Representatives from the Assembly of First Nations made up part of the American Indian congregation at the conference, which included many Inuit officials as well as men and women from various Native-geared organizations.
The ambitions of those in attendance were unified. According to research and predictions outlined and discussed at the convention, climate change is real.
Introducing the conference, UNCCC organizers wrote, ''The world's climate has always varied naturally, but compelling evidence from around the world indicated that a new kind of climate change is now under way, foreshadowing drastic impacts on people, economies and ecosystems.''
Those changes will influence First Nations communities - particularly the Inuit - drastically.
''Because of global warming, indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts,'' said the Honorable Stephane Dion, Minister of the Environment. ''Many indigenous peoples depend on hunting polar bear, walrus, seals and caribou; herding reindeer; [and] fishing and gathering, not only for food and to support the local economy, but also as the basis for cultural and social identity.''
Dion elaborated on the effects Arctic communities will see first-hand as the northern glaciers melt.
''The reduction in sea ice will have serious consequences for polar bears, ice-dependent seals and local people, for whom these animals are a primary food source,'' he said. Furthermore, ''Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings and other infrastructure.''
Concerns, like those of the Inuit, were addressed both formally and informally during the conference, held from Nov. 29 - Dec. 9. In the lobby of the conference's main headquarters, a group of young Canadians staged a ''bed-in'' to imitate the late John Lennon, who staged environmental protests from his hotel bed in Montreal in the 1970s. The young activists brought their pillows and blankets, sprawled across the floor and sang Lennon songs with the lyrics rewritten to express their hopes for the environment.
''Just as the Vietnam War was a defining issue for previous generations, climate change is the issue that will define our generation,'' the group said.
According to Rosa Kouri, who led the demonstration, ''Governments need to stop asking what this will cost them, and start asking what this will cost us. This is no time to play politics; we are all in bed together.''
On the political end of the conference, the United States was heavily criticized by many in attendance for its reluctant approach to the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol, born in 1997 during a climate conference, seeks to encourage countries to regulate or monitor how their country is contributing to climate change. President Bush has criticized the plan, saying that cutting back on emissions - part of the protocol's requirements - would harm the nation's economy.
More than 150 nations signed the protocol to further environmental regulations after 2012, but the United States declined to sign. It did, however, agree to take part in further dialogue.
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