one would think that to negotiate you need to talk, and there's a talkfest going on over the road. but what's said, and what it means are very different. so a whole lotta speaking occurs, but the meaning eludes all except the ones in the know. for instance, when 'common but differentiated responsibilities' is raised, so are the tempers in the room. why? because it means 'polluter pays'... 'marine living resources' - what? oh that means whaling. but my favourite is health care services. a benign term you think, but think of it in terms of reproduction...

the little microcosm is quite a fascinating exposure to humanity in all its colours. people bustle around, representing countries, ways of thinking, right, left, diplomat, negotiator and facilitator. and they attend the functions, stay at the five star hotels, drink the wine of the host country and discuss the future of the earth and society.

they are all on the circuit, know each other from doha, monterrey, bonn, places where the same issues were raised, similar deals cut and with the same level of host country service. but do they know what it's like to go to bed hungry, like 70 million people do every night? have they smelt the forest after it's been clearfelled and burnt off? it's easier to cut a deal between water and energy if you don't have to walk 2 kilometres to collect water every day, or if you don't live on a low lying atol in the pacific.

reality check!

there's the potential to do so much, yet the will to do as little as possible - and we have to turn this around. what a challenge... but if we don't it will be business as usual and there will be no change in these people across the road that are negotiating and compromising away our planet. so speak out, demand government responsibility and corporate accountability, smell the fresh sea air, and watch the sun set.