Climate change is one of the most important ecological imperatives facing the human population in our modern times. There is hardly any debate remaining among scientists these days regarding whether climate change exists or whether it is caused by human activities. Climate change threatens not just global average temperature, but it also can play a damaging role in all other aspects of ecosystem health, such as biological diversity and world food supply. We have identified the problem, now we must come up with a fair and sustainable solution.
This blog will focus around the United Nations climate change conference to be help in Copenhagen from December 7th to 18th 2009. During this conference, 192 countries including two of the largest polluters - the United States and China - will gather to discuss the problem and try to find solutions. These widely varied countries will be responsible for the onus task of hammering out an agreement that can satisfy all involved for the period following 2012.
The countdown to COP15 TIG blog aims to consolidate the many youth climate action blogs from around the world, while offering a forum for youth to get informed and get involved regarding this important issue.
Final Climate Talks Before COP15 Open Today in Barcelona Spain
The final preparatory session leading up to COP15 has begun in Barcelona, Spain today. The meeting hopes to draw up an internationally supported agreement and plan for dealing with climate change after 2012. The Barcelona climate talks 2009 will be attended by over 4000 delegates from nearly 180 countries.
"It is realistic to say that in Copenhagen we will not be able to conclude a treaty, but it is important to lay down a political framework which will be the basis of the treaty," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the close of a European Summit in Brussels on Friday.
Even with that framework, she said, "negotiations will drag out longer until we get a treaty."
Environment advocates caution against losing faith and momentum.
The main areas where big divisions remain include:
The extent to which developed countries should cut their greenhouse gas emissions
How much money rich nations should contribute to help poorer ones reduce their emissions and adapt to climate impacts
How far developing countries will go in constraining the rise in their greenhouse gas emissions
In the opening press release of the five day conference, Mr. Yvo de Boer stated that "at Copenhagen governments must give their clear answer on what they will do to avoid dangerous climate change and how they will do it."
He continues that Copenhagen must deliver a strong agreement which will address four political essentials. These four essentials include:
Rich countries must take ambitious midterm emission reduction, both individually and as a group.
Developing nations and emerging economies must say what they will do to limit the growth of their emissions.
Industrialized countries must say what they will do to supply the finance and deliver the technology to help developing nations.
A governance structure to manage and deploy the money must reflect the economic and political realities of today, and give all sides an equal voice.
Mr. Yvo de Boer continues to stress that "Copenhagen can and must capture a result to which nations can be held accountable. It must deliver an agreement that involves all countries, consistent with their capabilities, working on a common goal to limit global temperature rise to a safe level."
However, he does not expect the Barcelona meeting to resolve the big political issues. These issues are mostly comprised of finance issues and emissions reduction targets. He goes on the stress that the Barcelona meetings are critical for putting into place an architecture that can enable the Copenhagen agreement to function.
