The Irish Environmental Network

Trip report for visit to COP13, Bali – Mark Rutledge, Feasta

Guide to getting the best from the COP. I put this together so on the occasion of our next visit that the individual travelling can maximise their time. The whole event can be quite over-whelming and indeed feel like a commercial tradefair on occasion, but it is where the action is and the best opportunity to contribute with a freedom of expression.

PLANNING

• COPs take a long time; for what Feasta are out to achieve it is best to kickstart on the first day of opening and finish up by mid-second week. I arrived late in the first week and stayed for the second week. The middle Sunday is a close day but every other day it is business as usual.

• Bring printed material from Feasta, there is an opportunity to spread our gospel. DVDs or credit-cards DVDs are a very eye-catching way of disseminating information.

• Get accommodation close by, there is a lot of hoofing between different parts and proceedings.

• Log on to Climate-L well before the start, the e-mails will reach a torrent but you can identify useful presentations and as importantly set up meetings with research institutes bodies while at the COP (I did not best utilise this).

• The UNFCC website is probably a bit behind prior to going out but nevertheless essential to review.

• Another missed opportunity was to apply for a side event listing, book a room (FOC) and present something like Cap+Share – you will be guaranteed a minimum of 100 people in attendance.

WHEN THERE

• Understand the alignment with the various groupings and what access that provides to sessions.

• RINGOs (Feasta are a member) are given an office that you can access, to be honest with mobile and wireless probably not a lot of need but membership of the constituency does you a ready made collective to operate with. Again, I only got to 1 of their 3 meetings; it would be good to prepare this in advance, setting up meetings, presentations.

• Another thing to realise is that there is a Russian Doll sequence of events: plenary proceedings, CAN (Climate Action Network – Feasta not a member), EU pavilion (whole schedule of events taking place under the aegis of the EU commission), Exhibition (a trade fair of NGO, UN bodies etc.), Side events (10 rooms of 200-300 people with a daily opportunity to 40 events at peak from scientific events to industry bodies). The latest addition to the COP has been the creation of a Carbon trade fair running parallel on site.

• I would recommend following a specific theme throughout the COP and create your meeting schedule around that theme. Personally, I did not do this and upon review of my notes have a very eclectic sequence of meetings.

• The first thing to do every day is to get your hands on the daily schedule of meetings, events etc. and plot your day around that.

• Wireless access is freely available, mobile phone access a bit sketchy here in Bali but it won’t be problem in Poznan.

• Personally, I do not have experience of blogs, but an 8-10 day trip like this lends itself very well for a blog.