By Leonardo Boff

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb (IPS) There is no political formulation of the interests of humanity or mother earth that protects their nature and cultures. For centuries we have lived under the jurisdiction of nation states and their assorted forms of sovereignty and autonomy. But as all problems become increasingly global, this political model is proving incapable of offering the solutions needed by humanity and the planet as a whole.

The United Nations would be the right organisation to perform this function, but it is completely demoralised and the only part of it
with real power is the Security Council, which is controlled by the veto-wielding, five major powers, led by the United States.

There is no world social contract that sets global political practices, nor is there a collective reference to build consensus and settle conflicts. This is one of the reasons for the failure of international meetings on global affairs, like the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference or the World Trade Round in Doha.

There is only one Earth. It is embarked on the heaven’s seas and Earth’s creatures are its only sailors. If the ship is damaged beyond repair, all is lost.

Humankind’s wisest leaders and most knowledgeable experts agree that climate change is today’s most serious global environmental problem. For that reason, how we respond to climate change has become an ethical benchmark that defines our responsibilities toward each other as human beings, toward future generations, and toward all of Creation.

To read the full statement, please click here.

Simultaneous civil society protest rally both in London and Dhaka,
Call on the eve of BDF meeting

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Mobile : +8801711529792
Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh

Dhaka, 15th February 2010. Today twenty one civil society organizations (CSO), in a rally
and human chain in front of national press club, called upon the developed country representatives and donors, who are participating in Bangladesh Development Forum BDF, to pay their carbon debt as compensation. Speakers from the Human Chain said that Bangladesh is facing most catastrophic caused by climate change, which is the result of high carbon emissions historically by the developed countries.

They also claimed that developed countries are indebted to the people of Bangladesh and they should pay their carbon debt. The rally blamed that, developed countries are not keeping their commitment in supporting the climate change affected countries; they remind them to keep their commitment. Mustafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD moderated the rallywhere Badrul Alam of La Via Campesina, Feroz Ahmed of Lead Trust, Prodip Roy of On Line knowledge Center, Shamsuddoha  and Rezaul K. Chowdhury of EquityBD also spoke.

from Bretton Woods Project

Leaked documents reveal that the World Bank is anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Copenhagen Accord on climate change and is optimistic that it will play a leading role in future climate finance. Meanwhile, the looming gap in finance left unresolved in Copenhagen are turning attention to proposals for innovative sources, including those that involve the IMF.

To read the rest of the article please click here.

On 19 November, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi received some unusual visitors. Even the police and security personnel stationed in the heavily-guarded Chanakyapuri area of Delhi where Norwegian and other embassies are located could not figure out the purpose of these visitors. Though they were Indian citizens, ethnically they belonged to a distinct tribal minority group called Dongria Kondh. Dressed in their traditional attire, these tribal representatives came all the way from the remote Niyamgiri hills of Orissa to express gratitude to the Norwegian government for removing UK-based Vedanta Resources Plc from its investment portfolio. What was even more perplexing was that instead of protesting with placards and banners, the tribal representatives quietly met officials at the Norwegian Embassy and handed over a letter of thanks besides gifting them two photographs depicting the natural beauty of their habitat. So, in many ways, their visit was unusual.

Technology transfer is one of the four key topics being discussed under negotiations on Long-Term Cooperative Actions in Copenhagen (the others are mitigation, adaptation and financing). The inter-governmental negotiating text that is under discussion contemplates various measures for accelerating the diffusion of technologies. It will most likely create an ?Action Plan? as well as a ?Technology Body? and various technical panels or innovation centres that will prove influential in the coming years in deciding which technologies get financial and political backing. We need to make sure the right technologies get the support they need and the wrong ones are discarded. That won?t happen without a comprehensive social and environmental assessment process.

Sign on: http://www.etcgroup.org/en/node/4956

Geneva, 8 Feb (Meena Raman) -- Thirty-nine developed countries, referred to as Annex 1 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), have submitted their national pledges for emissions reductions (in percentage by 2020 from a base year of 1990 or 2005), and have expressed their association with the Copenhagen Accord.

Déclaration du réseau Climate Justice Now! sur les résultats de la COP15

L’accord indigne de Copenhague révèle un gouffre entre les revendications des peuples et les intérêts des élites

La très attendue Conférence des Nations Unies sur le Changement Climatique de Copenhague a débouché sur un accord de dupe, manigancé par les USA et parachuté au dernier moment. «L’accord» n’a pas été adopté, mais a été «pris en note», une invention législative absurde conçue pour convenir aux USA et permettre à Ban Ki-moon de prononcer la ridicule déclaration «nous avons un accord». [télécharger, pdf].

Statement of Climate Justice Now! on the COP 15

Corrupt Copenhagen ‘accord’ exposes gulf between peoples demands and elite interests

The highly anticipated UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen ended with a fraudulent agreement, engineered by the United States and dropped into the conference at the last moment. The "agreement" was not adopted. Instead, it was "noted" in an absurd parliamentary invention designed to accommodate the United States and permit Ban Ki-moon to utter the ridiculous pronouncement "We have a deal." [download, pdf]

Declaración de ¡Justicia Climática Ahora! Sobre los resultados de la COP15

El corrupto “acuerdo” de Copenhague muestra la gran brecha existente entre las demandas de los pueblos y los intereses de las élites

La tan esperada Conferencia de la ONU sobre Cambio Climático en Copenhague terminó con un acuerdo fraudulento, diseñado por los Estados Unidos y presentado ante la Conferencia en el último momento. El “acuerdo” no fue adoptado por la conferencia. En lugar de eso, la decisión fue “tomar nota” utilizando una nueva y absurda estrategia parlamentaria, diseñada para acomodar el resultado a los intereses de los Estados Unidos y permitir a Ban Ki-moon pronunciar la ridícula frase “Tenemos un trato". [descargar, pdf]