All This Talk

The Russian Federation currently has the floor. And the Co-chair interrupted him to ask what he meant by BPOA - to which he replied "The Bali Plan of Action - it came out funny, somehow, generating laughs from the people inside the conference room. It was usually referred to as BOP or the Bali Action Plan. Australia is now speaking, chuckled when she said she would express the principles she had in mind in sixty seconds.

It's hard to be distracted, on such a time like this, actually. I have the bigger urge to listen to what the speakers are saying, rather than trying to write this - fearing I might miss something -  something that will definitely be historical and worldwide in scope - and missed it because I was not paying attention.

It is already overwhelming being a spectator as all these talks go on. On some other circumstance, I would have been very cynical, having such an aversion to "so much talk." With the news of typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis that have recently rocked the world, this gathering of 4,000 people has become more real to me, and I am actually appreciating it, even the tedious process. As part of the delegation of an observer NGO representing indigenous peoples, I am even in more awe of the thought that what we are here for can make a difference on the lives of millions of people who have historically been marginalized, and are placed in a most vulnerable position, despite being least contributory to climate change.

There is yet more talk to happen, until deals are sealed at Copenhagen in December. Bangkok has its place in this process. And as I watch, I can only hope that "all this talk" will amount to something that people in here, including me, would be proud of.