Delegates from over 180 countries stood and applauded. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said, “This is a real breakthrough, a real opportunity for the international community to successfully fight climate change.” This was the reaction from two years ago following the conclusion of COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia.
From the Bali conference, came the “Bali roadmap,” which was to lay the foundations for a future international agreement on climate change. To further add impetus, COP 15 in Copenhagen was set as a deadline to get a deal finalized.
Over those two years, representatives from countries around the world convened periodically at a number of UNFCCC meetings to talk and negotiate in preparation for COP 15.
Then came the big show. There were thousands of protesters, hundreds of arrests, thousands of delegates, and over a hundred world leaders present.
Denmark seemed overwhelmed. So too did the UNFCCC.