CLIMATE CHANGE: "We're Not Finished Yet," Civil Society Warns - IPS ipsnews.net

The COP15 outcomes remain open for interpretation, and after the weekend has passed, positions are clarifying. CLIMATE CHANGE: "We're Not Finished Yet," Civil Society Warns - IPS ipsnews.net
"... the fact that negotiators at the Bella Center were unable to reach an agreement even within their own conception of how to address climate change is proof that it is a failed model. That's why it is very important to go forward and tell a different story of what happened here in Copenhagen. That story must be that their model reveals itself to be a spectacular failure even according to its own terms," Canadian journalist and researcher Naomi Klein said. "And because their model failed, it's our turn now. So don't allow yourselves to get depressed," she added.

Meanwhile NZ PM John Key has returned home and ecided there was a little good in the effort after all (remember, he had not wanted to go until days before the event because he had expected it to be a waste of time all along). PM: Climate accord process must change

Photo: Britain's Ed Miliband saved a deal he admits is 'by no means perfect'. / AP

Shrink

Britain's Ed Miliband saved a deal he admits is 'by no means perfect'. Photo / AP

The deal finally hammered out had been expected to commit countries to deep cuts in carbon emissions. In the end, it fell short.
Instead, a draft agreement put forward by China - and backed by Brazil, India and African nations - commits the world to the broad ambition of preventing global temperatures from rising above 2C.
Yesterday some delegates openly attacked China.Asked who was to blame for blocking the introduction of controlled emissions, the director-general of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Lars-Erik Liljelund, replied: "China. China doesn't like numbers."
This was a huge step on from our work in Kyoto


John Prescott is more realistic about the outcome, given that his predictions hagve come true.

'The "test" for many journalists and NGOs was whether there'd be a legal agreement, which was never a possibility, just as we didn't get one at Kyoto. No. The real headline is that Copenhagen has become the first global agreement on climate change.'
Ed Miliband agrees, but is candid about where the problem. The road from Copenhagen

The talks were chaotic, at times farcical. But in the accord there were real gains we can build upon.
"this is one of the straws in the wind for the future: the old order of developed versus developing has been replaced by more interesting alliances." says Miliband.

More:

The BBC offers a more clear-cut analysis: Climate deal: Key issues

Copenhagen deal underwhelms politicians, scientists

National Business Review - ‎The deal reached at global climate change talks in Copenhagen has disappointed politicians and scientists worldwide, while reaction has been mixed in New Zealand.

Chair of Group of Developing Nations Makes Angry Plea to Obama After Copenhagen

Press conference with Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, the chairman of the G-77 group of developing countries at Copenhagen.

Copenhagen summit: China's quiet satisfaction at tough tactics and goalless draw

20 Dec 2009: Foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, describes outcome as 'significant and positive' despite accusations China had systematically wrecked the negotiating process.

A great step forward: Obama's verdict on climate change pact

20 Dec 2009: Talks an 'important breakthrough' says US president but decried as a waste of paper by critics on both sides of the debate.

In the end, maybe the NZ Youth Delegation offers the best interpretation available, writing from Copenhagen Sunday 20 December:
"Hope"nhagen? Or "Flop"enhagen?

On Saturday we made an urgent call for people to contact John Key tellikng him the Copenhagen Accord was insufficient.
Now, with the conference ended, the Copenhagen Accord is the only result. Many NGO's are incensed, some countries refused to accept it and news media are calling the conference a flop (see here) This Accord is not binding, so countries may choose whether or not they adopt it. Further, it sets no targets for how much countries need to reduce their emissions. It was produced by back-room negotiations, and provoked outrage from some countries - Sudan went as far as to make references to the Holocaust.
In the words of our youth delegate, Kirk Serpes "Voluntary reductions are like voluntary taxes."
However, we at NZYD still have some "Hope"enhagen. We have seen millions of people mobilised the world over. As we speak, NGO's world wide are launching a campaign reminding leaders that "We are not done yet." Most importantly, we saw a real desire from politicians to take action. 192 countries will always have difficulty  agreeing, but in Copenhagen we saw genuine disappointment when the talks failed. Governments wanted a positive result, and that desire will be built on in the coming months.