Dr. John Lanchberry, CAN’s outstanding and much loved go-to expert on all things LULUCF, AFOLU and related topics left us on October 18, 2018. John’s quiet humour, warm heart, typically British unflappability and extraordinary patience with activists needing tutoring on these issues was legendary. John was a skilled negotiator, talented orator, knew everyone in the UN secretariat, the delegations, the NGOs – and had a special link to fellow smokers, meeting regularly in the conference smoking areas – where much ‘business’ got done.
In John’s honour, ECO would like to share a poem composed by one of his colleagues. May he Rest In Peace.
When I went along to my first major COP
When the list of new acronyms just didn’t stop
When my brain was full to bursting, I was ready to drop John was there
When I needed help developing a new NGO line
When I needed someone to tell me I was doing fine
When I needed a friend with whom to drink white wine John was there
When I was very nervous talking to the press
When the negotiations seemed one big mess
When I was actually struggling with stress John was there
When secretly pregnant with my first child
When NGO submissions still needed to be filed
When I needed reassurance, comforting and mild John was there
Now I’m sitting near his empty desk, tears in my eyes
I think of all he taught me, my friend so wise
All those memories, that knowledge, I realise John’s still there
