Green Energy Republic

Blog review of the year

As we say goodbye to 2009 and welcome in 2010, here are some of our blogging highlights from the past year.
 

 2009 got off to a great start when Good Energy announced a market-leading price cut -- swiftly followed by another cut in April – which meant our customers benefited from a total price reduction of 15% during the year.
 

Good Energy and our customers got on board with some great campaigns during the year.  Earth Hour was a global campaign led by WWF asking people to switch off their power for an hour to highlight the importance of saving energy in tackling climate change. The competition on our sister blog on Good Energy Shop attracted some great suggestions for how to spend your hour in the dark.
 

 But the big one was 10:10 the brainchild of Age of Stupid’s Franny Armstrong, asking people to make a simple pledge to cut their emissions by 10% in 2010. Not only has it attracted loads of support from eco-minded individuals, but businesses, councils and MPs have all signed up in droves. For Good Energy customers who are already on zero-carbon electricity and who use 10% less than average, the 10:10 pledge is a big ask – but we’re delighted that hundreds of you have signed up already and we’ll be helping you meet your commitment throughout 2010. 
 

This year also saw some key policy initiatives which should help renewables grow. The government announced that from April 2010 it would be introducing a feed-in tariff to boost microgeneration – something Good Energy has been doing for years with our HomeGen scheme. We published our own research paper on feed-in tariffs in March .The government’s still working out the details of its plan, but our view on how it should work can be seen here.
 

 We’ve seen massive growth in interest in microgeneration here at Good Energy: our community of green energy entrepreneurs passed the 1000 mark during 2009 and we’re confident that momentum will continue to build during 2010 as more people realise that not only is it good for the planet but it can be good for your pocket too.
 

A national strategy to implement smart meters in all UK homes also moved forward during the year – Good Energy has been trialling these with some of our key customers and we’ll keep you updated as things progress.
 

There was good and bad news in the world of renewables. Spain kept on breaking its own records for generating electricity from wind – with more than half its energy coming from wind on one particularly windy day in November.  But despite a hard-fought campaign to keep the only UK manufacturing base for wind turbines open, it was the end of the line for Vestas’  Isle of Wight factory. Carbon capture and storage technology was put forward as a panacea to the emissions problem – and then discredited on cost and feasibility grounds. However some exciting new R&D announcements did raise hopes that the next decade will see some technological leaps forward for clean energy and climate change strategies - from cloud ships to artificial trees.
 

 Much of the year was spent building up to the Copenhagen summit. Good Energy led a group of SouthWest businesses in writing a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown - and although we got one of the things we wanted – Barack Obama’s participation in the talks – it turned out not to be enough to achieve the strong agreement we’d hoped to see. We joined 50,000 others marching at The Wave, sponsoring free bus travel for other local climate change campaigners, and as the summit ground on we had a great insider’s view from our guest bloggers in Copenhagen, Kim and Anya.
 

Although the outcome disappointed many, Good Energy’s view is that no deal at Copenhagen is better than a bad deal. Countries which decide to convert to a low carbon economy will have a future technological and economic advantage over those that don't, and we are in for exciting times. Let’s hope that the UK doesn't get left behind and we grasp these exciting new green investment opportunities -- especially as small wind, tidal and wave power are all still up for grabs. As one of the few countries with legally binding emission cuts targets, the UK will rely even more now on the actions of individuals – like Good Energy customers -  to help achieve those cuts.
 

 But we don’t want to end the year on a low note, so finally let’s remember some of the fun stuff. Our Power from the People event  at our wind farm in Delabole was a huge success and stimulated loads of interest from the energy entrepreneurs of the future. We had a great time helping  River Cottage with its sustainability and NEF’s Festival of Interdependence was another high point.
 

Last but not least – the end of 2009 saw Good Energy celebrating our 10th birthday. That’s a decade of leading the way in green electricity in the UK, helping our customers save over 300,000 tonnes of CO2, something of which we are truly proud.  We’re marking it with a fantastic competition and there’s still time to enter here: And we’ve many more exciting plans to help grow renewables during the next decade – so keep up to date with them here.
 

A very Happy New Year to all our readers from the team at Green Energy Republic.

A letter from the Green Pole

By Father Christmas...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8426269.stm

"Environmentalists Felix Dodds and Michael Strauss use this week's Green Room to pass on a message from a seasonal contributor. They write: "Though he usually prefers to act anonymously, he has been rumoured to be active in many different countries under various personae that include Father Christmas, Pere Noel, and San Nicolas."

Wishing all our readers a festive and low-energy Christmas and a sustainable and renewable new Year. We have a VERY exciting 2010 lined up so watch this space...

Green Energy Republic

Copenhagen: the finale

It’s time for the final blog in our Copenhagen series, and for this last report both our guest-bloggers will be giving us their thoughts on the past two weeks. Anya reports from the last days of the conference whilst, back home in South Africa, Kim reflects on the impact of the COP15 outside Denmark…

Closing notes from Copenhagen

by Anya Boyd for Green Energy Republic

NGO side:- Two large screens were put up in the Klimaforum so that those who couldn’t get in to the Bella Center were able to watch live-streaming of the final plenary sessions going on inside.

- Lack of Chinese and African representatives noticed at the Klimaforum. When asked about why there were no Chinese grassroots representations, a spokeswoman said," We honestly don’t know. We tried to reach Chinese groups in every way we could via official Chinese government channels […] We would love to have ordinary Chinese people here. China is crucial to ALL efforts to implement any global ecological solutions."

Nitty Gritty: - Apparently, Obama was due to be in Copenhagen for the conference for all of nine hours before flying off to a holiday in Hawaii…

- In his speech to the assembled leaders, Obama said: "We are running short on time. We are ready to get this done today, but there has to be movement on all sides." And yet he arrived in Copenhagen with no new proposal from the U.S. side
(From yahoo news)

- The U.S. commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses mirrors legislation before Congress. It calls for a 17 percent reduction from 2005 levels by 2020 — the equivalent of 3 percent to 4 percent from the more commonly used baseline of 1990 levels. That is far less than the offers from the European Union, Japan and Russia.

-A 'Copenhagen Accord' was eventually agreed upon and the motion passed in the early hours of Saturday. This text, which is just over two pages long, 'recognises' the scientific evidence stating that a 2C reduction is needed to prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change. There are no concrete steps on how the 2C will be achieved. The 80% emission reduction by 2020 has been taken out.
Further key points (www.unfccc.int):

- A commitment has been made to list developed country emission reduction targets and mitigation action by developing countries for 2020;
-USD 30 billion in short-term funding allocated for immediate action until 2012 and USD 100 billion annually by 2020 in long-term financing; and
- Mechanisms implemented to support technology transfer and forestry.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon told journalists, "Finally, we sealed the deal." He said this was an "essential beginning" but the agreement must be made legally binding next year. To be accepted as an official U.N. agreement, the deal needs to be endorsed by all 193 nations at the talks. However, many countries are already irritated that they were left out of last minute negotiations.

Read more

So, what’s the verdict? Well, while commentators like George Monbiot remain unenthusiastic, I am optimistic that this Accord is at least a first step in the right direction.

In terms of a civilian actually 'participating' in a COP, this COP15 has been somewhat disappointing – mainly due to the utter shambles of the logistics – too many delegates invited for too few places. However, being in Copenhagen as the negotiations took place it was a great experience - the side events, the Klimaforum, the displays across the city. I found it fascinating to be more exposed to climate change activists. I realise that when used in the right way, the public voice is a very strong and important force to be reckoned with.

In terms of the actual 'deal' - well that’s a tricky one to comment on as there are such a huge number of interests that need to be satisfied. It’s mind-boggling to think how this will actually be achieved. What is sad though, as George Monbiot emphasises, is that countries aren’t seeing this 'climate crisis' as a competetive opportunity to challenge each other and take an innovative lead - whether it be through  national incentives, high emission targets, technology applications or  adaptation measures.

--------------

A view from outside

by Kim Coetzee for Green Energy Republic

Having been back in South Africa for a week, this time watching the COP from afar like everyone else, I'm more depressed than ever by the lack of penetration that climate change has made into the general public discourse in South Africa.In my first blog I wrote that the COP at the Bella Center was like a small self-contained city, but now I think a more apt metaphor would be that of a space ship. Delegates, ministers and leaders crowd together in a self-contained bubble structure to hammer out a deal that affects us all, without the true inconvenience of having to really grapple with the daily struggle faced by ordinary people as climate change wreaks havoc on the natural world. Those in power, particularly from industrialised nations, are cocooned and protected from the vagaries of the weather by heating, air-conditioning, water in bottles. Perhaps it’s easier to live with yourself for making this ‘non-deal’ when your life is relatively removed from nature. I think the so-called leaders of the world have, by and large, ended up depriving its people of a fair chance of long-term survival by proving to be seriously unable to LEAD.  Which leads me to agree with John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, who said that: "[I]t is now evident that beating global warming will require a radically different model of politics than the one on display here in Copenhagen".

For me, this all highlights one of the fundamental problems facing the worldwide effort to mobilise people: essentially, we have a 'product' that ordinary people in western, industrialised nations just don't want to 'buy'. We have to sell the unpopular idea that large-scale changes to our (and I include myself here) way of life are necessary. It’s very telling that on Thursday, the penultimate day of Copenhagen, the top news story was the good news that everyone can fly BA over the Christmas period and not the climate conference.

So, as much as I berate the leaders in Copenhagen for failing to lead (and spectacularly so, I'd add) I have to agree with Guardian writer Polly Toynbee who wrote that, whilst many leaders understand the problem better than the people they represent, they also know that the path they need to forge will require much more sacrifice than their citizens are willing or ready to accept. Not only is it an unpopular idea in theory, but what it actually means on a day-to-day basis is still, I think, a fuzzy concept for most people.

That’s why I think this little book I was introduced to at the conference is great idea - http://thebiggerpicture2009.org/festival/ration-me-up. Ration Me Up is a ration book that shows you your fair share of the world’s resources, revealing just how simple it is to minimise your impact on the planet by reducing the amount of stuff you consume.  A brilliant idea, but one I don't expect to see Obama, Brown, Wen Jiabao or anyone from the EU supporting any time soon - what a shame.

#COP 15: A story for Xmas

 

By Chris Welby, Good Energy’s Commercial Director

All over the world, turkeys have begun to understand that Christmas is not good for them.  Of course a few still believe in Father Christmas and insist that Christmas is a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented, but the general view is that Christmas should be abolished.

To solve the problem, the worldwide federation of turkeys met up in “Gobblehagen” to agree to abolish Christmas.  This two-week meeting spent the first week decided on which Christmas should be prevented first, with a majority arguing for the traditional western Christmas of 25th December being the highest priority, although turkeys from other countries felt that their Christmas should be tackled first.  The turkey from the US, however, refused to budge on any Christmas until Thanksgiving was deemed a pseudo Christmas.

The second week recognised that an abolished Christmas would result in fewer turkeys and, as such, everybody felt the US should surrender most of its turkey rights, although the US thought China, as an up-and-coming turkey nation, should prevent turkey growth first.
After two weeks of arguing and gobbling, the world turkey leaders arrived to agree that they were still committed to abolishing Christmas and would continue to work on a plan…starting December the 26th.

Solar case study: John Rhodes

John Rhodes in Bedfordshire is harnessing the sun's power and turning it into his own green electricity.

John is an old hand at solar generation - he's had a solar thermal system on his roof for the past five years which takes care of about 75% of his annual hot water needs. One of the first to join Good Energy's HotROCs scheme - which is funded by Good Energy Gas customers - he earns about £86 a year from us for the heat he generates, as well as saving money on heating his hot water.

John was so pleased with the performance of his solar thermals that he's gone a step further, and had a 10-panel 1.8 kWp Solar PV system installed on his roof, so he can start generating clean, green electricity.

"We try and follow a green lifestyle," John explains. "We do a lot of recycling and have a rainwater harvesting system for flushing toilets. I've always wanted solar PV, and when I saw it was available from the Good Energy Shop and Sundog for a good price, around £10,000, I decided to go ahead."

With interest rates at rock bottom, the attractions of solar PV are not only ecological but also financial. As a customer of Good Energy's HomeGen scheme, he'll earn 15p per kWh he generates, the highest rate in the market. John says, "At the moment, it's better to have your money on the roof than in the bank."

To find out how you can start the journey to generating your own energy, visit our new website www.generateyourown.co.uk

 

To merge or not to merge?

 

As snowfall hit Copenhagen, the cityscape became a winter wonderland. Inside the Bella Center negotiators are burning the candle at both ends as many sessions are being delayed. Those due to start at 7pm start at 5am, and 1pm sessions are being delayed until 10pm.

Unfortunately, the snow is also causing problems, as public transport and taxis grind to a halt. I overheard one woman from Namibia enquiring how she could get to the airport: “Sorry madam, the taxis, trains and buses are really struggling today.” This can leave a sour taste for those who not only couldn’t get into the Center, but now can’t get out of the city and start their journey home!

Back to the nitty gritty. The opening line of the NGO daily briefing was: 'The UN is violating its own laws and going against the Geneva Convention’ by excluding civil voices. This is in reference to that fact that so many big NGOs are being banned from the conference – a decision apparently made by the UN, not the Danish Government. 

The news from inside the negotiations was that 'Blame Game' tactics are being applied - developed countries blaming developing countries for stalling the process with their demands, and developing countries criticising the developed countries for trying to buy them out. An example is Ethiopia whose prime minister is agreeing to offers of 100 billion euros from the UK & EU, when official estimates say USD500-600 billion is required. This came as a surprise to the rest of The Africa Group, which is asking for ‘fast-start’ financing of USD$400 Billion by 2012 and a long term commitment of 5% of developed countries’ GDP. South Africa’s Jacob Zuma arrived today to have words!

Discussions on the two tracks continue: to merge, or not to merge? 

The Kyoto Protocol track would require developed countries to continue taking on reduction commitments under the Kyoto agreement.  As the first phase of the Protocol comes to an end, part of the negotiation under this track focuses on defining the timeframe for the next phase. It will run from 2013 but until when? 2020? 2050? Nobody knows. There is also much number trickery going on when it comes to choosing the baseline years to which the emission reductions will be compared. Most countries are working against 1990 levels, whereas the US is going for 2005 - this is a higher and therefore more favourable level of emissions to use for their baseline. 

Under the LCA (Long-term Cooperative Action) track, developed countries are meant to be deciding on actions on issues such as Finance, Technology and REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). Developing countries want a revision of the Kyoto Protocol - i.e. clear mitigation targets from developed countries, before the LCA text gets decided upon.  

Developed countries want to merge the two tracks, and rumour has it that the Danish prime minister took over the position of COP chair because he wants to collapse the two tracks. The USA and other developed countries want to promote the idea of a bottom-up approach, with domestic action from individuals being the driver regardless of science or climate justice. This system, based on domestic action, is sometimes referred to as 'pledge and review' and ‘show and tell’.

It has become somewhat of a stalemate inside.

Anyway fear not, yesterday I spotted a gold bling trailer parked in the centre of town offering daily casting sessions for the role of Brad Pitt in a movie about climate change. In big red writing on the side it says 'BRAD PITT IS HERE TO SAVE THE PLANET'. Now we can sleep easy. It will all be dandy...

Anya Boyd for Green Energy Republic

#COP15: Danish Police violence grows

 

 

Where to start?! Fresh out of the NGO daily briefing session and there’s lots to report on: from the streets came details of today’s demonstrations and brutal police intervention and the high-profile NGOs that have been refused entry to the Bella Center; from inside, news came of the of COP chair Connie Hedegaard’s resignation, and the increasing likelihood of the LCA text and Kyoto Protocol being merged.

 

I will, however, quickly start with disappointing news from a personal level: '3' was sadly not the magic number for me, as a 5am alarm call, trundling off in the snow dressed like the Michelin man was, for the third time, in vain. Today, not only was the NGO delegate quota capped at 7,000 again, but entry was also restricted to delegates who had managed to register on previous days. This meant that many were literally left outside in the cold with not even a glimpse of the negotiation hub which they had travelled so far to see. Various well-known NGOs such as our good partner Friends of the Earth were also banned from entering.

Apparently even if you were able to enter the venue, it was difficult to attend events due to additional high level of security inside. Strange, as the speaker being protected was Desmond Tutu - not really someone climate activists have on their hate list..!

 

The level of aggravation caused by the fact that civil society is unable to participate in an international debate regarding its own planet is high to say the least. At least three peaceful demonstrations took place today. The largest was the Reclaim Power march that hoped to unite the 200-strong protesters inside the venue with the hundreds who were marching outside. The demonstration ended in police intervention: protesters were clubbed, tear gas and pepper spray were used, dogs were let loose, and arrests were made.

Another was a demonstration where 'finger tactics' (a three-pronged attack from different angles) was launched to actually raid the Bella Center. More arrests ensued. There were also the Bike Block and the Autonomous Action demonstrations, plus many other smaller ones. So far up to 400 people have been arrested, although the numbers aren’t confirmed. Let’s hope this doesn’t continue!

 

Now - back to the Klimaforum. Due to the fact that many were protesting, participation was thin on the ground in the early part of the day. Nevertheless, interesting projects were presented from across the globe. One that was 'soft launched' at the Bella Center yesterday (apparently the press focus is purely on ‘will there be a deal?',  therefore other project launches are going somewhat unnoticed) was a joint UNEP & UNFCCC 'Open Carbon Data Platform' which is an online database of international energy, climate and carbon data. It goes from providing climate data and emissions profiles for 192 member states all the way down to offering information on where you can buy a solar panel for your house. Check it out: www.lowcarboneconomy.com. 

 

A screening of 'The Age of Stupid' held a captive audience - I would recommend Good Energy customers take a look as it touches on the frustration of having such a strong anti-wind power movement in the UK. According to the movie, 80% of wind projects proposed are denied planning permission - these would’ve provided 10% of the UKs energy supply ... Much of the resistance is due to the fact that they apparently 'spoil the view'. One anti-wind campaigner was interviewed (after successfully preventing a new wind farm in Bedfordshire being built) saying "I do care about climate change. I really do." Classic...

Check out the Age of Stupid's TV channel - http://www.stupidshow.tv.

The movie also presented ideas (similar to the 'Kyoto 2' Proposal http://www.kyoto2.org/page29.html) on a global cap and trade system. In short, we decide on a cap for emissions by 2012 and by 2065 we have weaned ourselves off fossil fuels, whilst also having reached global climate equity along the way (ideally by 2035).

 

At a side event, the Swedes gave their national experience of CO2 taxation. They presented 10 guiding principles on how to effectively implement such taxation. A lively debate followed on where the tax should be applied - at extraction or consumption? Is cap and trade better than applying carbon taxes? Apparently these were bones of contention within the negotiating rooms.

 

From inside the Bella Center came the big news that at midday today the chair of the COP, Connie Hedegaard, resigned and is being replaced by Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. This is apparently because so many heads of state have showed up that they require higher level leadership, but surely there is more to the story than that? We always knew heads of state would be showing their mugs. 

Other disappointing news was that the LCA text and Kyoto Protocol are potentially merging - mainly on the negative aspects. Rather than encouraging the industrialised nations to mitigate, there is greater interest in increasing the planet’s carbon sequestration potential. The classification of 'what counts as reforestation?' for example has now been broadened. All in all the news is not great, and a lot of work has to be done in the next couple of days to improve some of these issues.

 

But it’s not all doom and gloom. On the way out, a visitor from India was having a whale of a time in the snow and asked me to take a picture of him - snow and a Christmas brass band in the background. It’s not all bad.

Anya Boyd of the Leverhulme Studentship for Green Energy Repbublic

Bikes, you're under arrest!

Apparently Brits are good at queueing, but day two of a 6am start and minus temperatures was a real test of character. Today the saga continued with many having queued yesterday for 12 hours before being rejected entry. But even in the long, chilly queues, where disappointment was evident, the dedication was admirable. Basically the Danish Government – hosting the COP15 – is now applying a quota for the number of observers entering the conference: 7,000 today and tomorrow, dwindling to 90 on Friday.

After regaining feeling in my frozen feet, the rejection from the Bella Center opened up the day to investigate other events happening in Copenhagen around the COP meeting. The Klimaforum (www.klimaforum09.org) is running a two week event in parallel with the COP with press briefings, seminars etc. It is very well attended as it is open to all and attracts speakers such as George Monbiot.

One session focused on the growing number of arrests happening around the city. The Danish police have started randomly searching people in the street, turning up undercover at NGO parties and arresting 'suspicious' activists. One incident occurred in a location where second hand bikes were being prepared for a 'Bike Block'. The police arrested not only those fixing the bikes, but apparently also the bikes! I’m not sure how that scenario went - 'Mr Bicycle, I'm afraid you’re under arrest for freewheeling your way through life. Come with me.' A large march is going to take place tomorrow around the Bella Center and the contact numbers for legal aid have been handed out 'just in case'...

The so-called 'Water Warriors' from the Italian Committee World Water Contract took to the stage to make their case that water is not at all addressed under the UNFCCC negotiations despite the fact that the displacement of water significantly affects climate change. Another session by Attac Germany focused on a new type of climate deal which raised issues such as 'if you’re not paying, you don’t care', playing on the 'polluter-pays' principle (the party responsible for the pollution is responsible for paying for the damage done to the natural environment).
 
Inside the Bella Center, talks were focusing very much on the two tracks of the negotiations - the LCA (Long-term Cooperative Action) and the Kyoto Protocol. The EU is keen to merge the two, whereas the developing countries are keen to hold onto the two-track approach because the Kyoto Protocol includes actual targets. Currently the two-track approach is still going ahead, but it is not clear how this will be implemented.

Following on from yesterday’s topic of inclusivity, even if a country does have access to those meetings behind closed doors it needs to have enough delegates to attend them. Take Sweden, a well-organised delegation of around 200 people, which is therefore able to ensure good representation at all technical and ministerial meetings. On the flip side, some developing countries only have a handful in their delegation which means they may miss out on key decision-making meetings.

There is also a rumour that we can hopefully confirm soon: the Africa Group has apparently agreed on a new common position which would mean 44% emission cuts by 2020, on the condition that $400 billion in financing is provided by industrialised nations.
Another rumour is that the Ethiopian Prime Minister has been in discussions with the French PM about accepting a 2 degree stabilisation target. Other African countries are not happy with this, though, as they believe a 2 degree stabilisation globally is 'climate genocide' for Africa, as it really means 3 degrees for most of the African continent.

Time for bed, as it’s another 6am start for a third and final attempt to get inside the Teletubby land of the Bella Center. Third time lucky as they say....

Anya Boyd for Green Energy Republic

Green Christmas: Eco-Christmas trees

By Jodie, Good Energy
 

 The build-up to Christmas is now in full swing. I’ve bought my Christmas cards – inspired by Sophy’s Christmas card blog – and now I’m turning my attention to the Christmas tree. I know that the most hardened environmentalist would go for no Christmas tree at all, but old festive habits die hard and luckily there are some eco-friendly options available to those of us who can’t quite break with our Christmas tradition.  

By far the best Christmas tree is one from your own garden. You may not yet have a selection to choose from, but if you plan well now, next year you’ll have a very local, organic fir tree to decorate! 
 

Buy a local, organically grown tree with roots so you can keep it after it’s fulfilled its festive duty and nurture it for Christmas 2010. Look for trees that are FSC-approved (to ensure that the forests they’ve come from are sustainably managed) and check out your local farmers, as they often have trees for sale and you can investigate how they grow them. If you want to use your tree again next year the best option is to keep it potted outside.
 

Otherwise, replant it. If you’re not especially green-fingered don’t worry too much – even my Dad managed to grow a line of fir trees in our back garden – and the BBC has some good tips on looking after your tree:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_xmastree.shtml
 

If you’re buying a cut tree, again make sure it’s FSC-approved, local and organically grown if possible, and remember to plan for its disposal. If you can’t compost it at home, lots of local authorities offer a garden waste collection service and have household recycling centres where you can drop your tree off for mulching – check out your local council website for details.
 

If you’re really not up for replanting or recycling, why not leave the work to someone else and rent a Christmas tree? The Christmas Tree Man  will deliver your chosen tree anywhere in England and Wales (using a green courier service where possible), and will replant it after Christmas. You can even label it so you can get the same one next year!

Do all you can to avoid a pretend tree. Though many try to claim that plastic trees are an eco-alternative because they’re reusable, most people only use them a few times before dumping them for a nicer-looking new one. The old ‘trees’, after probably having been made and shipped from abroad anyway, go straight into landfill.
 

Finally, don’t let your decorations let your carefully-chosen tree down. The Good Energy Shop has some brilliant solar-powered fairy lights which have been tried and tested by our team. There are also loads of websites out there with great advice on recycled and eco-friendly tree decorations, including The Guardian.

Green Energy Republic 

Frustration Friday.... Frustration Saturday, and Frustration Monday

 

I feel like a fraud writing this blog from outside the Bella Center rather than reporting 'on the ground' - but this is not out of choice. Today’s queues for registration exceeded a four hours in minus 2 degrees, and even once you’d risked losing your extremities to frostbite it still wasn’t possible to get in...The cause for this backlog is still undetermined - rumours were either 'systems down' or security issues related to Gordon and Barack’s arrival this week. 

Even if we had managed to get in, most of the Monday’s meetings were stalled due to protests from a union of developing countries not happy with emissions reduction targets for rich nations. Campaigners supported by echoing around the centre “We stand with Africa - Kyoto targets now"

Dangerous cows

So that was Frustration Monday. Rewind to Saturday, where the 17,000-strong rally of activists from across the world ended with nearly 1,000 people getting arrested, and mayhem ensued.  I’m pretty sure that wasn't where the focus of the rally was meant to be. From all reports it certainly doesn't sound like the protest got out of control, and there’s anger at the Danish police for over reacting - according to a Guardian article one participant reported "Two of my friends are in there. The police said demonstrators had been throwing stones, but my friends were in a cow costume, they wouldn't have been able, physically, to throw stones." I hope if nothing else the cow suit was warm for a night in the specially set up climate jails…

Christmas cheer

The highlight of the weekend was the youth projects from Action Aid (in red) and the Youth Forest Working Group, who sang a climate version of the 12 days of Christmas altered to the 14 days of COP. 

On the LAST day in Denmark

the UN gave to me

Pathetic little targets

No demand side measures

Ecosystems crashing

Palm-oil a-flowing

Emissions a-leaping

No Indigenous rights

Peat lands a-draining

Endangered species

Forests converted ... [pause]

Craaaap MRV

Too much fossil fuels

Trees chain sawed

No strings attached

And a big fat logging subsidy!

 

Exclusivity

Back to Frustrating Friday. Each of the meetings I wanted to attend on Friday was either too full, had been cancelled or finished early due to the need for 'behind the scenes' talks before further 'public' progress could be made. So we were not happy campers. 

This raises the question of inclusivity. Why should any of the meetings be held behind closed doors? The effects of climate change will have an impact on almost every person on the planet. So why are we being shut off from the negotiation process? 

Good Energy customers have been writing in to tell us they feel the same way. One particular letter that struck us was about the exclusion of persons with disabilities in the process, and particularly those from developing countries. 

“Despite having three law degrees and being a non practising barrister and living in an OECD country, I feel outside the process taking place. What must it be like being disabled, living in Bangladesh without any access to the internet or formal education?”

It seems The UN has failed to implement its own convention of rights for persons with disabilities. Take a look here for further information: http://www.elocalnews.org.uk/page7.html

Skeleton agreement

Alas, one fairly major event did take place this weekend. That was the submission of a draft LCA document Chair’s Proposed Draft Text on the Outcome of the Work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA). Catchy name.  The LCVA document holds the backbone of the potential agreement. It’s still littered with brackets, and missing some major sticking points, but it’s being seen as a step in the right direction (getting something done). India in particular has toned down its opposition to agreements and believes this document is a good starting point for leaders to pick up on towards the end of the week. 

There’s feeling from the industrialised nations that the targets for developing nations aren’t strict enough, but not to the point of stalling meetings. 

The core of the text is that developed nations must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25-45% from 1990 levels by 2020, and a to-be-decided figure of 50, 85 or 95 percent by 2050. A wide range of options.

Interestingly, it doesn’t talk in terms of temperature targets, just emissions targets. And the emission targets calculations are based on a 2 degree rise upper limit. The union of developing nations and particularly the island states would now like to see this reduced to 1.5 degrees, and have reacted to proposed £6.5 bn over the next three years in aid as “inadequate”. 

For a more full explanation of the text see the BBC page - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8407824.stm

For those that weren't involved in the rallying, or preparations of the draft LCA text, the weekend offered the opportunity to see Copenhagen, with those not from the cold North to experience some proper European Christmas ambience.

We’ll be back in the thick of it tomorrow. 

Anya Boyd for Green Energy Republic