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The Times - As aspired as a new global climate change agreement in Copenhagen is, it has begun to seem that an agreement with almost any content is enough. One of the world's leading climate change scientists, James Hansen from Nasa’s Goddard Insitute, has expressed his doubts on the existing emission trade system comparing it to selling indulgences. Rich countries buy emission credits from developing countries with relatively small amounts and contribute that way to the existing economic inbalance between industrialised and developing countries. The system in itself is not designed to reduce emissions, but rather to create an image of reduction and equality, though failing in both. Very few open discussions have taken place on what exactly should be the content of the new agreement and little or none public evaluation on the success or failure of the Kyoto protocol has taken place.

Recently, the UN carbon trade management body suspended Chinese wind power farm plans due to the lack of "additionality", a condition that is required for any project to qualify as a "Clean Development Mechanism". It is suspected that China has used the CDM system to finance projects that would have in any case been constructed, thus not adding any clean energy mechanisms through the investment into already planed energy scheme.

It is clear that before further steps are taken in global climate change discourse, the mechanisms existing today must be evaluated and new and better solutions developed to enable a real battle against the world wide problem of global warming.

Arctic Council - During the COP15, December 7- December 18,  an Arctic Venue will be held at The North Atlantic Quay in Copenhagen. In the Venue, Arctic cooperation and the latest Arctic research will be introduced as well as the Arctic reality as it appears today to the Arctic residents presented in various exhibitions, booths, posters, lectures and debates. The Quay itself will be wrapped up as an iceberg, an installation designed by Greenlandic artist Inuk Silis Høegh.

The Venue is open daily during the COP15 between 12.00-18.00.

(image: Arctic Council)

en.cop15.dk - As important as it is that the world leaders join together to find solutions to world's most severe problems, it is also important that the generations that will  carry out most of the work in future that contains in the decisions made today get to have a say and share experiences globally. Children's Climate Forum, a collaboration between UNICEF, the City of Copenhagen and 22 Danish school classes, brings 165 children from 44 countires to Copenhagen to share their experiences on climate change and the problems their countries are facing due to the global warming. During the Climate Forum the children debate climate solutions, concluding the experience in a resolution that will be handed to Connie Hedegaard, the COP15 President.