Climate change after Copenhagen: a Boulder perspective

The initiative will have to come from local activists - like us

| Jan 25, 2010

[OR: view on Vimeo]

From my perspective, this is an important video. It reveals several major themes about where we stand with climate change after Copenhagen.

  • One major theme is the shift of the world’s focus to what Hunter Lovins calls “an outcome-based metric” for maximum permissible climate change: 350 to 450 parts per million of CO2 and a temperature rise of 1.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius (experts disagree on how much change will prove catastrophic for humans).
  • Another is the agreement among participants that the initiative for curbing climate change will have to come from the grassroots level, not from national leaders and international accords.
  • Another is the high visibility that efforts going on right here in Boulder have gained among climate-change activists worldwide. We have a chance to provide a leading example to the world!
  • A fourth unavoidable conclusion is the amazing wisdom and involvement of Boulder experts. These four forum participants are just some of them. There were many more – scientists, political activists, and motivated citizens – in the crowded room in South Boulder that night.

Participants:
Hunter Lovins, President and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions
David Driskell, Executive Director of Community Planning and Sustainability for the City of Boulder
Jonathan Koehn, Boulder’s Regional Sustainability Coordinator
James Balog, Director of Extreme Ice Survey
Moderator: Micah Parkin, Shanahan Neighbors for Climate Action Events Committee Member and 1Sky Colorado Organizer

This video complements a written account of the event by Micah Parkins for Boulder Express.

Video for Boulder Express by Bob Wells