FROM THE FIELD
Friday night five volunteers from DanChurchAid arrived in Poznan, Poland in total shambles – and I was one of them. The reason for our presence here in Poznan is to observe how the UN Climate Change Summit is played out, but also to let ourselves be inspired in relation to making events when next year's summit is to be held in Denmark. Thousands of people are gathered and various groupings are represented; politicians, lobbyists, NGO's plus all the experts with the technological knowledge that none of the rest of us possess. Every one has an agenda. I am granted a combined admittance- and identification card with a yellow line at the bottom. This means I am affiliated with an NGO. I can't help glancing at everyone passing by to see if I can catch a glimpse of the cards with the pink line; these belong to the decision makers from the various parties and delegations – The negotiators. Attending the first negotiation meeting I am amazed by the simplicity of the room I enter. In my mind the UN appears more extravagant than this. Here in Poland it is one big, flat white room with semi-pink carpet on the floor. The middle of the room is filled with long "school-desk-like" tables and yellow chairs. Here is where the representatives from all the countries are placed facing the podium where the chairman and four other people are sitting. As I glance around several things start to puzzle me - Why is the seat with Ghana's country-sign empty? How can it be allowed to walk in and out of this meeting, making noises and disrupting the discussions taking place? Along the walls people from different NGO's, myself included, are sitting on the floor typing like crazy on their computers. Many are dressed in their finest suits and outfits and the whole picture is once again not compatible with my idea of the UN. In turn the attending countries are given permission to speak their minds about the particular topic, in this meeting the delivering of technology and financing. At the end a monotonous voice suddenly sounds from the podium and the chairman declares the meeting closed. One by one every one leaves the room and rushes off to whatever is next on their timetable. I am left with a clear picture of what goes on at a negotiation meeting, but I am not sure I really understood what came out of it… Julie Lange[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
