The Mount Holyoke News

Issue date: 12/10/09 Section: Features

This week, the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference kicked off in Copenhagen, Denmark. Known informally as “COP 15,” the international summit brings together leaders from around the globe to begin discussing and negotiating a new treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curbing the worst consequences of climate change. The last binding climate change treaty was the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012. The treaty that comes out of the Copenhagen conference will replace the Kyoto agreement. Many see this conference as the last chance for the world to reach an agreement that will make a lasting impact.

Leaders and representatives from 192 countries are expected to take part in the COP 15 summit. U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to make an appearance on December 18th, the last day of the conference. A multitude of others – scientists, environmental activists, youth – will be in the Danish capital to observe the negotiations or to demonstrate for the climate change cause. Yiting Wang ’11 is among them. An environmental studies major and international coordinator of the China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN), Wang is now attending the Copenhagen summit with a group of Chinese youth delegates. I interviewed her via email to find out more about this:

Q: You have the opportunity to go to Copenhagen during the time of the international climate change talks. I know you're going with a group of Chinese youth delegates. Could you talk a little about this group (who they are), and how they got this chance to go to Copenhagen?
A: I am going as a delegate with the Chinese youth delegation, formally invited by UNFCCC. I got connected with a group of Chinese youth active in climate change and other environmental issues from China at the Powershift conference held in [Washington] D.C. earlier this year. When I got back to China this summer (to apply for a visa for an internship in India sponsored by the Center for Global Initiatives), I worked with the organization called the China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN). It is a leading non-governmental organization based in Beijing, dedicated to raising awareness of climate change among Chinese youth in higher education institutions nationwide, and to mobilizing them to conduct publicity initiatives to influence their local communities. It has also been involved with an international youth movement on climate change and sustainable development. I compiled and edited their first progress report. I now also serve as the international coordinator mainly for its activities in North America. CYCAN is the initiator and co-organizer of this Chinese delegation team. But I still went through a series of applications to be selected.

Q: What do you plan on doing when you're there? Will you be able to go to some of the conferences? How long will you be there in Denmark? What are your thoughts about getting to attend such an important event?
A: The youth delegation is invited as observers to attend some sessions of different meetings that will be held. We will host and participate in a series of media events/activities/campaigns (e.g. "traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis" campaign outside the conference center) and workshops (e.g. entrepreneurship training for young leaders). We have a joint event with U.S. youth and later we’ll work on a press release together. We should have more joint events with youth from other parts of the world. Also, there are many other campaigns and debate events, hosted by Non-Government Organiztions (NGO’s) like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the British Council.

I am on the communication team and will be responsible for coordinating with domestic and international media with our events, updating and translating our official blog on the updates of the negotiations, and communicating messages sent from people back in China. The conference is from [December] 7th to [December] 18th. Because I am studying in Copenhagen next semester, I will need to stick around until the semester starts in January. This will be my first time attending a UN conference of historical importance. There is definitely a lot for me to learn about the process of UN negotiations. We will also have conversations with experts in many fields and attend workshops such as leadership training. We will also be part of a world web of grassroot forces: petitioning, advocating and crying for radical progress to be made out of the conference. I just want to do my best, together with the team, to get as loud as possible and move humanity forward as much as we can.

Q: What do you expect will happen during the conferences and as a result of your efforts? What would you (ideally) like to see happen?
A: An ultimate goal is to have a legally binding and radical emission reduction target global agreement. With the recent announcements of emission reduction targets from the U.S. and China, who together emit 40% of the world’s greenhouse gases, it seemed that a legally binding treaty might become achievable again in Copenhagen. But these targets are only a little bit better than nothing. For the U.S., the target of a 17% cut from 2005 levels by 2020 may be translated into a few percent down from 1990 levels – the commonly-used baseline. The Chinese 40-50% reduction in carbon intensity per unit GDP by 2020 is even trickier—it does not say absolute reduction, because GDP is assumed to be growing. So overall, these two countries’ targets are about the same assuming a growth rate of 3% for the U.S. and 8% for China. Agreement might be achieved through compromise, if nothing else. But I am afraid many small island radical countries might not want to sign a weak treaty and might even want to wait for COP 16. Therefore, the ideal would be to have something more radical than what they announced to be generated. I also hope to see substantial plans made in terms of technology transfer and financial assistance from developed countries to developing countries.

Q: Describe (briefly) the complexities of different nations coming to an agreement about lowering emissions. What is China's view and how does that affect (or not affect) the U.S.?
A: I think the major obstacle is still one concerning the U.S. as the single most powerful developed country. Many other countries such as Canada and Australia are sort of dodging around with the U.S., and were even proposing that each country set up their own law and reduce on their own, which clearly does not have enforcement.

The EU is probably the strongest voice among developed countries, but it has not fully delivered the money and technology it has promised. My impression is that the U.S. has an attitude that “if China is not gonna have some sort of reduction goal, neither would I.” But I think Obama’s visit [to China] had some really positive effects on getting the announcements out.

Q: Do you think the Chinese youth view climate change differently than the Chinese leaders and policy makers? Are they more convinced that the issue needs to be addressed now and action taken?
A: I would honestly say most of the Chinese youth need more awareness education on the science, economics, and politics behind climate change, from my experience working with the youth organization. The government, on the other hand, seems to be always under a lot of pressure and is indeed trying to get around a binding reduction target by investing in renewable energy/energy efficiency/reforestation projects, as meaningful actions to the Kyoto standards.

Q: What are your own thoughts about climate change?
A: I take it as a critical opportunity for modern society and humanity as a whole to shift to a new paradigm of how to live a life and “progress” forward without depleting its resources and endangering its own survival. The earth has been sending signs suggesting a state of emergency. It is time to have another revolution. Yes, sacrifices have to be made, with greater and longer rewards for humanity as a whole. I also want this to be a chance for people to look at each other, discover each other, and learn from each others’ low-carbon ways of life. I hope people in some of the less developed countries will learn to appreciate their traditionally low-carbon way of living, which is fulfilling and comfortable already in some sense. And I would say, even if there were no global warming, many of our consumption patterns are just unnecessarily wasteful. Even if there were no global warming, energy options such as solar panels and hot water are just nature’s gift for free, clean power. And renewable energy’s development I would say, as of right now, is almost unstoppable regardless of what folks at Copenhagen will be chatting about.

Q: What do you hope to get out of this experience?
A: I see participation in the COP 15 as an exceptional way to enhance my ideas and skills in leadership. China has replaced the U.S. as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and the atmospheric CO2 concentration is soaring. The question of what kind of future – the one in which we the youth and our offspring will live – falls on us, not just as Chinese but also as global citizens. It is the synergy from the energetic spirit and compassion of the youth, especially those with knowledge and visions that will lead the rest. It is the very privileged education I receive here at Mount Holyoke that has blessed me with this knowledge and motivation, and I feel a great sense of responsibility to be part of the decision-making that will determine our own future!

- From Yiting Wang’s grant proposal submitted to the Weissman Center for Leadership

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