Copenhagen From the Ground Up

After two weeks of high expectations and, ultimately, dashed hopes, the major development coming out of Copenhagen turned out to be the powerful and overwhelmingly peaceful impact of NGO’s and intercontinental climate activists. While world leaders — particularly from the G-20 — were drowning in politics, activists successfully strengthened the case for action — both from inside the Bella Center as well as on the street — through the appeal to conscience.

The result, if not an immediately satisfying one for the planet, is that the grassroots — stepping into the leadership vacuum — scored a strong social victory. Quite possibly, what we’re witnessing (as captured above) is the stirring of a worldwide populist movement capable of moving the political process simply through the leveraging of morality.

(image: AFP. From the BBC slideshow, In Pictures: Final hours of Copenhagen)