Posts by Jeanette Fitzsimons

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  Copenhagen Diary: It is a disgrace

  
  
  
  Tonight’s outcome in Copenhagen is a tragedy for humanity. It is  widely recognised as a failure papered over with some fine sounding words by Obama. The purpose of the meeting was to agree on a second commitment period for the Kyoto  protocol. That has not been achieved. We came here wanting an ambitious, fair and binding agreement. [...] read more
  December 19, 2009 1:03 pm - 76 Comments
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  Copenhagen Diary #6: Catching the climate train

  
  
  
  A crowd of people set out to catch a train. The train had already left some time ago but was moving quite slowly, though steadily. It was still possible to catch the train if everyone ran. It was vital that they caught the train as disaster was chasing them. Also, no-one could get on the [...] read more
  December 19, 2009 8:24 am - 9 Comments
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  Copenhagen Diary #5

  
  
  
  In the midst of the gloom about the chances of a deal, it is worth recording one small victory for the planet. There has been a huge amount of work by the NGOs to protect biodiversity and indigenous rights and they have been restored in the text. read more
  December 19, 2009 3:21 am - 1 Comment
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  Copenhagen Diary #4

  
  
  
  Different cultures have very different views on the relationship between population and climate change. In some circles population is the great unmentionable. It is still associated with the coercive policies some early family planners tried to impose. In others it is the perfect excuse for why we should not have to do anything about our [...] read more
  December 17, 2009 12:52 am - 8 Comments
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  Copenhagen Diary #3

  
  
  
  Copenhagen has a public transport system to die for. With a population similar to greater Auckland, although covering much less space, it has a new (2002) metro that is very fast and I’ve never had to wait more than 4 minutes even though I’m near the end of the line. read more
  December 16, 2009 3:27 am - 5 Comments
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  Copenhagen Diary #2

  
  
  
  Forests are key to this negotiation – both how forest sinks, land use and land use change (LULUCF) are treated in the agreement for the next period, and the mechanisms for protecting 0ld growth forests in developing countries from logging. Estimates are that 15-20% of global emissions are n0w from deforestation. Along with the carbon, [...] read more
  December 14, 2009 5:52 am - 39 Comments
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  Copenhagen Diary #1

  
  
  
  Just arrived after 32 hours travel via Hong Kong. Flying across Asia gives you  different perspective on the earth. From the East Asia coast to England not a tinge of green. The desert in West and north China went on for ever – mountains and hills and plains, but all sand coloured. I wonder how [...] read more
  December 12, 2009 10:04 pm - 34 Comments
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  Competition good; Energy savings better.

  
  
  
  The Government’s moves to make the power retail market more competitive are good, if the reforms deliver, but they overlook the elephant in the room when it comes to making sustainable long-term savings on household power bills — energy conservation. Make no mistake; tinkering with the retail situation will do nothing to alter the underlying fundamentals [...] read more
  December 10, 2009 2:03 pm - 10 Comments
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  Herd homes vs cubicles like home vs prison

  
  
  
  Have you ever felt that after a long day inside a building you just have to get out and feel the sun and breathe some air? I guess not being able to do that is one  of the punishments the prison system imposes on offenders. But even they get an hour or so out in [...] read more
  December 9, 2009 3:35 pm - 11 Comments
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  Good Farm Stories

  
  
  
  Tomorrow the Greens will launch a new initiative telling Good Farm Stories from around the country. There’s plenty of good farmers pioneering new ideas to make farming more sustainable, and we’re keen to tell New Zealand about them. As the Greens’ agriculture spokesperson I’ve been visiting farms regularly this year and I’ve written up my reflections [...] read more
  November 25, 2009 9:41 am - 143 Comments