14 days ago it was finally decided that we were to contribute to the Climate Talks held in Barcelona – a 7 days negotiation process leading up to COP15. As a support team of WWF we traveled to Barcelona bringing a lot of ideas and concepts to try out: Ways in which we could apply visual language, visual thinking and visual practice to stimulate the negotiators. We figured that the complex issues of climate change could use a bit of visuals – in order for people to better see what each other means. We have engaged with our colleagues around the world to support these efforts. The above slideshow gives examples of all the ways in which we have “engaged with the Climate talks”. This document now serves as a catalogue which various parties the coming weeks will look at decide how much of it we will also contribute with at the final negotiations in Copenhagen December 8th to 18th.

Here is the third set of slides coming from the global network of visual practitioners.
These are made by:
* Julian Burton, UK
* Nancy Marguliese, US

We are now back home from Barcelona. More visuals and examples will come. The above is the second compilation. This has been made by:
* Avril Orloff, Canada
* Katrine Nygaard, Denmark
* Reinhard Kuchenmüller, Germany/Italy
* Harry van der Velde, the Netherlands
* Brandy Agerbeck, US
* Thomas Thorhauge, Denmark
* Erik Petri, Denmark

Early this morning we were for the WWF meeting. And almost missed having a visual for the press release where WWF comments on the climate talks. Read the press release here and see it on www.panda.org:

Climate talks: Saying all the wrong things but chance remains to do the right things

Barcelona, Spain – An ambitious climate treaty can still be achieved in Copenhagen despite most policy makers’ focus on what they cannot achieve rather than what they can do to prevent the worst consequences of runaway climate change, WWF said at the inconclusive ending of climate negotiations in Barcelona.

“Politicians seem to be obsessed with expressing what they cannot achieve, rather than setting a high bar for how they will save the world from catastrophic temperature rises,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF’s global climate initiative. “They are saying all the wrong things but they still have a chance to do all the right things.”

While rich nations have lost their voice in Barcelona, developing countries started to speak in a more united and stronger way.

“Barcelona didn’t achieve much spectacular, but it kept the pace of slow, steady progress. The key issue is not time, but political will and that can be shown in a matter of seconds,” Carstensen said. “While developed countries were trying to lower expectations, the world’s expectations were actually rising.”

In WWF view the Danish Presidency has been an active participant in playing down expectations for a legally binding and enforceable outcome. This needs to stop. “The Danish Presidency must create a level of ambition that corresponds with climate crisis and the will of the major part of the world. “Trying to please the US and other developed countries with vague language will not give us the climate deal the world needs”

Over the past week some developed countries suggested they no longer believe a comprehensive and legally binding treaty can be signed in Copenhagen in December. Suggestions that Copenhagen would end with an agreement that countries could not be held accountable for anyway are completely unproductive, Carstensen said.

“We need a climate treaty which will survive recessions, elections, and natural disasters. Not a piece of paper that will be forgotten after the next change of power in London, Tokyo or Washington.”

During the next 7 days negotiations leading up to COP 15 in Copenhagen (the new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol) is taking place. We are supporting WWF during these days. For each day we will upload visuals of the main issues, ideas and messages which WWF find important to communicate. We invite anyone out there to join us. The above is from the premeetings this weekend. More to come here and on our Slideshare site.