Update from Copenhagen

I'm writing from the train on our way into Copenhagen. Having survived the choppy waters of the North Sea and a rail replacement bus service...we are almost at our destination, and have not been more than a few metres above sea level! It has been a bit of an adventure, but proves it is possible and enjoyable to travel in a low carbon way!

The journey gave me the chance to work without the distraction of my ever-increasing addiction to emails and also to contemplate the potential trials and tribulations of the COP15 which starts today. According to my calculations our emissions have been 48kgs verses an astounding 286kgs per person each way if we had all flown.

SolarAid have been invited by the Danish Nature Conservancy Council to exhibit at The Copenhagen Climate Exchange and will also be attending the Klimaforum 09. Both are alternative platforms to allow NGOs, the public and people of the Global South to have their say, exchange ideas and learn more about creative ways to cooperate and move forward in the face of the 'Triple Crunch' (for more info, go to www.jeremyleggett.net).

SolarAid's Katie Bliss and David Battley at SolarAid's stand at The Copenhagen Climate Exchange. Photo by Steve Woodward.

It could not be a more pertinent time to think about the nexus of energy, poverty and climate change in developing nations. The less fortunate regions in the world are more vulnerable than most in the face of climate change and peak oil. The climate is already changing, and hitting small scale producers hard. One devastating manifestation being the severe droughts we have seen the last few months across East Africa. The economic repercussions are ongoing. Moreover, on average over 20% of household incomes are spent on fossil fuel energy sources, and prices are rising dramatically, especially in more remote areas.

During the build up to the UN conference, it is likely the debate of whether poorer nations should have to commit to the same emissions reductions as richer nations shall continue. A highly complex and politicised issue which we will not delve into. However, some are proposing that, on top of commitments to emissions reductions from all nations, the wealthier countries should also commit to financing climate action in poorer nations which have not had the same opportunities for industrialisation. If this decision is made, care must be taken in the type of projects financed, ensuring it capitalises on the vast human capital in the Global South, building long term, sustainable solutions.

SolarAid's work offers the entrepreneurial people in developing regions the opportunity to build up their own micro-solar enterprises, increase their own incomes whilst improving the livelihoods of their communities and reducing dependency on fossil fuels. It seems clear that the work of SolarAid, and other similar organisations, is a key component in tackling the crisis.

SolarAid's Chairman and member of the Green New Deal group, Jeremy Leggett, is also in town during the COP15 negotiations. Jeremy forms part of the Global Observatory, a strategic media group of voices from around the world, designed to ensure a strong outcome of the COP15 talks.

For more details go to www.globalobservatory.net. You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter or visit his website, www.jeremyleggett.net).

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