Climate Voices

December 10, 2018
By: Climate Generation

Your Window Into COP24: December 10

Katowice entrance - We are an endangered species
World Wildlife Fund replaces its logo with human faces to emphasize the threat climate change poses to the human species

The two-week climate negotiations are officially more than halfway through. The weekend at COP saw lots of action, both from the standpoint of negotiating Parties and participating citizens from across the world.

Most specifically, a battle between two words, “note” or “welcome”, fueled a heated discussion over language as countries began to get technical about the Paris Agreement rulebook.

Saudi Arabia, the U.S., Kuwait, and Russia – four big oil and gas producers – wanted the final rulebook to only “note” the IPCC science report and it’s findings on the effects of a 1.5C rise in the global temperature. Yet an alliance of small islands states responded with a call for the rulebook to “welcome” the findings. The report made clear that the world would have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 45% by 2030. Several leaders are perplexed at why the UN would refuse to welcome the results of a report they themselves requested.

After two hours, a decision couldn’t be agreed upon and the issue was pushed to this second week of the negotiations. It will be up to the Polish hosts to finalize how the findings of the UN report will appear in the final outcome of the talks.

Saturday also brought a climate march in Katowice right outside the conference, drawing hundreds of activists and citizens, who were closely watched by police. The Climate Action Center pavilion – representing U.S. organizations, businesses, and nonfederal participants at the conference organized by We Are Still In – kicked off events from highlighting city and private sector leadership to amplifying the youth climate movement.

Three of our four delegates participated in the Sustainable Innovation Forum over the weekend as well. An affiliate event of COP24, it is the largest business-focused event at the conference that connects policymakers, climate technology innovators, and over 600 delegates to engage in discussions on how to fast track the global green economy.

To hear more about the Sustainable Innovation Forum, tune into our second webinar LIVE from COP24 this afternoon at 1 p.m. CST with Jesse Turck of BWBR.

Here’s our round-up of notable news:

  • The “Yellow Vest” riots in Paris continue – read up on the latest.
  • The timeline for particular Paris Agreement rules to begin could be pushed back to 2041.
  • World Wildlife Fund replaces its logo with human faces to emphasize the threat climate change poses to the human species.

Climate Generation Delegation Blogs

Webcasts

Mark your calendar for the COP24 webcasts throughout the experience!

RE-WATCH NOW – December 7: Alissa Matthies Tamasi

TODAY – December 10: Jesse Turck (1 p.m. CST)

December 11: School of Environmental Studies (12 p.m. CST)

December 12: Michelle Courtright (1 p.m. CST)

December 13: Alexis Ludwig-Vogen (2 p.m. CST)

Save the Date

Don’t miss our post-COP24 panel on December 19, 4 to 5 p.m. CST, at the Institute on the Environment featuring our Minnesota delegates as they reflect on the Katowice Climate Talks. Attend in person or tune in digitally through our live webcast.

Follow Us

Check out our Twitter and Instagram for even more footage from our COP24 delegation. Follow @ClimateGenOrg and hashtags #MNCOP24 and #ActOnClimate.