NMIPL Blog

COP 15, Tuesday, December 15, 1:45 pm

I feel fortunate to not be one of the 1000’s who were registered to get into COP 15 today with 2 badges, but who stood in the queue (line) for hours. I arrived at 7:30 and was in before 8:00…a blessing.

Fewer and fewer NGO delegates are allowed in as dignitary numbers swell. Over 45,000 in total registered for throughout the meetings and fire capacity inside is for 15,000. Thousands of civil society people are outside at the Klime Forum and in the streets protesting the unfairness of the meetings.

I have tried to remain in a position of holding the slogging process while also feeling my heart wrench from the many injustices of inequities. I as a US person am part of the developed nations causing the greater part of emissions threatening life and yet my country and others in the north hold the strongest voices stopping the process. These are described as negotiations of all voices, yet, smaller countries and those less economically large do not hold equal voice. Our US population is small compared to many of the voices here. Our corporations are large and this voice is large. This struggle is literally about life and death for many nations. They are desperate to be heard and to have a binding and effective agreement with FINANCING.

Tomorrow at 12 noon there will be a massive joining of civil society with delegates from inside COP 15, the global north and south and alliances protesting outside Bella Center 15 years of failed climate negotiations with mass non-violent civil disobedience. It is a call to unite a “People’s Assembly”. According to Mithika Mwenda of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, “Africans from inside the Bella Centre are proud to be reaching out and standing with our brothers and sisters outside. We stand with them against a deal that will kill Africa. President Obama cannot come here and sign the death warrant of literally millions of Africans. Instead, he should come and march with us, listen to us, and commit to a just, long-term deal that stops climate change and keeps our people alive.”

I do not know what you are hearing about the conference in the US. Here the negotiations are up and down and it is amazing that the president of the COP 15 is still pushing for something. Again and again I hear, there is no other time to make and agreement but now. People here depend upon prayers and actions for justice.

While I wish I could be doing more here and wonder what I am doing many moments, I believe my presence here collectively with brothers and sisters throughout the planet speaks a voice of justice and integrity for people and earth. We do not have the money of the lobbyists of large corporations, we only have each other. Today I had a little lunch of cheese and bread with a brother who is a government delegate for Nigeria who is part of the negotiating process inside. I thanked him for his courage and said that I worked with the faith community and was supporting him. He thanked me with eyes of gratitude and asked for prayers.

I attended an Oxfam session with Desmund Tutu and Mary Robinson and voices of four beautiful brothers and sisters from Tuvalu, Bangladesh, Peru, and Uganda who shared their moving stories. Afterwards, I took each of the witnesses’ pictures and told them I would tell their stories to people of faith in New Mexico so that they could work with them as brothers and sisters. They thanked me said, we need you and we need your prayers.

One conversation lacking here amidst the voices directed at the negotiating parties calling for respect of human rights and earth rights is the part that corporations play in climate change. Corporations have rights and finances and strong lobbying voices. Friends of the Earth just offered a press conference announcing the Angry Mermaid Award for the worst business lobbying on climate change which journalist, Naomi Klein presented. It was a people’s award using a process with various stages and nominations through the internet.

The Winner IS…..Monsanto for promoting genetically modified crops as a solution to climate change and pushing for its crops to be used as biofuels and for contributing to deforestation and devastation of small farmers.  www.angrymermaid.org.

This blog is becoming a novella, forgive the too many words. For now, I trust you are working or making some little action for climate justice and life this day.  More later tonight.

Peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Monday, December 14, 8 pm

Blesssings this night! Another day at the Bella Center at COP 15.

The world community there is getting more tense and more congested here. Just when I was wondering if my presence makes any difference, the President of the COP 15 proceedings briefed Civil Society at 5 pm and spoke to how crucial it was and is to have all of us present and pushing our respective delegations and leaders.  She urged continued pressure. Here the US delegation is not very accessible.

So……I AM ASKING YOU TO CALL PRESIDENT OBAMA  and strongly urge him that the moral and ethical imperative of the US is to help pass an agreement with high emissions reductions standards and serious long term financing for those who are most vulnerable. President Obama must show strong and immediate leadership for the negotiations here.

The President of the proceedings is trying to move the entire delegation to a deal with substance believing that the form for the agreement will follow. In the end, she foresees 1 package with 2 tracks: one carrying the Kyoto Protocol forward and the other track of the Least Developed Countries.  Her plea is that we cannot leave Copenhagen without an agreement and again urged civil society to not ease up on the pressure of leaders because there will be no better chance to negotiate in the future.

High ranking officials, including Senators and Congress people from the US arrive throughout the President Gore and hope to attend a session where he speaks tomorrow.

Another confirmation of the vital work of Interfaith Power and Light came today as I listened to President Mohammad Masheed of the Maldives who facilitated a session with UN high officials on advancing work on adaptation. He said, leaders will only understand the seriousness of this issue when the people understand and press their leaders. When the people galvanize, the leaders will act in tandem. On the other hand, for leaders this is the time to show leadership and not to go with the pack.  There is no lack of work ahead for us.

In addressing climate change and migration a UN official pressed the fact that climate change is now and will only become an even stronger factor in peace and stability. Over 1 billion people are hungry today or 1 out of 6 are not sure they will find a cup of food. In the next 10 years it is predicted that the food yields around the planet will reduce by one-half. Hungry people have three options:

migrate, revolt or die.  Let us act so that our brothers and sisters will have other options.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING A PHONE CALL!!

Peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Sunday, December 13, 2009  9 pm

Blessings this night!  I have just had wonderful homemade fresh bread, soup and gløgg (a traditional  Danish hot drink) and wonderful conversation with my Danish hosts Michael and Mia. Now I will fill you in on the amazing events of Saturday and Sunday.

While it is difficult to talk with the actual US delegates, I am finding it much easier to talk with those of the less powerful countries. Yesterday I had a very informative lunch with a Bangladesh NGO delegate who is an official government delegate simply because Bangladesh could not afford to send many people to the COP 15. I learned about reforestation projects in Bangladesh where people are living in water because land is being drowned.

Later in the afternoon I joined the 100,000 person march and candle vigil with a dear sister from England. Because we came late we started at the back and walked through floats, banners, police lines, songs and voices of many nations until we came to the front block of thousands. I felt like I had traveled through the world in a sort time. The demonstration was basically peaceful and incredible to be part of the largest climate change march thus far on the planet and so international.

Today, Sunday, began by attending Count Down to Copenhagen event in the City Center where Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke and the 512,894 signatures gathered by Countdown to Copenhagen were given to the UN official to take to the COP 15. Before Archbishop Tutu spoke there was music and I was in front of glorious Danish youth who danced and sang the theme song of Hopenhagen:

How can we dance when earth is turning
How can we dance when our beds are burning
The time has come.

I asked the young people about the song and dance and they said, we must sing and dance even with the critical issues because these are expressions of life and we are humans and not robots.

Their sentiment spilled over into Archbishop Tutu who danced about on the stage and was so joyful as he addressed the serious nature of the work ahead.  He noted that the wealthy countries say 150 billion dollars is too much for adaptation and helping the vulnerable, suffering from climate change, yet, how much was spent on the bank bail outs and on war.

He said, when God looks down and sees Darfur, Gaza, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan God is crying and asks, `Why did I create humans?`

Then God sees Copenhagen and God begins to smile and say, “Look what my children are doing. You are wonderful because you are telling politicians, and developed countries to reduce emissions…we do not want a political argument, we want a politically binding agreement. Join us, join the winning side.¨

Amidst the great live music and dancing after his speech, and presentation of the signatures, I walked to the Church of Our Lady Copenhagen Lutheran Cathedral for the Ecumenical Celebration for Creation. This most significant religious celebration of COP 15 was inspiring. I was blessed to have a very good ticket. I was in the front. A presentation of the symbols of climate change: Glacier stones from Greenland, dried up maize from Africa and bleached corals from the Pacific Ocean carried by children was very profound.

What a gift to hear and be a few feet from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, as his words touched hearts in the Cathedral. His was a message of turning from fear to Love. Love casts out all fear. What will move us to the right decisions is Love and not fear. We cannot show the right kind of love for humans without keeping and loving Earth as home. We are here as people of faith to speak and act strongly out of Love to address climate change. ( The text is inspiring and I am told it will be on his website.)

My few words for the day and now I am off to bed. Again, I invite you to one more small step toward sustainable living and loving today and tomorrow. The maize, choral, glaciers, friends from Bangladesh, children and the Rev. Tofiga Falani from the island nation of Tuvalu are depending upon our Loving bold actions to cast out fear.

Peace and good,

Your sister from COP 15

Joan

Saturday, 12:30 pm Copenhagen—5:30 am New Mexico time

Quick mid-term climate negotiations update from Climate Action Network (CAN) briefing with NWF, WWWF, and Oxfam.

NGO’s continue to call for a fair and binding resolution. Developing nations have put clear first offers on the table. Tuvalu, an island nation continues to put a courageous voice forward.  There are many secret texts and private negotiations happening. There is a need for transparency.

Strong proposals in the US with the Senate leadership are needed that would allow movement forward. On this day of Global Climate Action the process needs to move forward without delay there is no other time when all these leaders of nations will be face to face.

We cannot go in circles anymore. We owe the vulnerable communities and the future to move much farther and faster than even we thought possible.

Among the many gaps in the basic framework is the lack of long term commitment of cash. Fast stop financing is being proposed and much of this is funny money which has been previously committed and it is very short term. Financing must be sufficient and long term to rebuild trust with developing countries.

Light a candle, join a vigil or create a small spontaneous vigil today and join the more than 3,000 vigils across the globe praying. I am off to a vigil. The sun sets around 3:00 here, I think, the only time I have seen the sun break through was just a few  moments ago. The sky is actually blue and glistens on the wind turbine generating power for the Bella Center. This is the first piercing of the clouds by brother sun all week. That this would be a sign.

Peace and good,
Joan

Blessings this day!

As I entered the Center today I was greeted by some of the many wonderful young people in green elf costumes and a polar bear singing the 12 days of Christmas. This is a summary of the meeting thus far from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance:

On the tenth day in Denmark the UN gave to me
Emissions a-leaping
No Indigenous rights
Peat lands a draining
Endangered species
Forests converted
Crap MRV
Too much fossil fuels
Trees chain sawed
No strings attached
And a big fat logging subsidy!

Let me offer several reflections of where it seems we stand at day 10 from taking in life here and at the Klime Forum or the People’s Forum which is near downtown that I attended yesterday.  While the formal meeting seems to be slogging along, a long term human rights worker from Sri Lanka told me that she believes that this is the first time that the voices of the island nations and people of the South have perhaps been really heard at the table. There is a tension in the air as we move into the final week. Will any meaningful agreement really happen. The tension moves into anger on some levels and it was very evident among the island nations and people of the South at the Klime Forum yesterday. There are enormous issues of human rights, and reparations for climate debt and financing for adaptation, emissions reductions and simply respecting all people upon the planet with equality. I have heard no one here doubt climate change, as is the conversation by some in the US. Here the demands of reparations for climate debt rise as do the waters.

At this forum, I feel like a global citizen first, but everywhere I go I hear and see that the United States is the worst polluter, the richest nation and the one least to listen and act for the common good. Yesterday this weighed heavy on my heart. I did attend a Caritas Mass last night and was moved that they chose to sing Amazing Grace, not knowing the history that it is a song telling the story of conversion of a slave trader. Today we in the United States are engaged by our lifestyles and public policy in a different type of slavery of Earth and a number of her people. Perhaps this meeting will be or lead to a moment of Amazing Grace.

Today is the large demonstration of 50,000 in the city and the numbers here at the Center are swelling to the maximum of 15,000.

I invite you to actions of conversion of lifestyle and actions of hope this day.  A short prayer from Caritas last night:

O God, open the hearts and minds of the rich nations that they may help all those suffering from the impact of climate change–as the earth hardens, rivers dry up, crops fail, children starve, the rain does not come. As floods and cyclones ravage your earth ever stronger; as glaciers melt, sea and reiver levels rise, animal and plant species die out, and island homes, ancestral lands of our brothers and sisters, sink below the oceans.

Evening, December 10, 2009

There are so many presentations, youthful and creative demonstrations and briefings happening alongside the climate change negotiations that one can be overwhelmed. I find I need to be open and give into the flow. Today I found myself swept into a tour of the transit system of Copenhagen hosted by the transportation mayor. There is so much that the US can learn about promoting public transportation, biking and livable cities. I will bring information to the Albuquerque Climate Change Coalition, of which NM Interfaith Power and Light is part.

Another unexpected amazing gift of the day was an orange and black butterfly fluttering and landing about in the room where youth were presenting at the Intergenerational Inquiry on Climate Change Solutions. What a symbol of rebirth, transformation and the future. The symbolism of this butterfly spoke a profound message as did the United Voce of the International Youth Climate Movement declaration entitled, “Survival is not Negotiable”.  Today was youth day and there are hundreds of inspiring, alive and concerned youth swarming the area like many fluttering orange butterflies.

The hidden messages in the day continued with an excellent presentation on recognizing and protecting human rights within the Copenhagen Statement which was presented today on International Human Rights Day. I was very moved by a representative from the Republic of Seychelles who spoke on the desperate need to have a treaty that seeks to keep climate temps below 1.5 degree rise. His people fight for survival and the plea for funds for adaptation from nations most responsible for their suffering and eventual displacement seem to fall on deaf ears. At this meeting, the failure of the US to take responsibility is glaring and comes up again and again.

Indigenous people are simply trying to make the point that they have a right to exist. Human rights issues and climate change is an enormous legal and ethical area yet to be addressed and time is clicking away. A powerful woman Inuit leader said, “Indigenous people do not want to be debated or invisibalized by politics, economics and science.”

If anyone doubts the Western science of climate change, they need to listen to the indigenous science and way of knowing through living in a place.  Sitting in the packed room as the speakers presented the word pictures of their lives and the desperate lack of time, I thought, how audacious we are in the US to debate numbers and words. Are we able to listen to brothers and sisters throughout the planet?

Finally, tonight it was worth passing through rainy streets to get to the National Museum of Denmark for the program of “Voices of Hope”, Responding to the Call of the Earth with speakers Maurice Strong and Wangari Maathai and other religious leaders. The event, sponsored by the Global Peace Initiative of Women, is part of an effort to bring to the fore the transformative and prophetic voice that spirituality and religion must offer to the challenges we face. Putting words aside, it was very powerful to be in the presence of so many religious leaders and at several points send healing for the planet.  Ultimately, what we do or do not do affects the future of Mother Earth.

What did you do for Mother Earth and Human Rights today? It is not too late to offer a prayer or breathe in and out love and healing for the planet and the meeting.

Peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Thursday, Dec 10

Blessings this day!

What a glorious gift sleep is once jet lag wears away. I am back at Bella Center with my thousands of brothers and sisters, part of the Sacred Earth Community.

Last night I did stay for one last “side presentation” which was wonderful and
should have been a presentation for everyone to experience. Indigenous
brothers and sisters from Bolivia, the ambassador of Bolivia and scientist
from S. Africa spoke for a Universal Declaration of Rights of Holy Mother
Earth. Bolivia petitioned and passed through the UN that Earth Day, April 22
is now International Mother Earth Day. If we begin to know Earth as Mother we
are less likely to treat her as an object. After all, most people respect
their mothers who give and nurture life and Mother Earth does give and nurture
life.

Many of us who have looked deeply into our spiritual traditions realize that
climate change is a symptom of imbalance and not realizing our oneness with
the Creator and with Earth. The human is part of Earth and depends upon Earth
more than any other species for life.

In a human oriented world, we have forgotten that Mother Earth has rights and
that without respecting the rights of Earth there cannot be true human rights
and dignity. The Bolivians have taken action they said, “Because we want to
free Mother Earth from slavery.”

Ecuador is the first country to make Earth Rights part of their constitution.
Earth Rights is the next evolutionary step into a new paradigm that respects
indigenous wisdom, hears the new science and recognizes the deep truths of
spiritual traditions.

As I listened, I kept thinking of St. Francis’ Canticle of Brother Sun and the
praises of Sister Mother Earth who “governs” us. It is as if we have not
really been hearing the wisdom in this prayer.

Leonardo Boff, the Brazilian liberation theologian sent a paper that was read
confirming the reasons for a Universal Declaration of Rights of Holy Mother
Earth. He is also in the leadership commission for the Earth Charter and both
are related.

For now…peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Sadness and Hope mingle here at Copenhagen
Maybe it is jet lag, maybe it is the introvert within me feeling the press of so much activity, or maybe it is the cry of the planet calling to the compassion of my heart…but nearing the end of this day, Wednesday, Dec 9…I feel a great sadness. Yet, as I sit at this computer in an enormous computer center with hundreds of people from throughout the world…hope filters through as the evening begins. It is as if the bells and calls to prayer around the planet in towns, monasteries and little villages are ringing through these walls.

Several notes:

* Today I felt very honored to sit with religious leaders from throughout the world and speak at a press conference sponsored by the Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change and 350.org. I spoke of the call of St. Francis, Patron of Ecology to love all as brothers and sisters, to address our carbon footprint following the example of the life of St. Clare and St. Francis to “walk in the footprints of Jesus.” Today walking in the footprints of the Jesus of Justice and Love means reducing individual carbon footprints and increasing the voice to care for creation and all brothers and sisters.

*I had lunch with Stuart Scott, organizer of the Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change. He is fasting along with many others for movement at this meeting.

* It seems that some voices do not count because they are too small. The people of the island Tuvalu, and their proposal were dismissed today by the US and other developed nations. But, a spontaneous event of support for the people erupted near the delegates auditorium. Truth erupts. Are not all equal in God’s eyes?

*Some of the African countries are saying that climate increases must remain below 1 degree. I am praying for miracles.

*At the end of the day…what is most important? Acts of Love that take form in how we live our lives.

Peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Blessings from the Bella Center, Wednesday, December 9.
Yesterday I attended a wonderful side gathering, Addressing Climate Change By Awakening to Oneness sponsored by the Global Peace Initiative of Women. Exploring the place ofreligious traditions, contemplation and the call to action around climate change with leaders from throughout the planet, it came to me that we are in a moment where we are called to deep intimacy.

Ultimately, if prayer, meditation and fasting do not lead to deeper intimacy with God and with our human brothers and sisters and all beings on the planet — then religious traditions fall short. Intimacy draws the heart and spirit deeply into the soul meaning of existence and from there, we have no choice but to act for the common good because we know that we all beat with one heart.

The Copenhagen conference is a grant experience of intimacy. We are more than 5,000 people from throughout the planet who carry in our bodies the water and soil of the diverse places from which we travel. Everyone here has a soul and heart that beats with oneness. What an amazing miracle.

The most amazing miracle will be when we come to a serious agreement where the developed nations respect and hold the voices of those poorer nations with equal respect and commit to actions that include viable emissions targets and short and long term financial pledges for adaptation and mitigation for the most vulnerable nations around Earth.

This week Interfaith Power and Light initiates their Carbon Covenant campaign where people of faith can engage and set an example for actions that assist some of these people and their forests and watersheds. People of faith need to lead the way. (check out the Carbon Covenant at the IPL website.)

At the negotiations here there is still dialogue, though many voices continue to say that substantial action needs to be taken and quickly. It is hopeful that negotiations seem to be at a place where there can be movement forward because there is growing clarity on definitions around some areas such as forests and adaptation. Numbers for emissions reductions are still inadequate; however, there is still hope that the work being done can lead to some agreement once the country leaders appear on the scene.

The US lack of a bill in the Senate is a stumbling block that continues to show up in various areas of discussion.

One of the hopeful notes are the thousands of young people engaged, active and creative on the scene calling attention to the needs of justice and integrity for creation. Must run to a session. Continue the prayers, fasting and good intentions because the intimate world community here depends upon you.

Much peace and good,
Your sister,
Joan

Sr. Joan Brown, OSF, director of NM IPL, has been sending us updates from her trip to Copenhagen.
Blessings from Copenhagen!

S. Joan Brown
I have arrived in commuter heaven. Travel by train, bus and metro is so easy and timely. After getting off the train and climbing the steps to street level, What to my wondering eyes should appear? No not reindeer, but hundreds of happy bicycles awaiting their owners return in the evening. Bikers greet me everywhere. Copenhagen has the third highest bike ridership per capita in the world.

My host family Mia and Michael are lovely and have made me feel welcome in their home for the duration of the meeting. Nourished by homemade bread, soup and tea, I am ready for the conference.

Waiting in the long line to register at Bella Center, I find myself with people from all over the world, including a woman from Oxfam Africa. My thoughts went to Jim French doing such wonderful work on the Senate climate and clean energy bill and other work for Oxfam in Kansas.

I am able to connect with Sr. Odile Coirier, who is the leader of the Franciscan´s International Delegation, of which I am a part. I also connect with Maryknoll friends Kathy McNeely and Sr. Ann Braudis who are very engaged with linking ecology, economic reform and the climate change issue.

By late afternoon I am walking around Bella Center taking in the vast engagements of those from around the planet. I attend an afternoon session and am very moved by the thousands of people from around the world attending this, the largest ever UN gathering. We truly are one planet with many people of various cultures, races, and religions bound together by one climate and one future.

Several lines from one of the Advent lines from Isaiah 42 walk with me this day. “…until you establish justice on earth; the coastlands will wait for your teaching”. The people whose faces of many colors clothe the Climate Change Conference and the creatures and earth of the coastlands that are flooding wait for justice from this conference.

A 7 hour time change makes bed my next calling. May we pray, do acts of kindness and love one another.

Peace and good,

Your sister,

Joan Brown