Copenhagen Day 11: The whole world is watching as a new ClimateGate unfolds

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This morning began with some breaking news from the stalled negotiations to save life on planet Earth in Copenhagen: thanks to the advocacy of climate activists like you and hundreds of thousands of people around the world, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the United States would join others in securing a $100 billion fund [2] to help developing countries cope with climate change -- provided that an agreement can be reached on a “substantive political accord” that would include transparency in tracking emissions cuts by major developing countries.

We are working hard to clarify the details of the U.S. commitment to the proposed $100 billion fund. It is still far less than what developing countries are rightfully calling for, but we are making progress with our ongoing campaign to push the U.S. government to step up to the plate on providing financial assistance, which is key to securing a desperately needed global deal by tomorrow.

We have less than two days left in the negotiations, and President Obama is scheduled to address the conference tomorrow. We need your voice urgently right now and it will only take a minute: Please send President Obama an urgent message right now [3] before he leaves for Copenhagen tonight.

Right now, it really doesn’t feel like an exaggeration to say that the fate of the earth lies in his hands. The current U.S. target of reducing global warming pollution -- 4% below 1990 levels by 2020 -- is a complete non-starter in the negotiations. The global community rightfully expects reductions of at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. We urgently call on President Obama to commit the United States to ambitious targets that will put us on the path to 350ppm, to survival, and to a fair, ambitious and binding global deal.

Earlier today, I blogged on Huffington Post [4] about my continued hopes for this conference in anticipation of President Obama's arrival tonight. But it's difficult to stay hopeful when something like this lands on your desktop [5] (.pdf): a leaked copy of an internal review prepared by the UNFCC Secretariat [6] of all the expected global warming results after analyzing proposals for reducing global warming pollution that are currently on the table.

Their conclusion is not a surprise, it’s but nevertheless deeply disappointing: the proposals that are now on the table would actually increase the planet's temperature by more than three degrees Celsius, and drive the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere above 550 ppm. If that is Copenhagen's end result, this conference will have been a spectacular failure. It's time for our leaders to get serious about their task here -- so far, their proposals are nothing short of a cruel joke on the planet and on all of us.

After working to get our e-alert out [3] and adapting it for key partners around the U.S., I went to a vigil with speakers reflecting on where we are and where we’re headed. We heard from a woman who is now on her 42nd day of a climate justice hunger fast. She was joined by thousands of others around the world on her 42nd day in drinking water only and in eating nothing. I simply can’t imagine 42 days without food – but apparently she couldn’t either when she began [7]:

And we heard from longtime climate advocate, 1Sky Board member and 350.org founder Bill McKibben [8]:

One of the most interesting reflections that emerged from the speakers at today’s candlelight vigil was that it was the expanding global movement for climate justice and 350 that emboldened leaders from more than 100 of the poorest countries of the world to refuse the pittance they have been offered by the industrialized countries in these negotiations -- both when it comes to targets for reducing global warming pollution and when it comes to financial assistance to navigate a rapidly warming world. I know it feels like cold comfort to say the potentially derailed negotiations are a victory of sorts, but as one speaker said: “It is OK to take small steps -- but it’s not OK to head down the wrong road.”

As we head into the final day of the negotiations, the whole world is watching...and I’ll be back tomorrow with another report.