Here’s some flavor of Copenhagen — a repost from Tommaso Boggia of Campus Progress.

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(sorry for my bad performance in this first video, I’m still getting used to being in front of a camera!)

I got to Copenhagen on December 4th and will be hanging out here atthe United Nations international climate negotiation until the 20th. Inthis time, delegates from all nations in the world and many worldleaders will swing by to either try to move the process forward or putroadblocks to climate action.

Official delegates aren’t the only ones here. Over1,000 young people and tens of thousands of other NGO, business andindustry representatives are here to try to get their voices heardamidst the chaotic negotiation process.

This first week, negotiators from different countries will begindrafting an outline of the proposal that should emerge. As the end ofthe conference draws nearer and the agreed upon aspects of the proposalare finalized, Environmental Ministers (i.e. secretaries) from eachcountry will join their negotiators for the tougher part of the talks.Finally, on the last day where only few details need to be finalizedPrime Ministers and Presidents will join in on the fight, ending thenegotiations in a high-level high-stakes battle over words. The wholeprocess happens over consensus and thus every nation must agree inorder to come up with a viable proposal or treaty.

Unfortunately due to the delays brought about by the BushAdministration in the past eight years we are no-where close tofinalizing a treaty, but hopes are high for a meaningful structure tobe finalized over the next year and some strong commitments decidedupon by some of the biggest polluters.

In my time here, I will be working with partner organizations inplanning media saavvy actions, document them on this blog, and helpU.S. young people take action through the Energy Action Coalition’sRapid Response Network. If you wish to help us spread the word in yourcommunity about the U.S.’s behavior during the negotiations, sign up here to join my team of Rapid Responders.

If you have thoughts and ideas about what I should be covering while here, please leave me a note in the comments!