LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Today, the Climate Change Conference starts in Copenhagen, Denmark. COP15, as it is so nicely called is a United Nations conference, the 15th of the so-called Conference of Parties.
Barack Obama and the Norwegian primeminister, Jens Stoltenberg, will attend the conference along with over 60 other world leaders and discuss how to reduce emissions that harm our climate. A lot is expected for this climate meeting, but is there a lot to hope for? Everyone seems to be willing, but keep the cards close to their chest, so in the end it will be hard to get anywhere.
Barack Obama is the world leader with the biggest pressure on his shoulders. During the eight years of Bush administration, the United States didn't contribute to an active climate policy. Now it's up to Obama to show that he can contribute actively to the change we need. Unfortunately, Obama has met a lot of resistance back home, where republicans are pushing hard, saying the climate changes aren't man made and where surveys show that Americans don't really care about the climate change.
The COP15 conference will probably not end with spectacular agreements in emission cuts, but it's a step in the right direction. Most countries agree that action is needed in order to reduce CO2 emissions, the important discussion is the time perspective. What we can expect is agreements on principles and time schedules.
A lot more was expected from the COP15 conference. Many countries, including Norway, hoped for a legally binding agreement to reduce climate change. Now, most of these hopes have been abandoned, partly because the US Senate didn't pass Barack Obama's climate bill earlier this fall.
I'm confused. The entire COP15 conference is hard to understand for us outsiders. All the participants are willing to contribute, but unwilling to sacrifice too much. The game has begun, let's see what it brings.
Please comment:
What do you expect from the COP15 conference?
What do you hope for?
What achievements are realistic?
COMMERCIAL PARODIES
I would simply like to share with you some funny Youtube parodies I came across yesterday. They worked as a medicine for my bad project day yesterday, when all of my samples got ruined due to a gold thinfilm that wouldn't lift-off as it should. Anyways, here's a few videos, I hope you like them too!
The first, a friend of mine, Tarjei, posted on Facebook. Andreas found the second after I showed him the first.
THE SEARCH FOR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
If you're a student like me, you know Christmas spirit is hard to come by during December (specially here in Norway, where all the exams are before Christmas). I'm currently drowning in project work, spending nothing but 14-15 hour days at school.
Therefore, as my last post suggested, I'm really not in a Christmas mood. Luckily, I have some fantastic flatmates that help a lot on that front. Specially Ellen entrepeneur when it comes to finding Christmas spirit. (Andreas is like me, very busy at school, so he is benefitting from Ellen's "Christmas spirit project" as well).
Here's a list of Ellen's Christmas spirit strategies, I encourage everyone to try them out - it really works!
1. Christmas decorations! We don't have many of them, but they are good reminders that Christmas is just around the corner. I doubt that Andreas and I would have taken ourselves time to put them up.
2. Scented candles! Another simple, but really good idea. The smell that welcomes you after a long day at school really boosts my mood, almost inspiring.
3. Ginger-snap! Ellen and Andreas made ginger-snap yesterday! It's nothing more "Christmasy" than ginger-snap, and we had a great time decorating them while watching Love Actually (the elephant above is mine *proud*).
4. Christmas Calendar! Ellen suggested we should make our own calendar, so we did. Every day, one of us gets to an encouraging gift to open before school. This is also a tradition I've had throughout my childhood, so it truly makes Christmas spirit come around!
A SUNDAY LIKE ANY OTHER
The past week has been very long with working days mostly spanning from eight in the morning until ten o'clock in the evening. Project report, project lab, exams ... you name it.
Everything has come a bit "everything at once", specially the project where suddenly all the machines I need are working (after a month or so not working). Lots to catch up, lots and lots and lots ...
This means I'm not in an Advent mood at all, but I'm trying by dimming the lights in my study and look at nice Advent pictures like the one above by powi.
Additionally, I came across this great article by SINTEF Byggforsk (in Norwegian) where the research institute have analysed the building quality of Ginger-snap houses.
Soon, December is here, and a bit later Christmas is over us. I'm truly looking forward to spend more relaxing days with my family!
COUNTING SHEEP
I'm tired. Dead tired. But quite happy, considering! It's been a hard week, lots and lots of work, workout, school and other activities.
Right now I'm trying to determine the growth density of doped nanowires and it's quite boring. It's aproximately like counting sheep, they're just smaller and luckily they don't jump around. One sample to go ...
I'm looking forward to a weekend; it's packed, but the pace of everything slows down slightly.
I'm specially looking forward to Møbelringen Cup Sunday with Christina, Andreas and Ellen. The Norwegian handball ladies will play Russia (and win). It will be epic!