France hopes for a miracle in politics at Copenhagen

Brice Lalonde (December 2009)

Where: Copenhagen: COP15 UN Climate Change Conference 2009

Brice Lalonde, France’s climate change ambassador, discusses the importance of political in the context of the current negotiations. He talks about how the process has developed since Kyoto was drafted in 1997, the ways in which negotiators have become more experienced, professional, and how they understand other parties’ difficulties more intimately. He says his aspirations for Copenhagen include a “good start” which can grow into something legally binding in 2010, solidarity, innovative financing and a schedule for deeper reductions in the future. He says he hopes for a “miracle of politics” when heads of state arrive at the end of the negotiations. Also see Brice Lalonde speaking from Bangkok in 2009 and Poznan in 2008.  And Climate Group’s Policy Director, Mark Kenber, also from Copenhagen