As the talks started at the beginning of this week I noticed the atmosphere had changed. Up until then I had felt the mood was too gloomy: then it felt too optimistic, with people assuming because some of the key countries have put numbers on the table, success had somehow become inevitable.
That feeling didn’t last long, when there was a leak of a text that appeared to cause uproar. Old hands, who are familiar with these processes, pointed out this was inevitable and there could well be more such leaks and more such outrage. There will certainly be more disagreement. And the dynamics are hard to predict as further texts and “non-papers” are issued and scrutinised.
What is needed is momentum. Europe today has the chance to inject that. In Brussels at the European Council Gordon Brown will be pushing for greater EU ambition on both emissions cuts and immediate finance, and also continue to argue for a global commitment to long term finance with Europe playing its part.
As ministers join me here in Copenhagen over the weekend we should make the most of any progress made in Brussels.
Having arrived in a city besieged by people and paper, I am already clear about one thing, Copenhagen is not just another international negotiation. It is a crucial moment of choice for all of us. I am determined that we will make the right choice.
Whether these talks succeed or fail, the world will be transformed by the middle of this century. Our choice is how. We can choose a future we want for ourselves and our children or we can let events choose a less positive future for us.
Our guest writer is Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
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• And stay tuned for an exclusive Left Foot Forward poll on Sunday covering public attitudes and Copenhagen.
UPDATE 08.59
Left Foot Forward understands that the Prime Minister will say in his press conference with President Sarkozy this morning in Brussels:
“I believe Europe will today make an offer to push forward the Copenhagen talks. Europe will pay its share of a $10 billion fast track finance fund. Europe will also offer to pay its fair share of the $100 billion long-term finance required annually by 2020.”
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20 Responses to “The atmosphere has changed in Copenhagen”
David Wearing
Anon E Mouse – perhaps it was the overexcitement, but you clearly didn’t read what I wrote.
I didn’t say I know of no evidence “of people at the lower end of the income spectrum caring about their own situation”
“I know of no evidence that people at the lower end of the income scale care ONLY about their own situation”
Empathy for others is a fact of human nature. If you want to argue that working class people are purely self-interested, then that’s up to you. Its a view of humanity rooted firmly in the right-wing. But if its how you see people…
Anon E Mouse
David Waring – As excited as I was to read your reply, I never become overexcited about anything really – particularly this Climate Change nonsense.
With the direction that the whole of Europe is now moving, a view of humanity rooted firmly in the right-wing I would argue is no bad thing – especially as 12 years of a Labour / Left wing government has left this country up to its neck in debt and thousands overseas murdered in illegal wars because Labour slavishly followed George Bush and I voted for them… I digress.
You seem to have failed to answer any of the important points I made. I’ll try again.
David, do you think, with the limited resources available to us due to this governments fiscal incompetence, that without asking us this they should be spending £billions of our money on this?
Because of Britain’s dire situation “ideal world” is out of the window David.
You can try your personal “But if its how you see people…” type attacks but the question remains whether governments should help their own people who are REALLY suffering here or waste money on this type of unproven rubbish.
Liz
Anon – I don’t think it an either/or option:
“but the question remains whether governments should help their own people who are REALLY suffering here or waste money on this type of unproven rubbish”.
We must do both – it’s just the how that is the key question.
Anon E Mouse
Liz – Agreed but at the moment we need to be realistic about our situation as well and I simply do not trust the government anymore.
Too many lies too often has destroyed my faith in the Labour Party I’m afraid.
I know one can argue “It doesn’t matter who you vote for the government always gets in” but it really seems true at the moment.
The other day Gordon Brown called Climate Change skeptics “Deniers” and “Flat Earthers”. Fine but what kind of idiot would potentially alienate half the electorate? Stupid man.
Devolved Governments - Where they stand on Copenhagen | Left Foot Forward
[…] stance being taken by Ed Miliband as leader of the UK delegation, a stance that can be read in his article for this […]