new developments...

Dear folks,

Check out the new developments from Nairobi, straight from the solargeneration desk:

(photo: albert/ solargens with lubay-lubay dancers)

Things have moved quickly here in the last few hours.

1. The Article 3.9 decision on future work on emissions reductions has been agreed by the AWG. The detailed decision is available on the UNFCCC website and we will be analysing it in detail in the coming days, but the first cut is that although it is not what we wanted, it can help us get to where we need to go.
2. The Article 9 decision on the review of the Kyoto Protocol is stuck...stuck because the EU can't get its act together to clearly state its intentions about the second commitment period...we worked hard on governments and ministers today, but the decision about this issue will be resolved by Ministers over the coming several days, if at all.
3. The Adaptation Fund decision was adopted as well. It's not completed, but several very substantial important steps have been taken towards creating a fair and effective decision on the disbursement of the money generated by the CDM for adaptation.
4. Most of the other decisions have been completed as well, with HCFC-22 in the CDM and CCS in the CDM having been punted in one way or another to future meetings.
We will be working hard on ministers over the next two days to get a good resolution on the Article 9 decision in such a way that it leads to a negotiating mandate at COP/MOP 3 next year. Time will tell.
In the meantime, updates from Mhairi and Su Hang from Solar Generation China below.

Cheers,
Steve

From Mhairi
So just as the sun comes out - it pours and I mean POURS with rain (please bear in mind I'm Scottish and it's the sun that amazes me, not the amount of water that falls from the sky!!) - the tent threatened many times to collapse under the weight of the rain and the wind really wrenched hard at the windows but we survived another day in Nairobi.
The people have really arrived in town, bringing with them the media attention - Rona Ambrose held a nervous press conference with Canadian media with Steven Guilbeault at the back quietly taking notes then doing interviews. The BBC have returned from taking their "background shots" and discovered that even in the good ol' United Nations the internet is not reliable and a simple phone call takes days of preparation and planning.
Natalia led the press briefing this morning - we've noticed that although the journos turn up for 9.30am, the questions are not forthcoming in plenary but when offered 1-2-1's afterwards, we're inundated. Great and definitely reflective in the media coverage.
Australia and Canada have given us bountiful gifts in their utterly outrageous comments and statements regarding the Convention and the Protocol - thanks for that although I reckon at the end of the day we'd rather they didn't! Catherine and Bill have done many an interview, some of which I sent round yesterday.
The two headliners we're working with are as follows:
1. This is the LAST COP we can NOT have a mandate
2. Look beyond the words of your position and consider their true meaningand the outcomes it would produce.
Update from Su Hang, Solar Generation China
1st Day in COP/MOP as SolarGen member!
It is my first time for attending the COP12 and COP/MOP2. Waked up about 5 o’clock in the morning and cannot fell asleep again, maybe I was too excited or maybe just not adapted to the time difference.
It is also my first time to be aboard. Everything is new and wonderful.
I felt a little lost when I was in the morning briefing, but soon I
learned how to do it as a volunteer in today’s photo activity. Golam,
Laura and me made a prop with Mission Possible: Save the Climate Theme.
We cut a hole on the paper, so the Delegates can put in their own head
behind the prop, instead the head of the man or the woman on the paper.
When this was done, we were looking for the delegates of Parties all
over the meeting place, invited them to take pictures and printed all
their pictures and stick them on the cardboard. Besides, Ann and me had
a short meeting with Wangari Maahai, the lady who won the Nobel Peace
Prize, we are waiting outside the her office, we were waiting and
waiting and waiting and finally we got a chance to meet her after a lots
of interviews of her. We gave our Solar Generation’s lanyard to her, and
explained our work and hope. She is kind to us and interested in our
work too.
I am really lucky to be here and I like what I am doing here. Although
we are doing small things, we are trying our best to change people’s
mind to promote renewable energy, for a better future of youth.