Dickinson to Durban » Climate Change
Dickinson Skypes from South Africa
Grace Lange ’12 On December 7th, the eleven Dickinson students in South Africa were able to Skype into our Dickinson Media center to share there experience at COP17. The Skype call was broadcasted to 21 different connections, one of the connections was a climate change class from Northampton Community College. We have a copy of the recorded session here. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/18990860 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change
The Problem COP17 Isn’t Talking About
By Timothy Damon ’12 Many issues are covered during each COP, including a staggering 70 plus agenda items this time around. Some issues get much more treatment than others, but there is one that is getting no time at all. What could this mysterious topic be, you ask? Ocean Acidification (OA), the “other half of the carbon problem”. I just attended a side event by almost the same name here in the Durban expo center. Its panel provided a refreshing splash of science in what has otherwise been a conference nearly devoid of such a perspective. Unfortunately, the news, though necessary, is alarming. Earlier this semester, I wrote one of my research papers for the Mosaic on OA and its implications for human health and economy. The experts from tonight followed the same … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Key COP17 Issues
Hit the Ground Running
With one more full, formal day left in the negotiations, I myself have summed up some of the frustrations in the air and lost some faith in the higher powers here at the conference. From speaking with a variety of people in the last few days, I have come to see that the real action that will take place in mitigating climate change is not going to come from the delegates now sitting in the long plenary sessions here at the COP. Rather, the real action will be “from-the-ground-up.” If the complexities of making concrete market mechanisms or funds available (i.e. Adaptation Fund, Clean Development Fund, Green Climate Fund, or Carbon Market) are pushed aside for a moment, one can see the CONCRETE work that has been accomplished on the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change
Kyoto As A Symbol
Claire Tighe ’13 Anyone with common sense at this conference would agree that signing on to the Kyoto Protocol would not mitigate enough GHG emissions to prevent catastrophic climate change. Even though, as Dr. Pachuari of the IPCC stated during our breakfast yesterday, science and the COP negotiations have become ever disjointed, most parties present here understand that attempting to mitigate, is not enough. So why are different groups, such as CAN, YOUNGO (see their interesting Ode to Kyoto video), and AOSIS holding on so tight to pushing through a second committment period of the Kyoto Protocol (hereafter referred to as KP2)? Because it’s a symbol. To anyone without the financial means to mitigate and adapt to climate change, agreeing to a KP2 means that they are committed to the UNFCCC process. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Environmental Politics, Featured, Key COP17 Issues, Mosaic Action, Student Research
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