"System change, not climate change!"

On the 12th of December, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the palace of parliament in Copenhagen to march and persuade political leaders negotiating at the Bella Center to "take action now!". People from almost 200 countries "armed" themselves with flags, banners and different other contraptions to march down the streets of Copenhagen accompanied by revolutionary music. Slogan chanting and pleads to decision-makers filled the sky, whilst more people joined the march along the way and others watched from they're windows and balconies. It was the biggest and most varied gathering of people from different cultures of its kind. People joined forces to march for the survival of future generations. The people of the world were finally united in one common voice.

Police arrested close to a thousand people, because of a few troublemakers who threw bricks at the law enforcers, but this didn't dim down the significance of the march.

I hope the photography speaks for itself. It was very difficult for me not to put the camera in its bag and join the march. What kept me taking photos was not my job or the fact that I will get paid for them. I won't. These are for the people (who weren’t there)!

"System change, not climate change!" - I

"System change, not climate change!" - II

"System change, not climate change!" - III

"System change, not climate change!" - IV

Todd Stern - US lead climate negociator

Todd Stern - the US lead climate negotiator - is holding a press conference in the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. He evasively answered questions from journalists, most of them leading back to the statement he made a couple of days back, when he said that he doesn't "envision public funds, certainly not from the United States, going to China."

Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Mr. Yvo de Boer briefs the press

Mr. Yvo de Boer gave reassurances that the Kyoto Protocol is not going away in a press conference held at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. He said that “the Kyoto Protocol will and must survive,” emphasizing that “the Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding instrument we have to act on climate change.” He pointed out the time needed for a new instrument to be ratified and enter into force, and stressed the importance for the market mechanisms of avoiding any gap.

Radhus Square

A woman is selling 'grandfather's sausages' in Radhuspladsen, during the climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Developing countries in disarray after "Danish text" leak

Lumumba Di-Aping of Sudan, the head of the 130-nation G77 group of developing countries is holding a press conference in the Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark. During the press conference he explained why the developing countries were so incensed with the contents of the "Danish text". "The text robs developing countries of their just and equitable and fair share of the atmospheric space. It tries to treat rich and poor countries as equal," he said.

The future of cities

A man is pointing at a scale-model of the city of Djakarta, Indonesia at a show-room in Radhus Square in Copenhagen, Denmark. The exhibition gives a glimpse of future technologies to be employed within cities, as well as plans for greening urban areas. The show-room is part of an ensemble of different exhibitions in Radhus Square, organized by the city-hall of Copenhagen.

The CO2 Cube

As night falls, the so-called CO2 cube in the water of St Jorgens Lake in front of Tycho Brahe Planetarium lights up to play a variety of video clips, most of them consisting of images of earth. The size of the cube represents the amount of carbon dioxide produced by an average person in one month.

"Climate bodyguards"

A big "Hopenhagen" billboard hangs from the top of a building in Radhus Square, Copenhagen, Denmark. This is one of the many billboards posted that are trying to raise awareness or encourage action on climate change during the COP15 climate conference.

1 Tonne of CO2

Two people walk in front of a balloon representing the size of a tonne of carbon dioxide that is anchored in one of Copenhagen's squares. These balloons are meant to raise awareness about climate change and urge people to take action and reduce their emissions.

Melting "Ice Bear"

A kid looks up at Mark Coreth's Ice Bear project in Nytorv Square, Copenhagen, Denmark. The bear will melt during the conference and is supposed to attract attention to the rapid decline in ice cover at the poles, endangering polar bear populations.

"The messenger"

An artwork called "The messenger" is posted right outside the entrance to the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. The sculpture is part of the project SevenMeters, using red blinking LEDs to symbolise that the world is heading towards a climatic disaster.

African protest in the Bella Center, in Copenhagen

A protest erupts at the climate talks in Copenhagen after leaked documents reveal plans to sideline the interests of developing countries.

African delegates from PACJA (Pan African Climate Justice Alliance) swarmed into the main hall at the BC, shouting "two degrees to suicide" and "we will survive". The protesters were led by Mr. Augustine Nyamsi of PACJA.