From my friend Christina Polcari:

What if Obama announced a plan today that promised green jobs for our urban youth, window panes and lower energy bills, urban gardens and lower medical bills, clean air and clean streets?

The Yes Men dare us to think so. They dare us to imagine the world is as we wanted it just for a minute. Earlier this week in Copenhagen, Canada dropped jaws when it announced a radical reversal of its climate change policy at the COP15. It was exactly the kind of action the world has been waiting for–bold and badass. But it was all a prank, compliments of the Yes Men.

We wanted a global deal out of the COP15. The Yes Men put the spotlight on countries standing in the way to publicly humiliate them. Because the people, the media, and the UN responded, and for a moment, we saw the change we believe in.

Last night, Jayme and Mahfam sat on the rogue Yes Men stage at the “Good COP15″ to tell our leaders about how urban communities are building a better environment and a better economy. People working together on projects like Green the Hood are the true agents of change.

This week, Mahfam has made us realize we need to go back home and “blow up our efforts and take them to the next level…to scale the movement.” She’s absolutely right. Coming from a global conference, to me, the next level looks more local. Our leaders can and must take bolder action but we have to do even more at home to show them exactly what that action looks like. Here’s to the next steps for our communities, the ones to scale the movement and to give our leaders no room to budge.

Heather Box and Jayme Montgomery on Davey D’s Hard Knock Radio

Check out this interview about COP15 and the talks in Copenhagen, aired on 12/17/2009 on Davey D’s Hard Knock Radio. Jayme and Heather talk about the mood of the conference as well as some of the intense protests they saw. Hard Knock Radio airs every day at 4PM on KPFA: check out the page for the show here!

Also, check out this clip from Heather, interviewed on 12/18/2009 on the KPFA Morning Show:

Heather Box on the KPFA Morning Show – 12/18/09

Heather talks about the general atmosphere in Copenhagen and the mood after President Obama’s speech about the climate negotiations. The KPFA Morning Show airs every weekday at 7:00 AM Pacific time on KPFA: check out the page for the show here!

This message comes from Josh Lynch, an organizer with AVAAZ Action Factory:

Friends -

On Tuesday morning I posted this note on facebook:
“If you could see what is happening here in Copenhagen you would be outraged. After two decades of negotiating climate change policy to death, wealthy countries are blocking a real deal with weak targets and loopholes. The next 72 hours I will need you to act to seize the moment of Copenhagen. Please be prepared to act.”

Now is the time to act. First I will ask for what is needed. Then I will explain some context.

1. This is going to sound crazy. I need as many of you who possibly can to organize a sit-in in your Senator’s office to read 12 millions names of global voices demanding a fair, ambitious, and
legally-binding climate treaty in Copenhagen. The first sit-in of this kind was a nine-hour act of civil disobedience by 19 international youth outside the main plenary in Copenhagen. This sparked solidarity reader sit-ins at the Canadian Prime Minister’s office and the U.S.
State Department on Thursday. On Friday youth are calling for a non-violent civil disobedience to demand a fair, ambitious, and binding climate treaty on the final day.

Here is a guide to help you pull it off:
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/12/17/solidarity-sit-ins-spread-resources-for-your-own-event/

The original story:
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/12/17/live-blog-youth-activists-refuse-to-leave-before-everyones-voices-are-heard/

2. Call President Obama (202-456-1111) to urge him to “support the call of the most vulnerable nations for a 350ppm carbon reduction target and a goal of keeping temperatures below 1.5 degrees celsius in the global climate treaty.” This has been a critical demand of vulnerable nations in Copenhagen fighting for their survival.

That’s it. Now some context as promised.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL MOMENT
These are no ordinary times. The moment to tackle climate change on a global scale was twelve years ago. The US opted out of Kyoto and has since fought for business as usual while the planet remains in desperate need of a heart transplant and the worlds’ poor face increasing famine, flooding, and disease. In this unique moment, world leaders must act.

More than 100 heads of state are now in Copenhagen. It has already become a transformational political moment for the climate movement. Everyone is talking about the backlash for Danish police to peaceful demonstrations and the preemptive move by the UN to kick out 14,700 members of civil society before the high level summit on the final two days. What’s even more important than the silencing of our voices in Copenhagen is the fact that President Obama and the U.S. Congress have yet to listen to the voices of millions of their own citizens and those around the world calling for an ambitious, fair, and binding global climate treaty now. I can tell you from being in the belly of the beast – our voices WILL be heard.

RICH AND POOR: OUR FATES ARE BOUND TOGETHER
Small island nations, Africa, and developing countries that are least responsible for global warming pollution have shown the most leadership and courage for a fair, ambitious, and binding treaty in Copenhagen. They have worked without office space out of small booths
with NGOs, and withstood intimidation and isolation from wealthy countries throughout COP15. All of us who live in the U.S. and other wealthy nations must know that our fates are all bound to theirs. Experts warn that if we allow warming to reach 2 degrees celsius, the rich may build levees to hold back the seas for a while, but resource conflicts will escalate, crops will fail, and diseases will spread in every corner of the planet. As Africa burns and the people of Tuvalu and the Maldives are forced to evacuate their islands, the planet will reach climate tipping points that put the future of all humanity at risk.

STEPS FORWARD TODAY
The COP15 climate talks have stalled these past ten days over and over again on the issue of low ambitions from the US and other wealthy countries and the issue of ensuring the treaty is legally-binding. Today there was finally movement on both fronts. First, Hillary Clinton arrived and shocked many by supporting a global finance target for developing countries of $100 billion/year by 2020, conditional on strong measures to ensure transparency in the use of the funds. Afterwards, China came out and supported some steps to allow transparency of climate finance reporting, an issue they had previously stood steadfast against for sovereignty concerns.

There now does seem like there could be a reasonably ambitious deal in Copenhagen. We are still more likely to end up in a collapse or delay scenario, I am hearing. Regardless, countries will need to return in 6-12 months to finish the details of the agreement. The problem with even the optimistic end of the current scenario is that ‘close enough’ doesn’t cut it on climate change. If carbon emissions are slashed, but not enough to prevent the Greenland ice shelf from melting, sea levels are expected to rise by six feet – with devastating consequences for coastal cities like New York, London, Amsterdam, and hundreds more.

THE REAL STORY OF COPENHAGEN
There is so much hope and possibility amidst the crisis of Copenhagen. A global movement is growing up here. Simple solutions that create jobs for people living in daily poverty are gaining global attention. The world’s most vulnerable are finally gaining the attention of world leaders – if not with actions, at least with words. What gives me hope is the resolve of people living in crisis who I’ve met here in Copenhagen. People in our group have talked to people from Lebanon, Israel, and Sudan who have lived with conflict their whole lives, but have come here because of climate change and a solidarity they feel with others around the world ready to do something about it.

I hope that you will act with me today and hold President Obama accountable to restoring global good will and reaching a real deal in Copenhagen. Further, I hope the stories of what has happened here these past two weeks and for me, four weeks before that, will leave you inspired rather than discouraged. Struggle is to be expected when something really matters. It is the only way change is possible.

With love and conviction,
Josh

Follow all of Jayme’s and Marcia’s copenhagen coverage at http://youngvoter.org/cop15

Fasting today and my stomach hurts. Not because of fasting but because if we don’t get a deal, we should not have children. It is a matter of survival.

Heard yesterday that the negotiations are going to go at least through the weekend. We HAVE to keep on pushing! Contact your Congress person NOW!

~Marcia Lee

I really don’t like to miss meals i.e. fast. But when we, meaning the U.S., are making a conscious decision to not take all the steps to stop global climate change I have NO CHOICE but to turn my fork down. Join the movement before it really is too late.

~Jayme Montgomery-Baker

From the folks at Climate Justice Fast…

We, the participants of Climate Justice Fast!, are undertaking our international hunger strike in order to call upon world leaders – and all people, everywhere – to act with courage and good faith for our common, global good, by implementing the most rapid possible transition to stabilise atmospheric greenhouse gases below 350ppm CO2-e, and by committing to deliver justice for the global poor and future generations – who are the least responsible for causing climate change, yet who suffer the most from its effects.

Climate Justice for the poor and for future generations can be delivered by funding climate adaptation and mitigation activities in
developing nations with at least US$195 billion per year; by reducing and rejecting over-consumption, wherever it exists, and by phasing out both deforestation and fossil fuels completely – starting with the elimination of developed countries’ fossil fuel subsidies, shifting them
 wholly to renewable energy and international climate finance.

We urge all people, everywhere, to make a commitment to join the movement for climate justice, and to not to give up until we succeed in these demands being met.

Fasting today and my stomach hurts. Not because of fasting but because if we don’t get a deal, we should not have children. It is a matter of survival.

Follow all of Marcia’s copenhagen coverage at http://youngvoter.org/cop15

Hi! My name is Marcia Lee and I am a volunteer of the Wisconsin affiliate of The League of Young Voters and Education Fund. I have been on location in Copenhagen since last Monday and will be providing some information on what has been happening inside the center where the officials have been meeting to negotiate a treaty and basic feedback on the last couple of weeks. Please comment and let me know if you have specific questions and I will do my best to answer! I’ll start with the basics

1) Why is this meeting called COP15?

The conference is not called COP15 because it is based in Copenhagen. COP actually stands for Conference of Parties and the number 15 follows because this is the 15th year that these meetings have been happening. In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly decided to work on climate change and the first meeting occurred in 1995 in Berlin.

2) What is the purpose of this meeting?

According to the official COP-15 website, “The overall goal for the 2009 (COP15) United Nations Climate Change Conference hosted by Denmark is to establish an ambitious global climate agreement for the period from 2012.”

This meeting between the highest environmental ministers in the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) is supposed to decide how we will move forward as a globe to address climate change in light of the fact that the Kyoto Protocol is supposed to expire in 2012.

3) What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol was the only document on climate change that was agreed upon as legally binding guidelines (countries that have agreed to the guidelines have to follow through according to international law). The guidelines are aimed to reduce four greenhouse gases that impact the ozone layer that protects us from the sun. The agreement was made in 1997 and formally ratified in 2005 when a certain number of countries signed on.

4) What has the U.S. done to apply the Kyoto Protocol?

The U.S. has not done anything. Our government rejected the Kyoto Protocol and is also one of the greatest hindrances to a deal in this negotiation.

5) Why is this meeting such a big deal if they have been meeting for 15 years?

This conference is a big deal because there are over 150 heads of states that are gathering today and tomorrow to work on coming to an agreement. This is very important because the heads of states for most countries have the ultimate power to make decisions for the country. It is a bit more complicated in the U.S. because we have to get approval from the Senate and House as well. But if President Obama does agree to something, it will have much more weight than if a representative for the U.S. did.

Follow all of Heather’s copenhagen coverage at http://youngvoter.org/cop15

“When Kim Nguyen, 28-year-old social worker, left his homeland of Australia in August of 2008, he thought of climate change as an abstract subject that was occasionally discussed on the evening news and something that politicians argued about. But Nguyen always sensed there was a bigger story out there.

So in the lead up to the United Nations (UN) Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen, Nguyen set out on a sixteen-month bike ride through 22 countries between his hometown of Brisbane, Australia and Copenhagen, Denmark to hear firsthand the story of climate change and it’s effects throughout the world…”

Continue reading the full article by Heather Box over at Huffington Post!

Stay tuned here at 99Problems.org for more updates from the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference!

Follow all of Jayme’s copenhagen coverage at http://youngvoter.org/cop15

Cold, Snowing, 100′s of police, 1000′s of marchers, banners, Amerie on the radio…

Angry, frustrated, trains shut down, young, old, global climate movement.

All words used to describe my experience at the Reclaim Power protest. While folks in the U.S. were safely tucked in their beds, thousands of young people from around the world gathered in the streets of Copenhagen to demand access to the Bella (convention) Center. To demand real policies that will reverse climate change and save planet earth.

It saddened me to see a man, eyes fire-red from being peppered sprayed, snot hanging from his nose, talking about how all he wanted was to have his voice heard. It was at that moment that reality set in. There are millions of people around the world already suffering from climate change. Their frustration is not unlike the thousands of displaced workers in Milwaukee looking for something to put them back to work. These protesters were just trying to express what they know to be right, but don’t have access to do so.

From my viewpoint, the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Global warming, increasing unemployment, and escalating wars all the while people around the world are crying, “enough!” And our leaders can’t let go long enough to listen and figure out a way to push the stop button. This, like so many other similar experiences, come down to the same thing…POWER.

No matter how disempowered I might feel right now, I will be up tomorrow to do it all again.

League of Young Voters Education Fund members, Jayme Montgomery,
Christina Polcari and Courtney Hull on the streets of Copenhagen
discussing the protest they will attend on the morning of December 16,
2009 – follow their trip at http://youngvoter.org/cop15

“There is a big protest in COP tomorrow morning – delegates will walk
out of convention to join thousands in the streets (esp 20,000
people). People are really pissed here because it doesn’t look like
we will have a bold agreement that all countries agree on by the end
of the week. We will be at the protest tomorrow to report!” – Heather
Box

Check the video after the jump!

Heather and Jayme interviewed by Current TV

The League of Young Voters Education Fund is on the scene in Denmark! It was inspiring to fly all the way across the world last night only to disembark from the plane and see dozens of familiar faces walking through the streets of beautiful Copenhagen. Some good friends, some co-workers, some acquaintances; all allies, but the quality they had in common was a visible, tangible feeling of exhaustion. As I jumped up and down in the streets of Denmark, taking in the experience and excited to connect with the people I knew to find out where I should be in the AM to get the best story I was stopped in my tracks by their warnings:

“Heather, lower your expectations. It seems like the decision to make no decision is already set.”

It’s stunning, honestly. So I am in search of the silver lining – the good news from Copenhagen – which I know is here, I just haven’t found it yet. A group of international youth sitting next to me right now are discussing the need for the United States Senate to mandate action in order to make the US move in Copenhagen. They are talking tactics for pressuring Congress. Many people are considering an international push on the US Senate; district by district pressure in the States, massive global direct action … I wish I could jump in the conversation with the answer but there are still so many questions.

What I can say with confidence is that we need to fight the exhaustion and keep pushing our elected officials. We don’t have time for exhaustion, only for action. We need to join the small nations, the independent voices, who are crying out for true change, for diplomacy and equal treatment.

Off to join the conversation – will send updates soon. Less than 24 hours on the ground and it’s a different world…

What’s the view from America?