And finally...



This December 2003 issue of Tiempo marks twelve years and fifty issues of the bulletin. To mark this anniversary, editors Sarah Granich and Mick Kelly look at the progress made since Issue 1.


As we write, the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is underway. Todays headline coverage in the media shows just how far we have advanced since the early 1990s when climate change had yet to become part of the global consciousness. Despite this, we are seeing the gradual erosion of confidence in the Kyoto Protocol, with the United States refusing to participate and Russia wavering from one side to the other on a daily basis.

That two of the worlds dominant nations lack the vision to take a lead in creating a fair, just and secure world is unfortunate, but there are millions of other individuals who see otherwise. It is, perhaps, out of the political spotlight that the most significant progress has been made in responding to the climate threat over the past twelve years.

From a southern perspective, much has changed over this time. Persistent lobbying has resulted in acceptance that fighting vulnerability must take its place alongside emissions control as one of the twin pillars of the international response to global climate change. But too many southern negotiators remain under-resourced, their scientists lack opportunities to participate internationally and those responsible for implementing climate responses all too often work in isolation.

Through 2004 and the years that follow, we will maintain our original intent to act as a vehicle for dialogue, networking and the sharing of information between the developing and the developed world. The need is as pressing as ever. We plan to develop and significantly broaden the scope and coverage of the climate issue through the bulletin, the Tiempo Climate Cyberlibrary web site and other related activities.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for their continued support over the years. Many thanks also to all our contributors who have shared their experience and ideas, stimulating debate and dialogue. Our thanks, too, to Ian Brooke, designer and production manager, and to Mike Salmon for his assistance in developing the web site.

With this issue, we say goodbye to our co-editor, Richard Sandbrook. We wish him well in all his endeavours and thank him, in particular, for the original vision that gave rise to Tiempo.

Most important of all, we'd like to thank all our readers for their support over the years.