Today a number of Canadian youth attended a workshop on a shared vision for long-term cooperative action under the Convention (AWG-LCA). A shared vision among all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is needed to develop a comprehensive, ambitious and equitable agreement by COP15 in Copenhagen, 2009. The workshop involved presentations from a number of countries on their vision for cooperative action on climate change to ensure a safe and stable climate. The shared vision encompasses the four pillars of the Bali Action Plan: mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer and finance transfer. The issue of mitigation for all parties – including both developed and developing countries– is a point of contention. As per the Convention, developed countries are supposed to lead the way in reducing emissions and then assist developing countries to do the same - this is the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. But developed countries are lagging on their Kyoto commitments (or utterly failing, like Canada), and have demonstrated limited willingness to provide adequate and sustained financial resources for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. Throughout the workshop, developing countries repeatedly emphasized their views that the shared vision must be based on the fundamental principles of the UNFCCC, and that developed countries need to demonstrate greater leadership. A representative for the Alliance of Small Island States, a coalition of low lying and coastal countries which share a similar position, put forward the most ambitious vision because these countries are already experiencing devastating climate change impacts, such as sea level rise and coastal erosion. He called for the stabilization carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere at 350 ppm, and a limit of 1.5 degrees C rise in temperature above preindustrial levels. This means that global emissions must peak by no later than 2015 and industrialized countries must reduce their emissions by at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 95% below 1990 by 2050.

Meanwhile outside the workshop, international youth were developing their own position on a shared vision which involves the wholesale transformation of our society into one that is low-carbon, sustainable and equitable. Collectively, the international policy team developed ambitious foundational youth principles in line with the demands of science – a testament to the ability of youth around the world to unite on combating climate change. They speak from the heart and wholeheartedly support the demands of science because they are not constrained by politics or ulterior self-interests. Youth solidarity on this issue stems from the urgency of taking action on climate change and the prospects that their own lives and the lives of their children will be seriously compromised if limited progress is made Poznan. Let us hope that negotiators here in Poznan can similarly unite on an ambitious vision.