ELP students attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 24th Conference of the Parties in Katowice, Poland this December.
Miranda Steed ’19, Ryan McDermott ’19, Stacey Gray ’19, and Tiana Winstead ’19 took International Environmental Law and traveled to the COP with Professor Wallsgrove and Associate Dean Antolini. They have shared their daily experiences below. Hawaiʻi Public Radio also covered the students’ trip.
Ryan McDermott
December 11, 2018
UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Oavis Samad was excited about the possibility of using sports as a conduit to increase awareness of climate change impacts, using the examples of mitigating actions sports, such as hockey and golf, are having to undertake. He thinks sports have an immense industry with an outsized reach; sports organizations can use this influence to help advocate principles the UNFCCC endorses. He thanked the International Olympic Committee for its report on sports impacts and contributions to climate change and its pledge to implement more sustainable measures.
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco echoed the Secretary’s strong opinion on the reach of sports. He went on to say that in our current state, climate change mitigation is not just a responsibility but a duty. He announced that we are on the brink of catastrophe if we cannot limit temperature rise to 1.5˚ C, and it will take commitment from everyone to achieve this goal.
December 12, 2018
Al Gore gave an inspiring talk on the global progress being made in the transition to renewable energy in the effort to mitigate the effects of climate change. He introduced the topic by declaring that as people, we are treating our limited atmosphere as if it were an open sewer with no constraint on the emissions it can hold. He went on to show some of the record setting weather events and trends, such as videos of people losing their shoes in molten asphalt during record breaking heat waves. He invoked Pope Francis, noting that the gravest effects of climate change will be suffered by the poor.
He followed this with the observation that the increased heat at the North Pole has caused the Polar Vortex to split. He noted that 93% of the increase in global temperature gets trapped in the ocean, which strengthens ocean-based storms, increasing both the duration and the amount of water they hold. He noted that when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey, it was considered a 1 in 500 year storm, yet today a storm of that intensity is a 1 in 25 year storm and by 2023 it will be a 1 in 5 year storm. He elevated the mood in the room by noting the hockey stick curve on the growth in the installation of renewable energy installation and the rapid increase of jobs in the sector. Jobs for PV installers are expanding at 9X the rate of the job market as a whole.
December 13, 2018
Due to the extensive travel required to track waves around the world, The World Surfing League (WSL) has a sizeable carbon footprint. Reece Pacheco is the WSL’s executive director for PURE (Protecting, Understanding, and Respecting the Environment) with a mission to inspire, educate, and empower ocean protection in the Surf community. Reece articulated that efforts to be carbon negative equal being environmentally positive. WSL is setting a high standard and partners only with sponsors that share their sense of mission. WSL does not just cut ties with noncompliant potential sponsors but uses its strength of branding to encourage more sustainable actions from its sponsors. Their Juniors Tour creates a team of young influencers.
Reece gave an illustrative example of how WSL encourages sustainable use in its athletes. One of their rising stars, John John Florence, internalized the message. John John noticed his favorite Açaí place in his home town, and the site of the Triple Crown of Surfing, was using styrofoam containers. John John convinced them to switch to reusable containers just before the championships brought massive crowds to town. He multiplied the effect of this progress by sharing with his massive social media following.
December 14, 2018
On the scheduled last day of COP24 in Katowice, the Youth Constituency to the UNFCCC (YOUNGO) staged a demonstration filling the entryway stairs to the conference. The YOUNGOs were chanting “What do we want?” “Climate Justice!” “When do we want it?” “Now!” Before every UNFCCC COP, the YOUNGOs get together with local youth organizations to create the Conference of Youth (COY). The YOUNGOs’ goal is to bring together youths from all across the world who are passionate about addressing climate change.
This year, the YOUNGOs brought together a large and very energetic group. The YOUNGOs were organized and held briefings every morning covering what had happened the day before and how to best deploy their resources for the events of the coming day. The YOUNGOs were already making plans for how to build their capacity and be even more effective for the next COP.
Tiana Winstead
December 11, 2018
Gender: What is the connection? Solutions through regional approaches.
Coming back from last year’s COP, the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan embraced the progress made in gender equality and climate change. The inextricably linked issues of gender and climate may seem like an unusual duo, but when overlapped these channels of change are symbiotic. When one improves, so does the other.
How can climate change and gender equality advocacy move forward in their relationship to create a stronger force of progression? Paralleling this year’s WSRSL NGO Delegation’s regional proposal, the regional approach model holds the key to a more efficient allocation of resources, activism movements, and establishment of these social movement identities. During the COP, women shared stories varying from enduring the pollution caused by wood burning stoves to toxic exposure to unclean water. Although their stories gain attention, consolidating these issues into regional issues enables nations to focus on specific problems regarding climate change and gender inequality within their regions. A nation is more inclined to invest money and political energy in seeing immediate improvements within their nation. Rather than asking the global community to handle a multitude of diverse gender and climate issues, a regional approach will enable less developed nations to claim global progression on their home turf. Although women continue to fight the war against gender inequality and climate change continue to call for a uniform front, using regional channels can enable them to fight the conflict closer to home – fighting for a global purpose on a localized scale.
December 12, 2018
Fight back with Faith: Religion and Climate Change
Ranging from Islam to Buddhism, to Catholicism to Hinduism, the dialogue at this year’s Interfaith Session pivoted around the notion that regardless of a creator, COP faith leaders agreed that we as society should protect the best creation of all: the earth. Regardless of the earth’s origin or purpose, members of the Interfaith Dialogue advocated for three common themes of improving one’s lifestyle that simultaneously improves the environment: eat cleaner, do not waste, and live simpler.
Interestingly, each represented faith articulated very different methods of achieving these themes. On the one hand, some expressed that eating less meat was the way to reduce carbon, while others said that not eating meat at all was the solution. The same differences were in the means of not being wasteful (not over purchasing vs. using all that you have) and living simpler (using fewer items for daily life vs. emotionally being satisfied with a simpler life). Although the themes were prevalent, one may get frustrated as to figuring out the means to obtain the themes.
In the spirit of WSRSL’s Delegation advocacy for a regional approach to encourage compliance with the Paris Agreement, one could look to a regional organization of culture and popular faith to determine which method fits a national movement. If nations could group themselves in regional bodies, interfaith leaders could come together to create a more focused method of fighting climate change through a specific lens. For example, in Southeast Asia, many people are Buddhists and Hindu, who already avoid meat consumption; therefore, these religious organizations could focus more on methods of cultivating a less wasteful lifestyle in major cities and communities. Narrowing the focus and scope of issues leaders have to face enable leaders to concentrate on climate related problems that are localized, and therefore easier to tackle.
December 13, 2018
The Talanoa Dialogue and Regionalism
The Talanoa Dialogue drove the COP’s conversations, meetings, and events. Talanoa originates from the traditional Fiji and Pacific word that reflects the process of inclusive participatory and transparent dialogue. Talanoa flourishes on the ability of individuals to share stories, build empathy, and make a collective commitment for the collective good. The interaction of Talanoa dialogues requires the collective participation of sharing opinions, skills, and personal experiences through the art of storytelling. Blending the highly complex climate concerns and simple or relatable experiences of the world expands the audience of climate change activists.
For the Talanoa Dialogue to succeed, participants establish trust and attention through their ability to tell stories that are empathic and easy to understand. For example, speakers at this year’s COP structured their climate change concerns and goals under numerous metaphors, ranging from the responsibility of local Kenyan farmers to their cattle to the obligations that small Fiji fishermen have to preserve the water quality for their children. This dialogue does not place blame on others nor does it overcomplicate the rhetoric of pursuing international reforms. Complicating and drowning the conversation of climate change is inconsistent with the Talanoa concept. The concept of protecting our environment should not be perceived as hyper advanced, aristocratic, or rocket science. Climate change is a fundamental concern impacting every person no matter how wealthy, educated, or powerful.
Ultimately the Talanoa dialogue fosters stability and inclusiveness in dialogue through familiarity, by creating a sustainable space that embraces diverse conversations of experiences to reach a common sense of understanding. In the same vein as Talanoa, advocates for a regionalists approach of advancing climate change policies would agree that success will thrive from creating a common sense of understanding among many. Like the Talanoa dialogue, regionalism recognizes that certain rights and laws reflect a region’s cultural, economic, and social conditions in a given society. Separating one’s personal connection, knowledge and participation with nature is an unnatural attempt to oversimplify and standardize the global rampage of climate change. As seen through both the lenses of the Talanoa and Regional approach of climate change it is obvious that climate change impacts the world differently and requires the acknowledgment of these unique differences in order for the global community to create a common worldwide consensus of handling climate change. We cannot tackle global goals before reflecting regional concerns, alliances, and action.
December 14, 2018
Two Sides, One Problem
After an informative week, WSRSL Delegation at COP24 concluded their international environmental law project by interviewing several key leaders regarding their position on the future of compliance. The Environmental Law Program’s Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Dr. Christina Voigt, articulated that the only viable method to achieve global compliance with the Paris Agreement is a universalist approach. Universalism, similar to internationalism, is the principle that certain rights and laws are inherent endowments for all individuals, regardless of national borders or cultural, religious, and social differences. Essentially, a universalists approach argues that particular laws transcend State sovereignty and global cooperation is necessary for unity. Nevertheless, Todd Stern and Sue Biniaz starkly contrasted Dr. Voigt’s suggestions, suggesting that the current climate of the COP24’s universal approach was not necessarily succeeding. As a result of the COP’s attempt to pursue a universal approach there have been numerous delays and skepticism as to whether COP24 will actual produce an effective rulebook. They suggested that obtaining a uniform rule book will be extremely difficult if not impossible even with the creation of a regional body. Yet, they mentioned that the most likely region to create a regional rule book is the European Union. This hypothesis, however, could be expounded upon to suggest that regionalism is the only method of ever creating a rulebook, even if it occurs in one region. It is important to note that if the European Union were the only region to create a rulebook, it would set in motion the drive of other regional bodies to follow suit.
Miranda Steed
December 11, 2018
Katowice sits in the Silesia region, which has changed hands throughout history. After World War I, the League of Nations held a plebiscite to determine if the region would return to Poland or remain with Germany. Because many in the city had German ties and ancestry and many in the rural areas were Polish, the city voted for Germany and the rural areas voted for Poland. The League of Nations was unsure how to resolve the conflict but eventually returned the region to Poland after a series of uprisings.
As the negotiators struggled to reach consensus, we attended the evening plenary with the COP Presidency. After listening to reports on the progress of the negotiations, the COP President declared that the Polish government would revise the Work Programme and negotiators would reconvene the next under ministerial leadership. The president called for negotiators not to add text or brackets but rather to subtract.
The multitude of positions regarding the Work Programme make consensus-based negotiation nearly impossible, yet unilateral action with an eye toward reduction of ideas does not appear to represent the interests of the people. To be in the room when the president announced this decision felt eerie, begging the question, will it take an uprising to achieve climate justice?
December 12, 2018
I have never known a world without climate change. My parents grew up under the looming threat of nuclear holocaust. My nuclear holocaust is an ever warming planet that threatens to become inhospitable in my lifetime. We already see stratified injustice of small island nations, such as the Maldives, disappearing. Rather than fear the aggression of a stronger nation, we fear the greed of those that consume and pollute the most. The climate crisis further exposes the inequality on our planet.
I arrived at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Twenty-Fourth Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP24) cautiously optimistic. The negotiations over the Paris Agreement Work Programme appear tense, and the Parties struggle to reach consensus, especially on issues of monitoring and enforcement. Nevertheless, I was surrounded by many motivated, optimistic people. The COP allows constituent groups to engage with the COP Presidency and negotiators. Regardless of State positions, diverse constituents came together to passionately argue for climate justice. Constituents consistently stressed the importance of the inclusion of human rights provisions in the Paris Agreement Work Programme.
I participated in a bilateral with the Youth Constituency (YOUNGOs) and the European Union. Everyone young person in the room passionately believed climate justice is achievable. Working together from all parts of the globe, the YOUNGOs advocated for stricter carbon emissions policies, inclusion of human rights in the Work Programme, youth delegates to the European Parliament, and carbon financing programs that recognize historical injustice.
The contrast between State and citizen positions was remarkably apparent in our host country. Poland is highly dependent on coal, with over 100,00 jobs dependent on it. Coal’s prevalence is felt throughout Katowice and the COP. In the city, coal is readily available in grocery stores. At the COP, the Polish government created displays to show multiple uses of coal, such as jewelry and soap, and contrasted it with the color green to frame coal as an acceptable form of energy. Many citizens in Poland, however, want their country to become independent of coal. This tension between citizens demanding climate action and States clinging to inaction is widespread.
December 13, 2018
During World War II, many concentration camps were located in the Silesian region. We took the afternoon to visit Auschwitz. The magnitude humanity has for inflicting pain on others seems infinite. The cold, desolate camp witnessed horrors most only imagine in the darkest nightmares. Yet the end of World War II did not end humanity’s penchant to inflict pain. The inequities in the world become more apparent as we feel the effects of the climate crisis. Inaction and regression only worsen this inequality. Some in my generation will die from the climate crisis while governments fail to take action. If we do not take true action toward climate justice, the generation after mine will see loss of life from climate change on an unprecedented scale.
Former Vice-President Al Gore spoke during the COP about the impending effects of the climate crisis. He particularly emphasized that recent superstorms are becoming normal storms. The shocking destruction of fires, hurricanes, and monsoons will become annual phenomena. These disasters affect the most vulnerable. He articulated that the United States’ response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was a clear example of environmental racism. It’s also not the only example. Unless we take concrete action now, environmental racism will worsen, and we will witness large-scale death.
December 14, 2018
The final plenary was scheduled to take place this afternoon. After being rescheduled, it was postponed until four in the morning. States struggle to reach consensus. Even when consensus is reached, it will likely include a monitoring and compliance mechanism under the Paris Agreement too weak to hold States accountable.
The horrors of both World Wars gave birth to consensus-based decision-making in international law. Ironically, the same site that witnessed the death and destruction necessiting consensus now hosts the climate negotiations that fail to enforce the Paris Agreement because of the limitations of consensus-based negotiations. A regional approach appears the more likely candidate for success.
I leave cautiously optimistic. Many young people want climate justice and are willing to fight for it. I think regionalism is the way forward to achieve compliance with the Paris Agreement. Now we need to zealously advocate.