Paris climate change talks: How it compares to other conferences

This month's UN Climate Conference in Paris is one of many climate change talks Claire Martin has attended, but she says this time, there's something different in the air.

Martin is attending COP21 as a member of Canada's delegation.  

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She says everyone at the conference understands they cannot fail to reach an agreement on how to fight climate change this time — and everything from country leaders' speeches to the conference schedule, reflect that.

"This meeting in particular has been put on its head a bit because so much is riding on it," said the meteorologist and former federal Green Party candidate.

Speeches first, work after

Martin says a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to ensure these conferences produce tangible results. In the past, politicians would arrive at the end of the conference, after the agreements have been drafted, she said. But this time, things went differently.

"A lot of dignitaries came in for the beginning, made the speeches. Now they're going to leave. which is actually a really good thing," said Martin. "They're wonderful people but we need them out of here, because we have to get down to work now."

Martin describes the back and forth required to draft these kinds of international agreements as arduous and painful. 

"So at the moment, we are on article one, page one," she said.

No detail is left to chance.

"People argue about brackets. They argue about wording, they argue about legalese. So that everybody ends up with a framework, a structure that everybody can agree on."

Forced optimism

But even with all that hard work ahead of them, Martin says spirits are high at the conference. She says Canada's prime minister was especially well received everywhere he went, including at yesterday's speech.

"He was allowed to speak longer [than the other dignitaries] and the audience...applauded him, twice. They hadn't done that for anybody else."

She says that speech was a boost for everyone, especially the Canadian delegation.

"It makes you feel so proud."

But aside from strong words from the world's leaders, people at the conference know they have to get it right this time.

"I don't think we will fail at this one. We can't because there is no other plan," said Martin, referring to the outdated Kyoto Accord, which was brought into effect ten years ago.

Negotiators are planning to stay well after the scheduled end of the conference to make an agreement happen.

"We've all been told to book flights 48 to 72 hours after the event is supposed to end, because we have a funny feeling that it's going to come down to the wire, with everybody desperate to come up with an agreement," she said.

"I mean, we have to. We really, really have to. It's not like the climate will wait for us."

To listen to the full audio, click the link labelled: Claire Martin on how international climate conferences work.