Posts Tagged ‘UN Climate Change Conference’
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HeadsUp: Climate Change - How should the world summit tackle the problem?
From September 28 – October 16 for three weeks, HeadsUp is hosting a special debate on climate change ahead of the UN summit in Copenhagen. HeadsUp is the Hansard Society’s innovative web site where under-18s debate politics and hot political topics, encouraging young people to debate with legislators and policy makers. Those involved will have the opportunity to share their views with Joan Ruddock MP, Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Jo Swinson MP, member of the Environmental Audit Committee, to name but a few. To see all the legislators involved click here.
Working along side the Department for Energy and Climate Change, this forum will feed young people’s views into the UN summit, giving their perspectives a global reach. Don’t miss this great opportunity and register now on HeadsUp website.
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G8 agreement on climate change
On Wednesday, the G8 country leaders reached an historic agreement that developed countries will commit to reduce the 80% of their greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in order to keep average global temperature from increasing by more than 2°C
The agreement is great in principle but there are a handful of concerns:
- First of all, the benchmark year from which the reductions will be measured has not yet been agreed. As more carbon has been emitted in recent years, the more recent the benchmark date, the easier it will be to make the reductions.
- Other weak points are the lack of specification on how these targets are going to be met and the absence of mid-term targets. We cannot afford to wait until the last minute to try to meet the greenhouse gas reduction target.
- Finally, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change states that developed countries should take the lead. However, at the moment, developing countries are concerned that the developed countries are not properly assisting them to meet the expenses involved with emission reductions, which means that they are less likely to sign a written agreement.
The G8 agreement is definitely a step in the right direction, but its success will depend on the commitments of the developed countries and the support that they formally provide to the developing nations. Both of these need our encouragement.
The next key meeting on the road to Copenhagen is to be held in September, when the G14 will look to agree more concrete arrangements. Hopefully, this will provide a positive start to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, in December.
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One Million Feet to Copenhagen
Would you like to go to Copenhagen but don’t know how to get your voice heard?
Just send your feet and let them leave your footprint!Footprint Friends have launched their new campaign to give young people the chance to make a symbolic participation to the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference to be held this December: “One Million Feet to Copenhagen”. It is an invitation to 10-18 year olds to paint their feet, take a picture of their own masterpiece and send it to Footprint Friends, in order to create a colourful and visually-impacting artwork.
The so called “Book of Dreams” (the final composition produced from these pictures and the eco-poems that young people are also invited to write to express their feelings about the environment) will then be presented at the conference, to highlight the awareness surrounding the summit and to show how much young people really care about this crucial moment.
To find out more check Footprint Friends website
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“Make or Break Time for Our Climate”
As you can probably tell by the number of blogs we’ve already written on it, we here at Climate Squad are really excited about COP15 later this year, and, amazingly, we were lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the UK’s strategy for the UN Climate Change conference, “Act on Copenhagen“.
So, last Friday we made the trip up to London Zoo (and managed a quick peek at the bearded pigs and emus as we walked through!) and had the chance to be in the very select audience to hear Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn tell us about their plans for Copenhagen. We were so thrilled to be there, and we were in great company, with ambassadors from Rwanda, Canada and Italy among others, as well as some of the serious movers and shakers in the environmental action world.
Courtesy of Department of Energy & Climate Change, Crown Copyright. Photographer: Zoe Norfolk
So, what does the UK’s strategy involve? Well, Gordon Brown has set the bar high. He’s called for rich countries to hand over an amazing £60 billion (or $100 billion) each year. The money would be raised from private and public sources, such as levies on international carbon trading schemes. Developing countries would be able to apply for funds for specific projects, a necessity given that, as he pointed out in his speech, one of the greatest injustices of all is that “98% of those dying and seriously affected [by climate change] live in the poorest countries, and yet those countries account for only 8% of global emissions. Those hit first and hardest are those who have done the least.”
Greenpeace have commented on the launch, saying that “Brown is right when he says the scale of the money on the table for the developing world will make or break Copenhagen. By becoming the first major leader to put a figure on how much money is needed he has shown signs of leadership on climate change that have so far been sorely lacking”.
It’s well worth going to the Number 10 website to read a full transcript of Gordon Brown’s speech, as well as the new Act on Copenhagen site.
- Courtesy of Department of Energy & Climate Change, Crown Copyright
Climate Squad team members with Ed Miliband
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Hopenhagen and Seal the Deal
Hopefully you’ve already seen our blogs on COP15, the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December, and linked to that is the amazing new website, Hopenhagen.
Hopenhagen gives you the chance to tell the world what it is that gives you hope. Have a look and add your message at http://www.hopenhagen.org/#
We’ve also got some more info for you on the ‘Seal the Deal’ at Copenhagen campaign, where you are able to sign the global petition urging world leaders to;
- Seal the Deal on an effective, equitable and definitive climate agreement at COP15
- Avert the climate change threat by setting binding targets to cut greenhouse gases by 2020
- Create a framework that will protect lives and livelihoods in vulnerable countries by bolstering their climate resilience
- Support the adaptation efforts of developing countries
- Seize this defining opportunity to protect People and the Planet
- Power green growth by launching the green, low carbon economy of tomorrow.
So sign the petition and show world leaders that you’re behind their efforts to improve the lives of millions of people all around the world.
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Seal the deal in Copenhagen
We’re hearing from some of you that we need to do more to make world leaders take responsibility for climate change. Don’t worry, we’re on the case with this.
In December, world leaders will be in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference, and we’re determined to make sure they reach an agreement which will safeguard the planet for future generations.
Stay tuned for details of how you can get involved with the United Nations Seal the Deal campaign, plus our Cop Art idea - a creative way to get the message across.
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