It would be possible, out here in Copenhagen listening to the climate change talks drag on and on and on, to be ground down into a small puddle of despair and depression pretty quickly.

This is how it works. In a great big barn of a building, way out in the Copenhagen 'burbs, are crushed together politicans, non-governmental organisations and negotiators. They are faced with the imposible job of getting everyone - that's EVERYONE - to agree on a way to cut carbon dioxide emissions so that the planet doesn't overheat.

In front of each country is a list of the things they want. The developed world - the US, Europe and a few other allies - all want to avoid having to cut their emissions too much, because that means less cars, new renewable power stations, higher electricity bills for consumers... all the sort of things that cost money. The developing world, led by China and India, think that they shouldn't have to make cuts, given that this whole problem was caused by the West. And the poorest countries, the ones who didn't make any of this mess but who are suffering most beneath the lash of extreme weather, desertification and flooding, are asking frantically for money to build flood defences.

Everyone sits, their list in front of them, and holds tight to their demands. No one wants to give in. It's torture.

Frankly the only thing that's cheering me up at the moment are the youth delegations. When everyone is slumped, exhaustedly at the tables, they bounce joyfully around, full of energy and vigour and conviction. Just as you're hunting for a small pond to chuck yourself into, they boing up and sing a lovely song about climate change, or with a face painted green and deely-boppers, saying take me to your climate leader.

We all need a bit of cheering up at the moment.
 

Words: Bibi van der Zee

Photo: Flickr user MIRIAM GODET