What I gave to every Member of Parliament

I had not been planning to give every Member of Parliament a present for Christmas/Hanukkah/holiday break, but the story of what I gave and why is, in its own right, a way of sharing the best of this season with you. On November 26, I was home in the riding and on Salt Spring Island. ...

Last thoughts on the Durban package

Alright, probably not last thoughts.  Analysis and review will continue for months if not years. By some lights it was a breakthrough to have China and India and Brazil talking about targets — even though they have only agreed to start getting there.  It is an enormous relief to have a second commitment period under ...

COP17 enters home stretch

The high level segment opened yesterday with speeches first from presidents and prime ministers, and, in the case of Monaco, royalty. Then down the pecking order to countries represented by ministers and those statements will continue, 3 minutes each today and tomorrow.  Peter Kent will speak this morning. Meanwhile, all attention on negotiations is on ...

Climate talks struggle to gain clear path forward

Durban is a lovely place. I have never been here before and I will probably see nothing but the beach in front of my hotel as I walk to the bus stop for the shuttle to the convention centre. This, COP17, is stop 17 on a marathon of inaction called global climate talks. Last year ...

First thoughts from COP17

I write this from the Plenary session at COP17 in Durban. My first pleasant surprise was that I was accepted for credentials to join the delegation of Papua New Guinea. I have long admired the PNG delegation. Historically of note, it was PNG and its head of delegation, Kevin Conrad, who stood against the Bush ...

Durban, COP17 and what I think I will be doing when I get there

I won’t likely be blogging for a bit until I get to Durban.  Leaving soon from Toronto to Heathrow, all day wait at Heathrow and another overnight flight to Johannesburg and then a few hours to get through customs and on to the last flight to Durban. Why I don’t want to go –  I ...