Post-COP hangover cure: REFLECTION, with lots of water

So it's been a week since my last post and return to South Africa's economic powerhouse, Johannesburg. 

It was hard to leave Durban before the polls were out, but as they say: distance provides perspective. For me, at least, viewing the unfolding of the final 'green agreement' battle from a distance, shielded from any more side-event side-tracking, did give me a breather to gather my over-burdened thoughts :)

I believe South Africans, who had the privilege to partake in COP17 at various levels over the past fortnight, will be taking with them over the festive break minds filled with new issues to consider, broader considerations to internalise and a quest to discover their useful roles in driving South Africa towards cleaner, greener and most probably leaner climate-friendly progress.

* For the local media - to whom this was undoubtedly an invaluable exercise in multi-stakeholder access where the lines between environment, governance and business interests blurred into unison, 

* For local business and governmental representatives - who experienced an unusual depth of exposure to climate and sustainable conduct discussions over the past fortnight,

* And for the diverse sets of NGOs - who hopefully left COP17 with a clearer grasp of how to access the funding channels and support mechanisms available to their causes,

* Finally, for all interested parties - who have followed COP from afar or engaged in relationship-building and debate on the ground in Durban, at the very least the progress in engaged dialogue and a willingness to co-operate across borders and ideology bode well for an era where Earth's well-being hinges on an open-door policy between previously cold-shoulder parties.

Next-up, I will post a rear view mirror glance at the fortnight that was COP17!