First there is some good news: the world has a chance to change the course of climate change after many natural catastrophes and other various wake-up calls of the coming reality of the climate change. The chance to make this is now in UN Climate Change Conference in Doha.

The 2012 UN Climate Change Conference takes place in Doha, Qatar from 26 November to 7 December at the Qatar National Convention Centre. The meeting will include the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18) and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 8). People from nearly 200 nations are taking part in the conference. The previous conferences in Durban, Cancún and Copenhagen have not been so great success even though commitments have been made. This year there will be really important decisions to be made, for example the continuation of Kyoto protocol, the public finance package for climate for developing countries.There can be made some political mechanisms that prevent the effects of climate change and slow down the dangerous melting of Arctic ice and overall heating of the planet.

However here comes the bad news: there are many reasons why the conference could fail. The credibility of the place for climate conference is not the greatest when Qatar is producing all its electricity with fossil fuels. That is because Qatar is one of the biggest oil producing country. However the key element of the succesful conference is the participants, the different people from organizations and governments who are securing the wealth and power of their nations. They are naturally thinking their own best. However when the own best is trying not to give up the lifestyle that have been achieved or the wishes that this same lifestyle will be achieved some day, the mutual consensus of reducing the use of fossil fuels is far away.

Culture and climate change

What is this lifestyle or culture, which is based on fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions? One can argue that it is the technology and the culture of consumerism and capitalism that make the people to buy always new things for that the capita grows and people have more money to spend so that capita grows. This is of course the western idea of economic development. It brings more money and well being to the people, when the poverty reduces. For producing things that produce more things we need energy and the fuels. What would be more comfortable than having money so that when you need, you can buy a new phone, TV, decoration or clothing. It would be nice to have a romantic weekend in Venice before the fluids destroys the city. Also it is so easy and quick to take a plane to South Africa to visit the safari before there are no animals left.

This kind of culture isn´t the only one in the world but it is dominating point of view in the conference. We can talk about numbers, economic breakdowns and unknown future but we might forget what is the reality already now in the places where the culture and livelihoods have a strong relation to nature. We don´t want to give up in western countries of our lifestyles, we don´t want to change our culture. But neither want Samís in Northern Europe or farmers in Africa or South America to do that. Not to mention the people living in the islands in Pacific Ocean.

Marginalized people know what it should be done

There are so many people who can´t participate to the conference but who will be the first victims of climate change. These people are especially women in the developing countries, living their traditional life in countryside. I got to know during my fieldwork some women in Peru who want before anything else food sovereignty. It would guarantee that the women have self-produced food everyday and they don´t have to move from the countryside because of the lack of money. Even though they are poor farmers, presenting different ethnic minorities and marginalized in their country as women, they are fighting against the climate change also today by marching and doing advocacy work. They are doing it, because they see how the nature is changing and how it effects to their livelihoods.

In the end every culture in the world has to change dramatically, if the countries don´t commit with the emissions reductions. Climate science clearly shows that to stay below two degrees of warming, global greenhouse gas emissions must begin to decline by 2020. This means that industrialized nations must trim their emissions output at least by 25 to 40 percent below their 1990 emission levels. This needs commitments.

There are many expectations that are controlled by culture and power in this UN Conference ritual. However it seems that the main interest in the conference is economy that is related to the culture and political power. Everything always ends up with the question: how much this all cost?

The other civil society, so called marginalized voices would mention that the main actor should actually be nature, because it is related with everything. Even though the holistic worldview has been thought of being part of indigenous way of life, it is obvious that if the nature changes and dyes, there will not be economy either. Without economy, there won´t be the consumerism culture or social well being as we know it today. No more new technology and travelling. No more development for poor and fragile countries. No home or food for millions of people. Everyone understands that when this happens, the conferences don´t matter anymore.

The experts have doomed the conference to fail even before it has started. It is difficult to fight for something if it doesn´t seem to be worth of. Even though the minority voices, the peruvian womenfarmers always claim that the state doesn´t do anything for them, they still keep going, they have the hope. The UN climate conference might not be the most effective way of solving the problem but it is much better than nothing. It brings the climate change on political agenda and brings together the governmental and non-governmental actors together. It tries to conduct the mass of different interest towards the mutual understanding of the action to be taken.

Let´s see if this time the real reason and actor for the conference won´t be forgotten and the wishes of civil society, in south and north, will be heard. The culture needs the nature and cutting of the emissions.

This text has originally been published on Citizens’ Global Platform (CGP) website.

Martta Haveri, projektiavustaja / project assistant, Suomen YK-liitto / UN Association of Finland

Citizens’ Global Platform (CGP) brings together civil society actors from Brazil, India, Tanzania and Finland. The goal is to empower marginalised groups and to create new mechanisms for citizen participation in international political processes. The project focuses on combating the climate change and strengthening the appreciation of sustainable lifestyles. More information on website http://www.globalplatform.fi/

Kansalaisten maailmannäyttämö -verkosto tuo yhteen kansalaisyhteiskunnan toimijoita Brasiliasta, Intiasta, Tansaniasta ja Suomesta. Kolmivuotisessa hankkeessa (2009-2012) keskitytään tukemaan marginaalisten äänten kuuluvuutta erityisesti YK:n ilmastoprosesseissa sekä luomaan kansalaisyhteiskunnalle uudenlaisia osallistumisen tapoja kansainvälisissä poliittisissa prosesseissa. Hanketta koordinoi Suomen YK-liitto.

Video on UNFCCC:n täysistunnon nettilähetyksestä 7.12.2011.

Alla ympäristöministeri Ville Niinistön puhe tekstinä.

Statement by Mr. Ville Niinistö, Minister of the Environment of Finland
at the 17th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and CMP7 of the Kyoto Protocol.

7 December 2011, Durban, South Africa
Distinguished Mr. President, Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen

I would like to first thank our South African hosts for the great hospitality we have received here in the beautiful city of Durban.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Time is running out. Durban needs to deliver a roadmap for a future comprehensive climate regime. Peaking of global emissions in 2020 is far too late to limit the environmental crisis caused to us all. This has been clearly demonstrated in the recent UNEP and IEA studies.

We need to achieve concrete and balanced results to regain trust in the multilateral system to solve the climate challenge and to keep the 2 degree target achievable. It is our responsibility to future generations.

This process must be able to give answers and solutions to those serious challenges we are faced with – not to give excuses for shortcomings.

The message of science is strong and it has to be the cornerstone of the political decisions. The gap between the pledges by different countries and the actions needed to mitigate climate change is still too wide.

I am confident that we can work out such a balanced package that we all can accept and work further with. It means flexibility and compromises by all of us – to the common benefit of us all.

It also means being true to the ultimate objective. That is, tackling the climate change.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Finland fully understands the great importance of the Kyoto Protocol. It is at the moment the only legally binding instrument to tackle climate change. In our view, it is very important to maintain the essential elements of the Kyoto Protocol and the multilateral rules-based system that we have built.

However, the problem with the Kyoto Protocol is that it doesn’t cover enough global emissions as it is and some current Parties are maybe leaving the Protocol. With the remaining participation, we cannot reach the two degree target. This is why there is an urgent need for a more meaningful and broader regime in combination with a 2nd commitment period – a regime that all major economies are participating in with more ambitious targets.

A roadmap to a global and comprehensive, binding agreement has to be part of the decisions made in Durban.

We are also ready to commit to implementing the Cancun decisions and are convinced that this can be achieved in Durban.

As a forested nation we understand the multiple benefits and the important role of forests. Therefore, we think it is important that the accounting rules for forests encourage parties to genuinely protect and enhance global carbon reservoirs. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

In order to intensify our climate policy implementation, Finland has appointed an independent climate panel to support the Government’s decision making in climate policy. The panel represents several areas of science with high relevance to climate policy. The panel is expected to have a significant role in bringing solid scientific basis to the debate for improving our national policies, for example to launch new climate and energy legislation to effectively reduce emissions.

In accordance with the Bali Action Plan, the Copenhagen Accord and the Cancun Agreements, the Nordic countries, through the Nordic Council of Ministers, have launched a Nordic Partnership Initiative in Peru in the waste sector and in Vietnam in the cement sector. This initiative is to pave the way for cost-efficient and effective implementation of scaled up Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). We hope that this initiative will serve as a useful input to the international community as encouragement to take similar actions.

In the international negotiations, Finland has underlined and strongly supported the role of women in climate change decision making and practices. Development policy should take into consideration climate change issues also in the future. However, efforts to increase climate financing should not weaken the contributions for education and health in the developing countries.

Mr. President,

Those most affected by the effects of climate change are often the ones who have least to do with causing it. Finland and EU are ready to lead in climate action – but to lead, others have to follow.

Finland is seeking a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced outcome in Durban. The outcome of Durban should provide us with both immediate, concrete results and a clear vision for the next steps towards a legally binding regime.