Breaking Bread for Climate Change

New America's climate policy team was a key sponsor and organizer of the recent Governors' Global Climate Summit.  The summit brought together leaders from all over the world to begin to carve out a bold path to the next global climate change agreement in Copenhagen. From our point of view the summit hit a home run. Among the outcomes was an MOU to reduce emissions from deforestation, a Declaration, which committed the signers to develop cooperative actions on climate change throughout the world and most profound an announcement made by President-Elect Barack Obama to the summit attendees (and the world!).  A deep sigh of collective relief and, in some cases, tears fell as he pronounced "My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process."

The summit however was not without criticism. Mainly, the point was argued, having folks travel from around the world and country to a climate change conference was counterproductive because of the GHG emissions that would be produced as a result.  It's not the first time I have heard this argument and being on the outside I too have at times thought - "wow a lot of resources, time and money has gone into "xyz" conference - I sure hope something really important comes out of this!"  Being on the outside it's an easy judgment to make and quite frankly I have attended more than a few of those rubber chicken dinner conferences where it feels like a series of mind numbing power points and labored cocktail receptions.

But among those I have been fortunate to attend a few gatherings that were tremendously inspiring, educational and provided the opportunity to forge relationships that would have never been forged via email or phone.  The Governors' Global Climate Summit was one of those. The summit stood out not only because it was history in the making but because of the people that attended.  I witnessed and experienced myself participants exchanging information, ideas and inspiration.  It was mentioned by many that the kind of exchanges and conversations that occurred would have never occurred had they not been in person, face to face. 

Whether it be a handshake or the sharing of a meal there is no substitute for human interaction.  I truly believe that in these side conversations and early morning coffee meetings big ideas and strategies are hatched. In the case of the Governors' Global Climate Summit - this opportunity was not wasted. Participants from China, India, Brazil, Canada, the EU, Indonesia and the United States were mingling, conversing, and most importantly bonding. In a world that increasingly operates by relationships forged in cyberspace the power of a handshake is sacred. It's for that reason that I am confident that the good that will come out of the Summit will far, far outweigh the emissions that resulted - which by the way were offset.