COP15 Post | News from the UN Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

By Richard Steed

According to Kristine Holten-Anderson there is only one climate summit that matters this December and that’s Klimaforum09 – the ‘people’s summit’.

The 27 year-Old Danish architect has decided now is the time to put her beliefs into action. ‘I could be the first generation to leave the planet in a worse state that when I was born and that’s a terrible thought,’ says Kristine.

‘My grandparents fought to create a more democratic and just society, my parents fought hard to create the welfare society we cherish today. The task of my generation is to mould a society that lives in harmony with nature. The benefits for us all are that we get to save ourselves!’ smiles Kristine.

Like many of her generation Kristine believes the challenge is to make change for the better. She is part of a fast growing team of committed people working around the clock to organise the global people’s climate summit to take place in DGI-byen, a large sports and conference complex in the heart of Copenhagen.  Klimaforum09 opens on the 7^th December and ends on the 18^th, just like the official UN COP15 conference at the Bella Center some 5kms away on the island of Amager.

‘Politicians can make new laws but they are not going to come up with ‘the one solution’ to fix our problems. They might not come up with any solutions at all. They can’t formulate the new green values needed to create a climate friendly low carbon future. To do that you and I will have to get involved in the process,’ explains Kristine.

According to the organisers of Klimaforum09 this will be the first truly global people’s summit on climate change. So far more than 6000 people from all continents have registered to participate. Among them are fishermen from Eritrea, rainforest activists from Paraguay, scientists, indigenous people from Alaska, students and artists to everyday concerned citizens.

‘The international interest in coming to Klimaforum09 has been overwhelming,’ says Kristine.  During the summit it is expected that up to 10,000 visitors will attend making it the largest event besides the UN conference.

The Klimaforum09 programme features more than 150 talks and debates on subjects from renewable energy solutions to dealing with climate refugees. There are over 60 exhibitions, a comprehensive film, music and arts programme, as well as international guest speakers including Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva, leading British green commentator George Monbiot, Canadian author Naomi Klein and Tim Jackson, head of the UK Sustainability Commission.

‘Social movements and civil society have the potential to create positive and proactive changes. It is difficult to make changes on your own. Yet when we come together and act together we become stronger and that is an emancipating and empowering motivation which can encourage us all to do more. Now is the time for us all to take responsibility and start participating,’ says Kristine.

‘The organic movement is a fine example of the potential for civil engagement. The organic way of cultivating and trading is not something our politicians came up with – it was created by groups of farmers who believed they had a responsibility to respect the land and their animals. Now, the organic way of cultivation has become a profitable business, because consumers prefer to pay a little more in order to prevent the devastation of nature.

‘The world is coming to Copenhagen and I cannot wait to be part of this historic event,’ says Kristine. ‘What’s really interesting about klimaforum09 is that we have people coming from all over the world, including 80 people from regions in Africa, Asia and Latin America who will be hardest hit by climate change. We need to involve these people from the developing world as they are already living with the realities of climate change. We need to hear their voices and let them know that they are not alone,’ she adds.

‘Obviously nobody knows what the final outcome of Copenhagen will be,’ says Kristine. ‘I’ve heard people say nothing with change after Copenhagen and that the politicians will just make grand statements and sign some vague commitment to reduce carbon emissions.  Yet we all know that is not good enough! It is fundamentally important to gain an ambitious deal. I hope that our efforts will have a positive influence on the politicians at COP15 – it will be embarrassing for them to fail when we the citizens are in the heart of Copenhagen finding new ways and solutions to climate change.’