Copenhagen Stories

As the world counts down the remaining hours to the start of the UNFCCC COP15 climate talks in Copenhagen, I'll be making final calls to those delegates, activists, politicians and campaigners that I will following on their personal journeys over the next two and a half weeks.

You'll get to hear more about the characters in the coming days and weeks, but you will hopefully get to see and hear more about the hopes and, quite possibly, frustrations of a range of people making the journey to Copenhagen. I'm hoping to get beyond the placards and boxes of negotiating documents and find out more about what drives people to get involved in the process, what they can achieve by taking part, in whatever capacity, in the COP15 talks and to see if some consistent answers start to emerge to the sixty four thousand dollar question: How do you communicate the need for urgent action on climate change without leaving people feeling powerless, scared or, worse still, apathetic, cynical and sceptical ?

My challenge will be, apart from getting into the Bella Centre now that Obama's visit has resulted in all remaining press places being allocated overnight, to cut through some of the rhetoric and chart the emotional ups and downs of the fortnight.

I'm still struck by the innocent-sounding but pertinent question asked by the UKYCC's Think:2050 campaign. "How old will you be in 2050?"

Well, I'll be 81, certainly less agile with a bagful of camera equipment, but hopefully witnessing and participating actively in a low carbon world where those who will be implementing decisions made in Copenhagen can do so freely, with positivity and enthusiasm.