COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Adam Airoldi, a graduate student in forest ecology and management, and Cate Cogger, an undergraduate in environmental anthropology, have spent several days at the United Nations' international climate change conference in Copenhagen this week.
Arriving days before the meetings, Cate was able to wander around the city and observe pre-conference activities on the streets. She said that on Saturday, thousands of GreenPeace members and empathetic global citizens marched throughout Copenhagen with placards and banners. "Their main message during their march was that the selling and trading of carbon credits is unethical and not a solution to reducing rising CO2 levels within the atmosphere," Cate explained.
Adam said, "Walking around the centrum (downtown), the first thing I noticed were all the police officers and vehicles stationed at every corner. In addition there are helicopters flying all over and skiffs patrolling the canals. The next thing I noted was the abundance of bicycles. It seems that the people of Copenhagen are taking personal responsibility for climate impacts, turning as a group to cycling for their means of transportation."
Adam continued, "I am only one of thousands of people in Copenhagen to observe the process of climate discussion and make their own voices heard. Yesterday a group of more than 100 Nepalese climbers and sherpas made a peaceful march around the centrum and past the Bella center, raising their voices for the mountains they call home. They traveled from Nepal on short notice because the ambassador in Denmark learned that the climate talks did not include discussion of the mountains and their role in the environment."
Adam noticed that many of the presentations concern native people who do not have a strong voice in the government of their nations.
The two said that being in Copenhagen was an experience they will remember for a lifetime.
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