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Maldives Minister answering questions about COP15 on Skype
Earlier today the Maldives Minister of the Environment, Mr. Mohamed Aslam, answered questions from NGOs and attending citizens through videolink from Climate Vulnerable Forum in the Maldives to a seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark. The venue was CAN SOUTH AND NORTH AGREE ON A CLIMATE DEAL? arranged by an umbrella organization of green movements (Greenpeace, WWF and more). Here is my video from the front row. Enjoy.
Highlights transcribed
Raman Mehta, ActionAid India: Will your country and your country grouping, the association of small island states, be willing to ratify an agreement that does not give you at least 40% reduction of emissions by Annex I countries?
Mohamed Aslam: We will not sign on a suicidal agreement.
Nelson Muffuh, Christian Aid: Since we are in Denmark [...] what message you can give to the Danish COP presidency about what expections you have of them? [...] A watered down compromise or a legally binding agreement?
Mohamed Aslam: We cannot water down anything. There is a deal or no deal. [...] There really is no negotiation with climate change. The climate is not to be negotiated. This is not like doing a business negotiation. People are misunderstanding this. This is not like saying "what do I do?, what do I get?, what do you do?, what do I lose?". A half done deal is no deal for us.
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Two more videos from the event online. See Would you cross the street if you had 50% chance to survive?
I have also written some thing about Maldives.
http://climatechange.thinkaboutit.eu/think2/post/maldives_islands_leaders_hold_global_warming_meeting_underwater_
It is a complex question!
Islanders warming up to decisive fight
“The Maldives and ten other small island states delivered a strong message to NGO representatives ahead of next month’s UN climate change conference in Copenhagen: Save us – for your own sake.”
I hope something change in the positive way!