Tuesday

The "high level segment" started today. With their ministers and presidents arriving, many small delegations are pre-occupied making sure that they arrive well, are looked after etc. and actually can't negotiate properly anymore. Just to name a few prominencies: The president of Nauru, Guatemala, Palau, Switzerland, Kiribati, Ecuador, Georgia, South Africa, Costa Rica and Bolivia; The prime minister of Grenada, Ethiopia, Kenya, Norway, Swaziland, Bangladesh and the vice-president of Iran.
Most other countries send their minister of environment (with slight differences in title). Interestingly, Saudi Arabia is sending their "Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources" and Libya is sending their "Secretary of National Oil Corporation"! Actions speak for themselves, no?
Ban Ki-Moon also is here, I saw him twice today, he is usually ushered around with a large amount of people in white clothes around him.

Not to be distracted from the real negotiations, though. I am actually quite optimistic! The negotiations were rather slow until now, but there were some small breakthroughs (like on Article 6 as I mentioned where negotiators put their national interests aside) and the 1.5 degree target is part of the drafting text again (it was taken out for some time, causing quite a big worrying). Russia and Canada have hidden behind Japan's stand not to support a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, which is really upsetting. Especially Canada is messing up quite badly here. The UK actually is being quite progressive! Look at the recent ECO articles.
But: In many key points (saving the forests, climate financing etc) the negotiations are open and if delegates are making a right choice now, we can really consider Cancun a success!! Hopefully I will be able to report back positively tomorrow and at the end of the session.
One key thing that I really like here is the transparency of the negotiations. Not so much to civil society, but the Mexican government has refrained from doing copenhagening, were only few parties met behind closed doors and destroyed a lot of trust in the process. The key message, given out by many NGO's is: It's not the process, it's the politics. The UN is, however slow and complicated, the only fair option we have so far.

Good night from Cancun!