The Butterfly Effect

At 1 o'clock this afternoon we made our way to a youth side event in the Niels Bohr room of the Bella Center. Yvo de Boer, secretary general of the UNFCCC, was invited to address the youth on their role in the climate negotiations. There was clearly a huge interest in the meeting because the room was overflowing with cameras and youth in orange t-shirts (another small triomph for the Dutch government...). Unable to sit down in the full room we took our places crammed in by the exit.

The panel at the front of the room got introduced and then Yvo was given the floor. His uplifting speech about the importance of youth involvement at the COP15 was met by loud applause. However, the story that followed was even more inspiring. A girl from Mumbai, India started telling about how climate change was affecting her life. As she started her story a black and orange butterfly appeared out of nowhere and started fluttering around the room. With every wing beat the story of the young Indian girl seemed to pick up intensity. As the butterfly fluttered around the atmosphere thickened with expectations and hope. The story unfolded further, touching on successes of the youth in southern India and expressing the trust of the youth in the fact that the COP15 would become a success. The butterfly continued its flight. The emotions of the speaker were tangible in every corner of the room and the butterfly´s wings kept flapping. After the girl pronounced her final words the room erupted in a standing ovation.

That is what is called the butterfly effect...

Roy