Daily Tck: Day 1 of the UN climate talks in Lima

Government negotiators and a number of our partners made their way through Lima’s streets to the Cuartel General del Ejército where COP20 kicked off on Monday morning. After the customary opening ceremony, negotiators moved through the plenary sessions at a workman’s pace, seemingly energized and eager to build a foundation for a new global climate agreement. If this pace continues, the UNFCCC’s subsidiary bodies could get through much of their technical work by week’s end, leaving the bulk of the second week of talks for tougher political issues.

The energy this year was markedly different from one year ago. Last year opened amidst the Philippines reeling in the wake of super typhoon Haiyan’s deadly destruction, inspiring hundreds of people to join a fast in solidarity with those suffering from increasing climate impacts. With 2014 on track to become the hottest year on record, those impacts haven’t slowed. Meanwhile #FastfortheClimate grew into a global movement, turning day one of the Lima climate talks into the largest climate fast on record. Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga spent the day without food, along with the country's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Governor General, and the majority of the country's population - called on to do so by the Christian Church of Tuvalu.