Faith communities in Cancun - does it matter

The UNFCCC meeting in Cancun is running on overtime and every delegate seems to to their best to avoid a failure like we seen in Copenhagen.

Also the WCC have as the last of everyone in plenum made its statement. But does it matter if the faith communities is present or not? Do they add anything more than just another voice that we can hear from other environmentalist or social justice groups.

Actually I think it matters.
A document on why churches are present in Cancun from the group that attended the Cancun meeting was delivered and it ends like this

The holistic approach to climate change that churches proclaim also includes the spiritual dimension which must not be overlooked or ignored in the deliberations over political and economic interests. The hosting of ecumenical or interfaith celebrations during the COPs, as well as other explicit expressions like demonstrations and messages from local congregations and communities, stress the particular contribution that faith based groups and organizations can and must bring to the debate. It is our hope that the ethical and spiritual considerations will be taken seriously in the follow-up deliberations after COP 16.

There is, therefore, a moral obligation for the churches and faith communities to participate in the negotiations of the international community in Cancun and in the future. Their contribution is twofold: to urge the world to act for a more just and equitable world and and the same time, rooted in their spiritual teachings, convey a message of hope to the whole world.

That is a good reason why.

Cancun - last hours

Cancun meeting is in the last 24 hours now. All the states are doing their statements and the buzzwords changes all the time. Japan needs to be talked into that they stay in the Kyoto protocol. And what about historical emissions? In the LCA document or not?

Anyway the hope is that Cancun delivers a kind of road map, even though that word relates to Bali meeting 2007.

The world need to step every step, even if it is small, to reduce the climate impact.

The hope is still there but it needs to be fed by states and organisations that take the lead and act for a low carbon tomorrow.

Yes we CanCun! Maybe...

Now I have arrived in Cancun for the COP 16. It is the forth time that I am at a COP.

The mood could be marked as low expectations but with some hope.

There is no real spirit of "Yes, we can!" It is more like: "Well, maybe we can, if somebody else start".

But still. I miss the references to moral obligations to act. I miss the justice perspective that points out the need and rights for the developing regions of the world to develop and leapfrog the fossil driven development.

So lets see what happens during the last days.