11 December 2009350.org
The Alliance of Small Island States put forward a proposed draft of the treaty today. It's one of the first proposals from this whole conference that takes note of the fact that we're in a crisis, and that scientific reality trumps political reality. It calls for a concerted drive to return the planet's atmosphere to 350 ppm CO2.
And it means that your vigils over the next 24 hours are doubly, triply, quadruply important. Here's what I told the leaders of these 40 island nations today. "You have listened to the science, and acted bravely. The rest of the world doesn't pay attention because you are small, and lack armies. This weekend we are your army. Around the world, millions of people will take action on your behalf. Count on us."
I can't emphasize enough how brave these guys are. They are under intense pressure from the US, and other big powers, to sit down and shut up. But they are fighting for their survival. And for our survival. They are our champions. Please keep them in your hearts these next 24 hours. We're a team, a bigger one every hour.
