Happy Holidays to everybody. To all the people who I have worked with, to the people who enjoy my work, the visitors of my page and everyone else.
This picture was taken during the COP15. A German activist uses alternative eye catching methods to communicate his views outwards.
The COP 15 is over and while all the politicians tries to promote the great job they did while in Copenhagen I will be doing the last editing and getting ready to bring you my pics form the 2 weeks of protests, meetings, talks and well more protests.
The Copenhagen Outcome is in place at this moment. World leaders have come to a non binding agreement. The last demonstration was held before and during the moment the deal was sealed.
I’ll be using next week to compile my cop 15 series and send the last pictures off to the folks I made deals with. The two pictures below is one from Øksnehallenwhere the NGO’s that could not enter the Bella Center held there last meetings. As the large screen in the back concludes the summit they are doing some concluding of there own. the other is form the last demonstration in front of the parliament. Free the climate prisoners was but one of the messages of the day.
During the summit there have been some demonstrations going on as one could expect. The police here leaves nothing to chance, to they take as many as they can and holds them over night in the special “climate prison” as preemptive arrests. On the 12Th of December during the biggest demonstration yet, 1.000 people was arrested and held over night. only 4 ended being charged. A lot of criticism has been put on the police but a law here that got passed just before the COP15 summit gives the police the rights to hold anyone back that they feel can pose a threat. below is 5 pictures that show some of the demonstrators.
Today was the first real street protest. The plan was to hit different of the polluting companies, shops and office buildings, but due to preventive arrests less then expected arrived and not nearly enough to complete the task. The danish police handled it well, and no real problems arose.
Tomorrow is going to be the big day, about 50.000 is going to attend and Never Trust A Cop, is saying on there website they will stay in the inner city and start the riots. I don’t know yet if ill be heading out to the Bella Center or stay inside the city.
On the main square of Copenhagen, Hopenhagen is happening.
Different small green houses have been set up, each with a theme. They are all gathered around a gigantic spinning globe. New CO2 friendly engines, CO2 calculators and a Norwegian shipping manufacturer who has made freighter ships that run on natural gas, is some of the things you can see here. Later today the Tesla electric car will be promoted too.
Hopenhagen have been criticised by some of the NGO’s at the climate forum due to the heavy advertisements and from companies like Siemens and Coca cola who them selves are responsible for a lot of polluting.
The place where we have our camp is at the Climate Forum. Its an alternative summit for all the NGO’s, artists etc. who are not invited to the actual COP 15. It’s a people summit where all can come and go as they please.
The fundaments of Climate Forum are all the volunteers, from all over. The first picture is two of the volunteers that helped put out chairs, and rig the stage. Then there are two photographers who have done climate projects. Indians and rain forest. There wasn’t much to do today. Tomorrow there will be more to do. I have written one of the more militant activist movements, requesting an interview. Hope they write back.
So this is the launch of the COP15. I have really been looking forward to it for some time now. The whole city is buzzing. All over the place there is something relating to the summit. Ice sculptures, climate cafes, workshops etc. Since I’m not going to be attending the actual summit form the inside, I’ll be discovering all that happens outside. Today I have been coordinating with some of the folks I’m going to be working with during the next two weeks.
I’ll be looking into some of the stuff that is happening all over town during the kickoff. But before that happens I need to gather all the gear and stuff that is scattered all over my apartment and in my car.