Tensions are building

This is the second to last day of the Conference and things are getting more feverish by the minute.

Everyone is going into huddles, swapping intelligence, working out tactics and agreeing who to target in a last attempt to move things forward.

Yesterday, Prime Minster Martin referred to how Canada is already suffering the impacts of climate change.

Later, we heard moving testimony from some Inuit representatives about these effects.

Fighting to stay cold!

We heard from Inuit hunters and elders how the weather is changing and how they fear that their traditional culture and way of life is doomed.

The Arctic is extremely vulnerable to climate change.

• Some species are facing decline and even extinction.
• In the last few years they have seen unprecedented ice melt.
• Tides are higher which has affected clam digging.
• They cannot build igloos as often as before as the ice is not always thick enough
• There is always a haze so their sight lines are affected

Seeking redress

In a groundbreaking move, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference has submitted a petition to the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

In this, they are seeking redress from the United States for the violation of their rights by global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

The petition focuses on the USA because it is by far the largest emitter of damaging gases and refuses to join international efforts to reduce emissions.

What is happening to us will happen soon in the rest of the world. Our region is the globe's climate change barometer. If you want to protect the planet.listen to what the Inuit are saying.

Inuit elder, Inuit Circumpolar Conference

We hope that the Conference will indeed listen and take strong action.

Greeting the Ministers

Today we had some VIP visitors. Firstly Siegmar Gabriel, the German Environment Minister came out and wrote a tile for our Climate Mosaic