I've been asked by my followers to post an update on the latest developments. So today's Plenary Session was focused on the procedures of COP15. The G77, headed by China, had just met earlier in the morning. COP15 president, Connie Hedegaard resided over the session. The Representative of Tuvalu proposed an amendment using Article 20:

1. Any Party may propose amendments to this Protocol.

2. Amendments to this Protocol shall be adopted at an ordinary session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol. The text of any proposed amendment to this Protocol shall be communicated to the Parties by the secretariat at least six months before the meeting at which it is proposed for adoption. The secretariat shall also communicate the text of any proposed amendments to the Parties and signatories to the Convention and, for information, to the Depositary.

3. The Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement on any proposed amendment to this Protocol by consensus. If all efforts at consensus have been exhausted, and no agreement reached, the amendment shall as a last resort be adopted by a three-fourths majority vote of the Parties present and voting at the meeting. The adopted amendment shall be communicated by the secretariat to the Depositary, who shall circulate it to all Parties for their acceptance.

4. Instruments of acceptance in respect of an amendment shall be deposited with the Depositary. An amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 above shall enter into force for those Parties having accepted it on the ninetieth day after the date of receipt by the Depositary of an instrument of acceptance by at least three fourths of the Parties to this Protocol.

5. The amendment shall enter into force for any other Party on the ninetieth day after the date on which that Party deposits with the Depositary its instrument of acceptance of the said amendment.

asking that it bring a contact group at this session of COP to consider beyond the Kyoto Protocol.

There was talk of a two track process supported by China and Brazil, supported by Pakistan and Egypt among others. China strongly opposed to fundamentally change the Kyoto Protocol as Chair of the G77 and thought best to stay with

Article 3.9 (Commitments for subsequent periods for Parties included in Annex I shall be established in amendments to Annex B to this Protocol, which shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of Article 21, paragraph 7. The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol shall initiate the consideration of such commitments at least seven years before the end of the first commitment period.)

Sweden, on behalf of the EU and its members, strongly supported the Kyoto Protocol keeping in mind that improvements had to be made to include the CMDs and LLUC. Sweden left it up to Madam President to decide.

Tuvula, supported by Papa New Guinea, the African states, AOSIS and Haiti among others said that we must clear up process now so we can work on negotiations next week.

COP President, Madam Hedegaard decided to leave this discussion for Saturday's plenaray session

I can go on and on...the negotiations are tedious and full of acronyms, member statements, long pauses and in-between the line remarks. It is a fascinating process for me but I would expect it to be quite laborious for my readers.

So I ask that if anyone wants details, I will be more than happy to share the minute details. The intention of this blog is to create awareness; that no matter what happens in these negotiations, we have come together in a collective consciousness as responsible global citizens to do our part.

Greetings from Hopenhagen!