The latest United Nations Climate Change Conference took place on 3-14 December 2007 in Bali.

 It brought more than 10,000 participants, including representatives of over 180 countries. Delegates and NGOs were invited by summit hosts to cast aside their usual business attire and opt for traditional, comfortable, and relaxing batik clothing. The initiative was aimed at encouraging saving on the use of air conditioning and therefore decreasing the production of greenhouse gas emissions during the event. A multitude of colourful batik shirts provided a welcome distraction and original way to help parties conduct discussions and negotiating on such a sensitive matter.

What could be seen as a surprising result was that participants seemed to enjoy challenging themselves for wearing the best batik attire. The styles ranged from the traditional Indonesian patterns to the more daring and modern designs. It was surely a fun experience but it also made it more difficult to know who was who…!

(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)