Inside COP21 – Another Missile from Paris

Guest Author Uncategorized

Here is Guest Author Thom Mitchell’s latest dispatch from Paris:

Bad coffee and the smell of rats, but looks like progress?

Dear NM Insider,

On Monday, 150 world leaders issued forth to the Paris climate talks with grandiose statements about saving the planet. Most have left, because, you know, saving the planet is a part-time job.

The negotiators tasked with giving affect to their words are now pouring over every word of every letter of what is currently a 50-page draft of the new international agreement on climate change. When the 11 December deadline for the end of negotiations comes, it will set out exactly how the world-saving will, or perhaps won’t, be done.

At the time of writing – the first Thursday night of the two week summit – it’s still half-filled with the infamous [square brackets] which indicate the wording still to be agreed on. They stand in for the sleepless nights that have already started in earnest. (I saw a guy literally sleeping standing up on the train back to Paris city centre at 6pm today).

It’s a pity French coffee is so bad.

Negotiators, non-governmental observers, and a serious media scrum are spinning off into all manner of informal meetings, often in the pricey cafeterias making a killing out of impending global disaster, to discuss the square brackets and what they mean for the world’s chances of avoiding dangerous climate change, and the interests and agendas of individual nations.

The 18-hectare conference centre where the negotiating’s being done is a total circus. So it’s fitting that a boulevard which separates two rows of massive warehouses at the site in Le Bourget, on Paris’ outer fringe, is lined with kitsch plastic animals, translucent and standing in for the one’s whose future is being determined.

Ditto for the skeletal trees just outside the airport-security entrance, which watch over hundreds of busloads of people ferrying in and out of the main site each day, and to and from the train station or various side events.

An overbearing sense of artifice permeates the whole show, as different countries, not-for-profits, academics and journalists scurry through the melee. There are people in elaborate turbans, saris, suits, and pāreus; speaking French, English, and dozens of other languages, and rushing off to meetings in side rooms, plenaries and cafe corners.

Some of them, like the Pacific Islander delegates, are trying to save their people. Others, rather selfishly, their economies. But the obvious disparity in negotiating power is largely hushed up, and for countries which are both poor and large emitters of carbon, the situation is a much more complex and delicate balancing act.

Because the process is run by consensus, every country, in a way, has the ability to bugger it up by refusing to sign on to the final text. But in these early stages people are treading carefully. The problem with, say, Pacific Islanders kicking up a stink about the fact that what’s being negotiated will sink many of their homes, is that for them any deal is better than none at all. And the problem with India demanding an ambitious deal which would save them huge money on their adaptation bill, is they have domestic demands to provide ‘electricity to all’ the 300 million without it by 2030.

At this stage, as the 196 countries involved work collaboratively on the climate pact, delegates are feeling out others’ negotiating positions, and getting ready for the political crunch that comes in the second week. But hopes are genuinely high that the talks will produce a document coherent, ambitious, and credible enough to kickstart the shift towards a lower carbon world.

The focus is largely on process – we know we’re not going to get even to a two degree goal, inadequate though the science tells us that is – so there’s a huge emphasis on setting up a system that will ratchet up over time, and leave the door open to greater ambition later.

But it could easily be another furphy.

Earlier today, renowned climate scientist and former head of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, James Hansen (pictured below), told me he’d come to his first ever climate talks because he smelt a rat.

He said he thought governments would come to the conference, and leave claiming they’d made serious progress. They’ve done it plenty of times before, but some estimates say emissions are up by more than 60 per cent since the first major climate conference.

“Unlike the ozone problem where the governments actually took some actions to solve the problem, in the case of the climate problem, they’re not taking action,” he said. “Young people and future generations are screwed if we stay on that path, [but] trying to communicate against this headwind of fossil fuel propaganda is very difficult.”

There will be an update on key bones of contention in the morning, and it should become a fair bit clearer how things are progressing. But history tells us that in spite of all the careful planning and soaring rhetoric, the real decisions will be made in a schism towards the end of the second week.

I’ll keep you posted.

Cheers, Thom

503 thoughts on “Inside COP21 – Another Missile from Paris”

  1. Actually, that exchange between turnbull and sales is interesting.

    turnbull exhibited slight good manners, and didn’t totally talk over sales. Similarly, sales managed to make her point.

    Still female monstering, in my opinion.

  2. Truffles is fairly “equal opportunity” when it comes to serving his house speciality “condescending and rude,”

  3. Fiona
    I sort of disagree. I found his remark ‘I’m sorry you’ve lost interest in innovation’ extremely condescending, implying that a silly female has a very short attention span. He might have said it with a smarmy crocodile smile, but it was still an insult.

  6. Hi pubsters

    I have read wixxy’s latest piece. I note that Liberty Sanger (Davjd Feeney’s other half) usually does the friday wrap on ABC774. She is always very polite and sensible. I cant imagine she would be involved in nefarious activities. I was aware of her being friends with KJackson going back 10 years. I am not sure what to make of wixxy’s musings.

  7. YAY, Gillian Triggs ROCKS in my book!

    Leone, as far as the Forsales/waffles interview goes, I was for once trying to be even-handed.

    With all respect owed to his high office (nil) and all the respect owed to Pubsters + lurkers [total], never again.

  9. Leone,

    Our Sainted Prime Minister, soon to be elevated into whatever High Elysium, might have lied?

    Bring on the sal volatile, and call the ambos – I need life-assistance at the very least!

  10. Victoria,

    I don’t have much time for Liberty Sanger’s OH.

    However, for once I do hope that Peter Wicks is not as well-informed as usual.

  12. Fiona

    I concur. I always wondered what Liberty saw in him. I know I am being superficial, but she is so simpactico and he is so not,,,,,,

  13. This is the BoM’s December pic for the 2015 calendar – magnificent, and prophetic of tomorrow (dammit, I was gunna do the washing, trooly I wos):

  14. Leone,

    I sort of disagree.

    You of all felines should have no hesitation in saying:

    Fiona, you are effing stupid.

    I will always accept that from some people, and won’t bite their heads off, not even masticate their toes . . .

  16. Victoria,

    Sort of what I just wrote to Leone.

    At one level, I admire Liberty, but I do wonder about her associates.

    I’m beginning to wonder more and more, and to question the level of my admiration.

    Not that she, or the firm, will worry – though maybe the latter should.

  18. Didn’t stop him investing in exactly the same thing in France and Spain though.

  19. There’ll just be that faint rustling as the tougher hairs, then the furry bits, are trimmed . . .

  22. Turnbull, thy name is expediency.

    You make me sick.

    Unfortunately, I probably help make you rich(er).

    Okay – here’s a project: how NOT to make malcolm richer – where and how to invest.

    All ideas to be published here, and vetted by everyone.

  25. Wixxy did tweet that he could find no evidence for the claims cocaine was found at the Jackson/Lawler love nest, but he still ran with that information anyway.

    I’ve long suspected drug addiction has been behind Ms Jackson’s and Lawler’s bizarre behaviour, the alleged bouts of ‘mental illness’ (really de-toxing, drying out?) and so much more. But whether it was cocaine or something else I couldn’t begin to guess.

  26. The Sphere of Influence comments on 7.5 .

    LaurieOakes
    LaurieOakes – Verified account ‏@LaurieOakes

    So much for Malcolm Turnbull’s straight-taking image.#abc730
    12:57 AM – 7 Dec 2015

  28. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Peter Hartcher wonders why political parties use terrorism.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-harden-up-unreasonable-fear-of-terrorism-serves-the-enemy-20151207-glhkt0.html
    Peter Reith says Barnaby Joyce should be worried by Macfarlane’s move.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/barnaby-joyce-should-be-worried-the-nationals-might-choose-ian-macfarlane-as-leader-over-him-20151207-glh4cq.html
    Go for it ATO. Go!
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/ato-targets-private-school-parents-hiding-secret-offshore-money-20151207-glh558.html
    Mark Kenny says Turnbull is determined to “not be an Abbott”.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/charging-the-negative-particles-malcolm-turnbull-positions-himself-as-the-evangelist-of-change-20151206-glgzj9.html
    Pell’s days in the CA Royal Commission are promising to be more and more interesting by the day.
    http://www.theage.com.au/national/george-pell-accused-of-joking-about-gerald-ridsdales-abuse-of-children-20151207-glhlmd.html
    Yesterday at the Royal Commission.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/07/george-pell-very-concerned-for-paedophile-victim-david-ridsdale-inquiry-hears
    The medical profession is quite concerned over a new type of “super drug” that has it the streets.
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2015/12/07/drug-testing-stereosonic-deaths/
    Peter Wicks has a whole lot of juicy stuff in this article.
    http://wixxyleaks.com/exs-and-ohs-jackson-investigation-looking-like-a-game-changer/
    Is the sale of Medibank Private proving to be the thin end of the wedge that we thought it might be>
    http://www.theage.com.au/national/sickest-private-patients-may-be-pushed-into-public-system-by-medibank-private-deal-20151207-glhhd6.html
    Employers’ dirty trick to pay you less.
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2015/12/07/drug-testing-stereosonic-deaths/

  29. Section 2 . . .

    Reward for all that hard work!
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/07/former-treasurer-joe-hockey-set-to-be-named-us-ambassador
    Here’s a good firsthand account of the plight of Syrian refugees.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/mandy-patinkin-what-i-saw-in-the-faces-of-refugees-20151206-glgxvp.html
    The scourge of international cyberhacking.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/chinas-hacking-attacks-are-more-than-just-a-nuisance-20151207-glhc4e.html
    Greg Jericho looks at how the GST could be increased almost fairly.
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/we-can-raise-the-gst-and-keep-the-tax-system-progressive-but-its-a-tricky-sell
    Could Australia lead the new sustainability boom?
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/sustainability–its-the-world-boom-that-australia-could-lead-20151206-glgses.html
    Leigh Sales stood up to Turnbull last night.
    http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/leigh-sales-shuts-down-malcolm-turnbull-in-abc-730-interview-20151207-glhsbu.html
    A good “View from the Street” this morning.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/view-from-the-street-innovation-boom–shake-the-room-20151207-glhl8n.html
    Tony Wright with an expose of the dangers of shipping deregulation.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/call-to-revoke-licence-for-alcoas-foreign-ship-as-captains-bribes-revealed-20151207-glhids.html
    Dick Smith on Dick Smith.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/dick-smith-not-surprised-dick-smith-shares-have-bombed-20151207-glhgdm.html
    D-Day approaches for the change over to the Opal Card in Sydney and a lot of people are concerned. It’s not so much the system that’s the problem, rather it’s the access to it.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/pensioners-stock-up-on-paper-tickets-ahead-of-opal-deadline-20151207-glh85m.html

  30. Section 3 . . . with Cartoon Corner

    This Chinese restaurant takes the prize – of sorts!
    http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/how-a-perth-chinese-restaurant-looks-after-years-of-cooking-but-no-cleaning-20151206-glgyb0.html
    David Pope returns to juxtapose innovation and budget policies.

    Ron Tandberg and the weather.

    Mark Knight in the ideas warehouse.
    http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/b0a001ca0c07b640740ca34aff5edc33?width=1024&api_key=zw4msefggf9wdvqswdfuqnr5
    Jon Kudelka on the defection of Ian Macfarlane.
    http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/f7a07626102c8219521b040c883c9264
    David Rowe in the innovation laboratory.

  32. Just listening to Pyne on RN. God!..he even sounds miserly with that little pinchy voice…if the bastard came into the front bar selling badges for “Guide dogs for the blind”, I’d be inclined to pass him off as some sort of shitty little turd!
    Buggered if I know who would even vote for the rat…if he was a Labor “man” , I’d quit labor!…Feeney is bad enough!

  35. A part of last night’s 7.30 Report that did not attract attention.

    Leigh Sales asked St Malcayman about the NBN. He didn’t like that much. He told lies.

    LEIGH SALES: Many people in that sector and other sectors would tell you that the most critical thing for their business these days is a speedy internet. So why then do you continue to back a broadband network that relies on a decrepit copper network?

    MALCOLM TURNBULL: Why do – but that is just – with great respect, that is just completely wrong. I mean, I …

    LEIGH SALES: It relies on copper to get from the node to the house and that copper network’s old.

    MALCOLM TURNBULL: Yeah. But it doesn’t matter whether it’s old or young as long as it works. We are – under the approach we are taking to the NBN, we will get the network completed six to eight years sooner than it would be under Labor’s proposed method and $30 billion cheaper or at less expense to the Government, which makes broadband more affordable. I mean, it is remarkable – it doesn’t matter how many facts are presented by the company on this issue, we still get the same – we still get the same assertions …

    LEIGH SALES: But the company – but a leak of – I don’t want to get bogged down in NBN ’cause I want to get through a lot, …

    MALCOLM TURNBULL: No, I really don’t.

    LEIGH SALES: … but there’s a leak of internal NBN documents to The Australian newspaper showing that the copper network is in such poor shape that the company has to spend 10-fold what it had planned to spend to whip it into shape.

    MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well that’s simply not true

    http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4367704.htm

    It doesn’t matter if the copper is old or young as long as it works. FFS!

    He didn’t tell the companies building the French and Spanish FTTP broadband networks there was no need for any of that because the old system still worked. He just invested a few million and sat back while the profits flowed into his bank account – in the Caymans, of course.

    What a smarmy, oily, smirking lying toad we have as PM.

    Love this tweet, says it all so neatly.

  36. Yeah, BK…I read a few hints on twitter…but Feeney has been a slimey character from the days of pre-selection and when that old blog ..Vex? Vix..or something was going on..

  39. “MALCOLM TURNBULL: Yeah. But it doesn’t matter whether it’s old or young as long as it works”
    .
    Spoken like a true snake oil salesman. You’d definitely not want to do business with the guy.
    .
    “……the company has to spend 10-fold what it had planned to spend to whip it into shape.

    MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well that’s simply not true”
    .
    Because it is really 12 fold ?

  40. Turnbull has just spent $95,000 on a new private jetty at his Sydney mansion. There was nothing wrong with the old one, it was just a bit old, but it still did the job, still gave him somewhere to tie up his yachts. . But Turnbull wanted to upgrade it so his yachts could tie up somewhere better, newer, and of course, more efficient.
    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/malcolm-turnbull-spending-95000-for-a-private-jetty-at-his-point-piper-mansion/story-fni0cx12-1227569446701

    All very lovely I’m sure, but when it comes to a national communications network Turnbull does not have the same ‘only the best will do’ attitude. For us it’s not worth spending the money on a newer, more efficient system when any old bit of rotting copper will do the job, for a while, anyway.

    Bastard! And he has the gall to lecture us on ‘innovation’! This country had the most exciting innovation ever – the NBN – and this smirking bag of wind has destroyed it simply because his side of politics didn’t have the ability or the intelligence to think of it.

    Innovation? Bah! Humbug!

    I’m so angry about the destruction of the NBN. Under Labor it was due to arrive here next year. We have a state of the art regional medical school, a cancer treatment centre, a regional IT admin centre for the NSW Department of Education and, coming next March, a brand new full campus for Charles Sturt Uni. The NBN would have been fantastic for the lot of them, not to mention giving a real boost to local businesses. But now we can’t have it because Turnbull doesn’t think it’s necessary. Now we aren’t even on the roll-out map.
    .
    Some reading for you –
    Analysis: The destruction of the NBN

    From one of Australia’s best political ideas to a smouldering mess of ideology trumping the good of nation, the NBN looks likely to fail in almost spectacular fashion.
    The NBN has become the dying canary of grand political long term thinking in the era of the 24 media cycle. From its humble beginnings as a refresh of Labor’s ICT policy, it has since blown out to a staggering political hot potato, struggling to gain traction or respect as its masters continue to destroy it via a thousand small cuts. It’s amazing how a once-in-a-generation plan to revolutionise Australia’s communications system by pulling out centuries old copper assets and replacing them with a long term fibre solution has been destroyed by petty ideologies and biased reviews

    http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/412733,analysis-the-destruction-of-the-nbn.aspx

    Honestly, I’m so cranky about this if I saw Turnbull in the street I’d spit in his face.

  42. We had both Telstra and the NBN. rep’ here at a community ifo’ night and their advice to some of us was to “upgrade your computer equiptment”
    “Oh yeah!” I responded” Like as if either of YOU pay for your own gear!…many people here are pensioners and what you advocate would cost a thousand or more dollars”
    The Telstra chap went on to list the pc.s and tablets and smart phones they had in his home…a ridiculous amount!…but THAT is the yardstick this generation of whiz-kids (they’re never adults…never!)measure “connectivity ” by.

  43. Ex-policemen Denis Ryan giving excellent evidence of high up police protection of the Catholic church at the CA Royal Commission.

  44. Hi Senator @DavidLeyonhjelm did you share these incredibly sexist memes on your Facebook page?

    Hi Mark Di Stephano did you further share these incredibly sexist memes on Twitter?

  47. Hi, CTar1…how’s it going these days?…are you having a big Chrissy bash with the family this year?

  48. JayCee

    Greetings also!

    A quiet one this year. Will stay home I think and have a small number of visitors on Boxing day.

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