Captain Climate Saves the World

World Climate Summit: The world’s movers and shakers are converging on Durban to discuss how to save the earth. Attend the EU Roundtable for Green Growth (by invitation only) aimed at “setting market signals” and bolstering emissions trading schemes. The focus is on “big solutions” to which business must commit, instead of the regrettable tendency to push things out into the future.

Carbon War Room: Watch as the eco-warriors make war on carbon! In the crosshairs are India and China which “must rely on low-carbon energy production and technologies in order to meet CO2e stabilization targets and avoid catastrophic climate change.”

World Famous Celebrities Flock to Durban: Thrill to the sight of celebrities at the Climate Summit. “These celebrities include former California governor and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger and British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. Other celebrities also planning to attend include Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and U2 frontman Bono.”

In preparation for this historic event South African airports are preparing to receive an influx of thousands. “the Airports Company of SA (ACSA) said it is ready to handle thousands of people who will converge on Durban for the conference. ‘We would like to reassure all those that will be passing through our airports that we are prepared and ready to receive them,” said King Shaka International Airport spokesperson Colin Naidoo.'”

The anticipatory preparations will avoid the problems at the previous summit in Copenhagen, when 1,200 limousines and 140 private planes descended on the venue. Unfortunately organizers are facing another challenge. A cold front has descended on Durban.

THE WEATHER gods seem to be making a statement on the issue of climate change, with the east coast gripped by rainy and unusually cold weather for much of this week.

This comes as Durban puts the finishing touches to preparations for the 17th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) starting next week.

More than 20 000 delegates – government, business and UN leaders, and environment activists, celebrities and media – are expected to descend on the city.

The sun is expected to make a brief appearance on Wednesday, followed by the onset of another cold front.

“The weather gods might be sending us a message here,” joked Salwa Dallalah, the UN’s head organiser for the conference.

“Delegates may find themselves having to carry umbrellas, but we can’t do anything about the weather. I am not a scientist, but Durban people have told me that it’s unusually cold. It will be a pity if the rainy weather continues, especially because many Europeans and Americans will come for COP17 expecting lovely summer weather,” she said.

This has prompted the UN to assure the delegates that the weather was not so bad as to endanger them.

The United Nations’ chief climate change official on Monday assured delegates at the COP 17 conference in Durban that the centre in which they were gathered was safe.

UNFCCC executive secretary Christiana Figueres offered condolences to the city, which was struck by a violent storm on Sunday night that killed six people.

Well Climate was once an unpredictable thing. Luckily modern science has enabled us to solve its mysteries.