NEWS FROM PARIS CLIMATE CONTROL TALKS

Dear Andrew, PHEW! My hands are still tingling as I type after the room erupted in applause when the gavel came down to finalise a global agreement on climate change. There’s an incredible atmosphere here. The agreement is far from perfect - these things never are - but it is so, so much better than any of us thought it would be. I remember being in this same situation five years ago at the Copenhagen negotiations: instead of cheering, there were many tears in the room. Tim, Lesley and I are here in Paris and we wanted to bring you in on the agreement, so we recorded this video for you. We’ll also keep updating the webpage with more analysis of the agreement. See the video here. As I’m typing, the South African delegation are taking the microphone as the first nation to respond. They picked a quote from their own Nelson Mandela that really summed up the moment. "I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended." Each one of us is only a small part in moments like these - but together, our Climate Council community (that's you) has been able to have an impact on climate change by continuing to provide independent, expert information to the global media and public. There’s a lot more to do, but I hope you too will enjoy resting a moment and to look back on the distance we’ve come! With hope Amanda and the Climate Council Team.