Poor people can’t bear it – Oxfam’s Polar Bears reject the US Climate offer

Oxfam’s Polar bears came back for a second visit to the Untied Nation Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia today, as they could not believe that on the final day of the summit, there was still no clear agreement on a way forward to tackle climate change. You can watch a video of what they got up to on our YouTube Channel.

2.6 million people can’t be wrong – Climate Change petitions delivered to UK Minister

The biggest ever hand-in of climate change petitions has happened today, directly in-front of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali. Watch a video of the handin on our YouTube channel

Will they sign the big cheque?

Oxfam and Avaaz.org joined forces today to put pressure on Australia, EU, US, Japan and Canada, to pay compensation for the Climate Change that they have contributed to, and that developing countries are having to deal with now. Watch the video to find out more.

1 week down – 1 week to go for Climate Change Conference

As the first week comes to a close, I sat down with Angelique Orr, part of the Oxfam team at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, to get her thoughts on how the first week went.

Karina – Angelique, what’s your role in the Oxfam team here at the conference?

Angelique - I’m here to meet and work with other organisations also here at the conference. Working with others is at the heart of Oxfam’s approach to campaigning, so a key activity for us is to support organisations that we already work with who are attending the conference, and to build relationships with the other key groups and networks that are working here.

By coordinating with other development and environment groups we have much more impact on decision makers than we could working alone. So we’re in touch with WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Tearfund, Care International and Christian Aid, Avaaz and Climate Action Network to name a few to make sure we get heard.

What was your first week at the conference like, and what highlights come to mind now that you have had a chance to sit down?

It has been an incredible week for me – and for the whole Oxfam team. On Saturday evening we sat down together to review what we’ve been up to – and it’s far too much to get through in one interview!

The highlights, well for me they begin with the grand opening of the conference – where Indonesian stars sang for action on Climate Change and since then it’s been all go.

The Oxfam team have been organizing and participating in side-events on the human impact of climate change in Indonesia; our policy bods have been working on influencing the nitty-gritty of the negotiations; the Polar Bears demonstrated to save the humans; we have been supporting Indonesian civil society groups in their climate activities and events; and our press conference and briefing of journalists on the financing needed for adaptation, received lots of coverage and had impact at the conference. There is a great video with Kate and Ursula who talked at the press conference that explains what adaptation finance means and why it is important

We quite literally have not stopped. But, it’s only going to get even busier in the week ahead. And, it’s been really hot.

What is your perspective of the discussions and negotiations going on at the conference?

Our lobby team is at the heart of the some of talks that are happening in different meetings at the conference, to ensure that the perspective of the world’s poorest people are heard and represented. That involves a great deal of dialogue with delegates who here representing developing countries.

One of the things that really strikes me, is the imbalance of power in these negotiations. Many of the world’s poorest countries – who are so adversely affected by the impacts of climate change – have just handful of delegates trying to input to such a massive range of critical debates. Meanwhile many rich countries are able to send a large team with experts on each of the issues, ensuring that they have more input into overall discussions.

Climate change and development go hand-in-hand, it’s so important that the voices and experiences of the world’s poorest people are heard within the corridors of power. It will be very interesting to see where the negotations go, when the Ministers arrive next week.

What’s in store for the second and final week of the conference?

If this last week was critical – next week is even more so. Ministers arrive to the conference on Wednesday, and Oxfam will be pushing them to ensure that rich countries deliver on their promises to support developing countries in adapting to the impact of changing weather patterns because of climate change.

We will also be working with friends from the Climate Action Network to really pressure the international community to act with urgency and ambition in setting a timetable and clear plan for global action on climate change when the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012 (plans need to start now!).

So keep reading the blog to stay up-to-date with what we and others are doing, to ensure that the interests of people in developing countries and poor communities are central to any plans to tackle Climate Change.

Being here with the Oxfam team, which is made up of staff and volunteers from around the world and making a difference, is just brilliant and inspiring. Especially when we know we have support for what we’re doing from so many people back home, who have taken action on Climate Change with us.

It’s going to be a busy, busy week of non-stop activity – but then who could ask for a more important reason to be working so hard?

Angelique Orr is Campaign Manager of Oxfam’s Climate Change Campaign

Karina Brisby is Interactive Campaigns Manager for Oxfam Great Britain

It’s bear o’clock at Bali, as Polar Bears shout – Save The Humans Too

It was very hot and sunny in Bali this morning, so spare a thought for Oxfam’s Polar Bears, who made a special visit to the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The bears, who aren’t used to such hot weather, made big splash, when they showed their support for people who are also feeling the impact of Climate Change.

Whether it was holding placards, shouting “Save the humans too,” riding a tandem bike, or even taking off their heads and speaking to press! The bears got their message out loud and clear, to a waiting throng of media and conference delegates.

The bears played up to the cameras but they wanted to highlight a very serious situation. They wanted to let people know that, it isn’t only animals who are suffering from climate change. Many people from developing countries or poor communities also have to cope with changes in climate that impact their lands, livelihoods and lives.

Watch the video or take a look at the photos, to see what the bears got up to and join them by taking action to Fight Climate Poverty. The team here in Bali, would like to send a very big thank you to our fantastic volunteers, who brought the Polar Bears to life in very hot weather.