________________________

November 25, 2008. Konin, Poland

The preparations for our coal mine action started two days ago with the normally bustling camp growing quiet as everyone got ready.

Our action had to be kept secret or the whole thing could have fallen through. So, as dusk fell yesterday, we all headed towards a nearby farm to put the finishing touches to the action. I went along to help.

We crowded into a dilapidated barn next to the farm to plan out the action.

It was a really cold night and in the warehouse the dim lighting shone down on 20 specially-kitted out activists – they all looked pretty invincible. It made the atmosphere inside the barn like the eve of a revolution. It was very exciting.

In contrast, the rest of the night passed peacefully.

This morning, at about 8:10am, we all piled into three vans and drove to the action site – the Jóźwin IIB open pit mine.

When we arrived there was also a bunch of journalists there – I have no idea where they came from.

Because I was helping someone carry their backpack and I was at the back I didn't see the beginning of the action, when the Greenpeace activists first started to climb down into the pit. By the time I got to the edge of the mine, five or six or people had already climbed down on ropes to the bottom.

Soon security guards swooped in and were trying to stop our activists from rappelling down the rope. You can see what happened in these pictures.

But in less than 10 minutes all our activists were at the bottom of the pit.

They headed to a huge earth digger and started to paint in giant letters the words "STOP" in powder. Our message was stop using coal because it is killing the planet.

I have to let you in on a little secret. Last night we had prepared both red and white powder. If it snowed overnight, we were going to use red, but since it didn't snow we took white.

But when we arrived at the pit we discovered that its surface was covered in a layer of old snow but it was too late to go back and change the colour. So that's why the words "STOP" weren't that clear.

While the male activists drew out our slogan "STOP," on the ground, the female activists stood by their side and made sure things went smoothly.

Up until then, it had all been peaceful.

Whenever the miners tried to erase the words or interfere with the activists, the female activists would simply stand in their way and block them.

I didn't see anyone use their fists or get violent.

But soon a huge bulldozer appeared and drove towards the activists trying to obscure the message. So some of the activists used their bodies to block the bulldozer. It's at this point that things got a bit violent. As a Chinese person, I was very moved.

The activists had no chance against the bulldozer and it easily ran over the slogan. I think if they were only faced with a single bulldozer they could have stopped it. But as it approached many miners came over and roughly pushed our activists away.

Even though we didn't save our "STOP" sign, we were successful in other ways.

Our activists began unfurling banners with slogans in English and Polish reading: "Quit Coal! Save the Climate!"

They were very peaceful, just standing at the bottom of the big coal pit and holding up their banners. Then I realised that the security people had pulled up the ropes our activists had used to climb down into the mine. It seemed like they wanted to trap us.

Up top it was all go.

Media were bustling around filming and making interviews. There were also Greenpeace workers making calls and some excited locals.

Finally the police arrived.

Now I want to say a few words about how the police behaved on this occasion. Usually when police are called to Greenpeace protests, they are friendly and don't directly stop the action, just stand to the side making sure no accidents happen. They even stand by while they do things such as spray slogans on chimneys.

It is only once the protest is over that they police move in to arrest participants.

Sometimes Greenpeace, depending on whether or not they need police protection, will inform the police beforehand of their protest. After all, the police are neutral.

After the police left with the arrested activists the journalists also packed up. But the rest of us Greenpeace workers were calling around trying to find out what had happened to those of us who were arrested.

It took them less than 10 minutes to figure out that they were being taken to a police station inside Konin and so we all jumped into our vehicles and gave chase. I was very excited when I saw police cars on the road.

Unfortunately my car was going back to the camp so I never got a chance to welcome the Greenpeace activists when they were released.

November 24, 2008. Konin, Poland

On the surface, our camp at the Climate Rescue Station is set up a bit like a commune.

While we call ourselves the coal camp we don’t use any ourselves (our message is move away from coal to save the environment)! We are totally self sufficient when it comes to our energy – and it’s all renewable.

Our main source of energy are these three yellow wind turbines and the solar panels at their feet.

I’m not really into machinery or technology but the first time I saw these turbines I was enchanted.

They stood so tall and thin. Up there they can catch more of the wind, their thin smooth blades turning gracefully in the breeze. Really, wind turbines could make a very sexy ad!

It’s a big advance since man only used wind in windmills to grind grain!

In 2005 and 2006, China’s fledgling wind power industry went through a remarkable development, growing more than 100 percent year on year.

In 2007, annual growth was 145 percent. China has the fastest growing wind energy market in the world.

By 2009, it is predicted that China will be the world’s biggest wind energy equipment manufacturer.

Our solar panels also represent a huge jump when sunshine was just for drying wet clothes!

Spain will build the world’s biggest solar power station by the year 2010 with an installed capacity of more than 300 million KWh and supplying 180,000 homes with electricity.

China is already the world’s largest manufacturer of solar cells and is about to build a large scale solar power plant.

According to research, the total renewable energy resources available on the planet today can supply our current energy needs more than 3,000 times over.

Because of technical constraints we can’t harness all that, but even taking this into account renewable energy can still provide us with six times what we presently need.

It took Greenpeace four days to set up our camp totally powered by renewable energy.

Just think! If Greenpeace can do this in just four days, what can the world do?

November 21, 2008. Konin, Poland

The lake in this photo looks clean and blue-green, so clear you can see the bottom. But it’s not natural!

This is actually contaminated wastewater from the coal power plant near our Climate Rescue Station! That’s our volunteer, Wei Jian, crouching by the lake edge.

The blue-green colour probably comes from copper ion pollution from coal washing or processing at the plant.

Coal deposits have different minerals depending on where they are mined. Take China, for example. Coal mined here has a lot of poisonous mercury.

The reason the water is so blue-green and clear is because its PH is about 12 to 14. In water this alkaline aquatic plants, little fish, shrimp and even tiny microorganisms cannot survive.

For years now, the banks of the lake have been attacked by these chemicals so much that they are now rock hard! If you stamp on the ground it makes a sound like banging a frying pan!

But this “beautiful” pool is not our final destination. Let me show you the real source of this polluted waste water – the coal plant itself.

______________________________________________________________________

November 18, 2008. Konin, Poland

Our camp at the Climate Rescue Station is an environmentally friendly model, even though we are just 10m away from an enormous coal mine!

All our electricity at the camp comes from three wind turbines and these solar panels that you can see in the photo below. It feels very secure.

Even when the wind is blowing so softly, they can provide about 1KWh. Real commercial wind turbines generate much more – at least 1.5 MWh, that’s at least 1,500 the capacity of our little wind station.

Our bank of solar panels also gives us about 1KWh. It’s quite amazing… even if it’s a cloudy day it can turn the sun’s radiation into electricity. It doesn’t need strong sunlight to work.

Of course, the power needs of our camp are not great. We use energy efficient lights. We are really self sufficient!

There loads of other little energy saving tricks we use at the camp. In the kitchen we cook with compressed wood chips which come from Forest Stewardship Council certified wood so there is minimum damage to the environment. All our lights are solar powered.

It goes without saying that all our rubbish is sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable.

Of course all this renewable energy isn’t available locally we had to set it up by ourselves.

The purpose of our camp is not just to show that renewable energy is so clean and great but also to point an accusing finger at the scar of a coal mine next to our camp and shout: “Give up! You are yesterday’s news. The future is renewable energy!”

Voices from the Climate Rescue Station

December 11, 2008. Hong Kong

Protest parcel for Edward Yau

Concert for the climate

December 6, 2008. Poznan, Poland

Iris Cheng, Greenpeace campaigner

December 4, 2008. Poznan, Poland

Li Yan, Greenpeace Climate and Energy campaigner

December 1, 2008. Poznan, Poland

December 1, 2008. Konin, Poland

November 30, 2008. Konin, Poland

Life at the Climate Rescue Station

November 25, 2008. Konin, Poland

November 24, 2008. Konin, Poland

November 21, 2008. Konin, Poland

November 18, 2008. Konin, Poland