Also by jossc

A message from the Youth Climate Coalition...

Over the next two weeks, our leaders will negotiate the most important agreement of our time – one that must stop a climate catastrophe.

But they will only aim as high as we demand.

That's why on Saturday December 12th thousands will gather at climate vigils in every corner of the planet to send a clear message: The World Wants a Real Deal!

The Global Day of Action by TckTckTck has over 1000 events already registered across the world, and we want you to be part of the event in London, which is being jointly organised by the Youth Climate Coalition.

Where: Old Palace Yard, Westminster, London

When: Saturday December 12th, 4pm

What: Candlelit vigil followed by a UKYCC Flashdance and maybe a few extra surprises...

John Bowler is the Project Manager for our Countdown to Copenhagen work and will be updating on what is going on in and around the Bella Center in Copenhagen over the next two weeks. In this repost from the climate rescue weblog John shares his thoughts on the opening day's events at the conference.

"There ain't no power like the power of the people 'cause the power of the people don't stop" will undoubtedly be my memory of the opening of the Climate Summit in Copenhagen this morning. This chant, or more precisely rap, was pounded out by the Solar Generation drummers and rappers. Their performance captivated all who entered the negotiations via the 'metro' gate. Almost as captivating was the free hot coffee given out by Greenpeace activists beside a 16m2 video screen which beamed the "save the climate" message with stories of climate voices from around the world to the 1,000s who joined the queue to gain access to the meeting.

What a pain it must be to be in charge of the nation's finances in these challenging economic times. It's easy to imagine the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, working feverishly into the night in a frantic attempt to make the sums at least appear to add up as he prepares for tomorrow's crucial pre-budget report. But what to cut when everything is a 'tough choice' - education, the NHS, or the unthinkable alternative - raising taxes?

This article by Greenpeace climate campaigner Joss Garman (above) first appeared in yesterday's Guardian.

In his inaugural address, President Obama promised to "work tirelessly to … roll back the spectre of a warming planet", and to "restore science to its rightful place", adding: "Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed."

You wouldn't know it from reading the Guardian this morning. Instead of sensing the spirit of "yes we can", you feel the familiar muscle of America's Big Carbon special interests. For months, US officials have been dampening expectations and lowering the bar on which climate measures could be expected from the new administration. This culminated yesterday in Obama signalling that he wants to delay a formal global climate agreement until next year at the earliest, rejecting the advice of his own science adviser, John Holdren.