UN Bali Conference Centre

Image by OneWorld

 I greeted this news with a smile.  Having consulted for the UNFCCC I was always amazed at how much the organization itself had to be "arm twisted" into adopting  energy conserving measures.   Well, if any one can force an issue, it certainly is the Balinese in this case... 

Bikes for ministers at Bali talks

Indonesia plans to make ministers from around the world use bicycles to get about at the UN talks on climate change in Bali to help offset the event's carbon emissions, an Environment Ministry official said Friday, Reuters reported.

Delegates from nearly 190 countries will gather on the resort island on Monday to launch a concentrated effort to hammer out a new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, a pact to curb global warming that expires in 2012.

To help offset an estimated 47,000 tons of carbon dioxide expected to be emitted during the 12-day event, the government will clear the conference site of cars and provide about 200 bikes instead to help people move around the area, said Agus Purnomo, the ministry official.