BLUEPEACE blog

President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives and Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, spoke at Klimaforum09 on Monday. In a Talk hosted by the Klimaforum09 in the Orange Hall of DGI-Byen, McKibben explained the science behind the number 350 and its significance in the climate change debate and stressed on the significance of building a global movement to combat climate change.

“My message to you is to continue the protests. Continue after Copenhagen. Continue despite the odds. And eventually, together, we will reached that crucial number: Three-five-oh,” Nasheed said addressing environmental justice activists and members of civil society organisations representing various countries, gathered at the alternate climate summit Klimaforum09.

VULNERABLE, Bluepeace’s photo exhibition on climate change depicting the vulnerability of the Maldives, is also hosted by Klimaforum09.

Bluepeace members joined thousands of demonstrators in the capital city of Denmark on December 12, calling on world leaders to agree on a meaningful treaty in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP15). The first march of the day was organized by Friends of the Earth International and their event Flood for Climate Justice attracted thousands. Later in the day, an estimated 100,000 people marched to Bella Center in Copenhagen.

Outside the venue of Klimaforum09, the Peoples’ Climate Summit which is being held in parallel to the COP15, a young man named Koen from Brussels stood with his bicycle. Koen told Bluepeace about he and his friends’ journey in a go-cart from Belgium to Copenhagen.

From the coast of Belgium the group reached Lubeck in Germany. From there they made a boat journey to Malmö in Sweden, and travelled on land again to Copenhagen. Koen told us they were promoting zero carbon transport. They have a facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=176272729479

Koen said when they were going from town to town in the go-cart it drew the attention of the people who stopped by to strike a conversation. Koen and his friends are hoping for a new global treaty to be crafted in Copenhagen to reduce carbon emissions.

We could not talk for long because Koen was already uncomfortable from the cold winter of Copenhagen. It was a bit windy as well, and indeed coming from the equator, it was not a favourable weather for us either. It was wiser to go back inside, where the Klimaforum09 was attracting hundreds of people who were attending various events occurring simultaneously including debates, lectures and exhibitions. Vulnerable, the exhibition on climate change, organized by Bluepeace, is receiving a very warm welcome.

Klimaforum09 opened on 7 December. Guest speakers will include Bill McKibben of 350.org. Naomi Klein gave a speech during the opening ceremony and was a panelist on 10 December in a session on ecological debt and climate justice.