In Copenhagen, what is striking is that the Danish capital is living at the same rhythm that the United Nation summit about the climate changes. The walls are daubed with green slogans calling “Turn Copenhagen in Hopehagen!”
In this human tide, not easy to reach a place. You must be deeply “climatological convinced” to wait for the access badge during 3, 5, 7 hours in the coldness, to finally be drive back. The access conditions for NGOs are becoming everyday more difficult. Friday, December 18th, for the summit closing day, only 90 people will get the privilege to have an access to debates. What transparency!
Invited in the official French delegation, Surfrider Foundation Europe escapes from the queue. However, as a lobbyist, Surfrider Foundation must be at the Belle Center everyday, in order to access the strategic point which is the Desk Information. This office is the nerve center for gathering information: decisions, reports, and agenda for the day.
Holding this precious agenda, you are free to determine your route for the day, knowing that it is possible to cover every plenary meetings, informal group, ministerial group, technical group, and events in margins of the conference.
So it is according to your areas of work preferences and strong political issues of negotiation at the global level, than you build your route. You must be very mobile and quickly find your way in the jungle where attends Head of States, media, NGOs ... Also, you must always deal with possible postponement of the session if the negotiations spin, as it is often the case. When there is a postponement of session, only one thing to do: be patient and deploy its equipment on a plane B. Often, it is an opportunity to return to the Desk Documentation to retrieve reports.
The Copenhagen summit is a real expedition fraught with pitfalls, with endless hours of waiting, and with rumors coming every time.
It is also a great adventure, an incredible melting pot, and biologic things everywhere.
Surfrider Foundation Europe keeps hoping in Copenhagen.
