Virtual Poznan - Day 1 starts inspiringly

Day One of the Virtual Poznan sessions on OneClimate Island (on Second Life) was really inspiring.

It began with a brilliant little video by Peter [Armstrong, OneClimate executive producer] of a couple of highlights from the day - a really poignant segment on childrights/climate justice - wow, I will never complain again about a train being late, after seeing what some of these little children went through to get to school! Fording a muddy river more than waist deep...

It was followed by an Awaaz award ceremony for the 'Fossil of the Day' - awarded to Italy yesterday for the sophistry with which its delegation was wriggling out of making climate commitments.

Then there was the Second Life event itself. Danny [Nelson, OneClimate's award-winning interviewer] surpassed himself in getting his guests to speak to the heart of the matter. Kevin Smith of the Carbon Trade Watch and Ann Petermann of the Global Forest Coalition were clear, convincing and stirring. I don't know who found these guests - Anna, was it you? [Anna Cohen - OneClimate's partnership coordinator] but they were certainly a great choice and made this session a terrific start to the week.

Back at Hedgerley, Jamie [Walker, OWTV coordinator] has been up doing incomprehensible things with screens and wires till the small hours turn into waking hours for us early birds; mornings are unknown to him, but afternoons are time to bring forth fabulous salads with enough garlic to reach the noses of the citizens of Marseilles.

Maya (11), Laurie (3) and Pebby (21 months) [our grandchildren] arrived at Hedgerley yesterday after being bamboozled into a morning of tree planting: that is to say, planting the wrong sort of trees (pine) for the wrong sort of people (super-rich landowners before they rush off in their SUVs to kick the global economic system in the shins again). If we hadn't realised the folly of this already, we were forcefully reminded of it by the speakers in the session. Planting trees is not the point: restoring natural forest is. I found myself coining a new term: 'junk forests' (or 'junk woods') - cf. junk food.

Luckily the children have so far survived our labradoodle Roly's best efforts to eat them. Pebby continues to be too shy to speak but her reserve melts into flute-like song at unexpected moments, reminding one memorably why human life is worth saving.

Avatars watch Poznan Debate

Image by Peter Armstrong