Get the Facts on Copenhagen

Submitted by Sailesh on Mon, 2009-12-21 15:22

UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was held in Copenhagen, Denmark between December 7th and December 18th of 2009. The conference brought together leaders from nearly 200 nations to discuss how to lower emissions rates, slow global warming, and protect the earth and people from the effects of climate change.

The Copenhagen Climate Change Accord has been signed but it isn't legally binding.  Learn more about the challenge, the conference and get the facts and then tell the community what you think. 

CHALLENGE IN COPENHAGEN

UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was held in Copenhagen, Denmark between December 7th and December 18th of 2009. The conference brought together leaders from nearly 200 nations to discuss how to lower emissions rates, slow global warming, and protect the earth and people from the effects of climate change.

 The Copenhagen Climate Accord is a non-binding document drafted by 5 countries at the conclusion of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The Accord contains provisions to ensure economic security and the slowing of climate change for all nations. Nations at the conference agreed to ‘take note’ and work towards the provisions stated in the document.

Climate Change is the significant change in weather (wind, precipitation, and temperature) over an extended period of time. Some climate change occurs natural, but there is evidence that some changes are caused by human activities.

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CLIMATE ACCORD

  • Over 200 nations with very different needs and desires met in Copenhagen to discuss global warming and climate change. Tensions relating to responsibility and economic concerns ran high at the conference as countries have conflicting ideas over what will benefit their nation and the earth.
  • Overall, many developed nations, including the US and Europe desire more carbon markets and know that they will bear many costs and responsibilities relating to lowering emissions rates. Developing nations want aid from developing nations to help increase their industrialization in environmentally-friendly ways.
  • Developed nations agreed to take action to lower their emissions rates ‘individually or jointly.’
  • The Accord includes a ‘Temperature Statement’ which states that the increase of the temperature of the Earth should be below 2 degrees Celsius.
  • Developed nations set a goal to raise $100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to help developing nations fight climate change. $30 billion dollars will be given over the next three years.
  • Funds will be created to pay countries for conserving forests, which will benefit densely forested nations like Brazil, but also developed nations that need carbon credits.
  • Developing nations will compile and monitor emissions data domestically, though there are provisions for international analysis, though many developed countries wanted international monitoring.

Take Action

  •  Join the youth movement at globalcitizencorps.org
  • Hold a film screening of a film on Climate Change at your school
  • Start a Paperless Poster Campaign at your school explaining what the Copenhagen Climate Accord means to your community and ways you can help fight climate change.
  • Donate to a Mercy Corps Kit to areas affected by climate change

 

Learn More

To learn more about climate change and the Copenhagen Climate Accord and how you can get involved, visit: