Ari Lampinen

Strömstad Academy at Copenhagen climate conference

Strömstad Academy was granted an observer organization status at the United Nations climate conference held in Copenhagen 7-19 December 2010 as a member of the RINGO (Research and Independent Non-governmental Organizations) constituency.   I took part of the conference for the whole of its duration and Lars Broman attended the conference for one day.

The role of Strömstad Academy was to lobby for increasing use of existing solutions to the climate change problem, especially the abundant technical and political options to replace fossil fuels by renewable energy sources. The observer status enabled us to interact with members of national delegations as well as intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations.  Spreading of information took place via personal communication and via seminars and other events. Specific negotiation related targets were to

·         enable strong emission reduction commitments of industrial countries for the 2^nd and 3^rd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (QELROs),

·         enable easy use of small scale renewable energy technologies in the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol (CDM), and

·         enable use of renewable energy targets within Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions as the legally binding commitments of developing countries under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol (NAMAs).

In all of these negotiation tracks knowledge of readily available technical and political solutions is crucial, especially since misinformation and even disinformation of the solutions are still being actively lobbied to the negotiators and their governments causing both hesitation and resistance to implement effective international and national climate change combating policies.

The Copenhagen conference was a failure, since none of the main negotiation tracks were finished. But on the other hand, it was a success, since no weak agreement was reached and since all the important negotiation tracks are still alive. Overall, the outcome of the negotiations cannot yet be judged. The Copenhagen Accord solved the largest obstacle (the US/China/India negotiation block) to global treaty including legally binding quantitative emission reduction or limitation commitments for both industrial and developing countries. The negotiation table still contains very strong commitment options for both industrial and developing countries. If these good options can be agreed to in the forthcoming climate conference in Mexico City in December 2010, the world will go very long way towards solving the climate crises.