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International Meetings


Peoples Conference on Climate Change and
Rights of Mother Earth


Bolivia State flagThe first World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth will be held April 20th - 21st 2010, in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Conference organizers hope to combat climate change, save humanity and Mother Earth after disappointing results from discussions at the 2009 UN Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen.

Concerned individuals, non-government organizations, environmentalists, researchers, government organizations, leaders and businesses from around the world are invited to meet in Bolivia to discuss the following goals: analyze structural and systemic causes of climate change, draft Universal Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth, proposals for new commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and United Nations frameworks for Climate Change (UNFCC), organize a peoples world referendum on climate change, draft a plan of action for establishment of a Climate Justice Tribunal, and define strategies for action in defense of life against climate change and for Mother Earth rights.

The conference is organized as a series of self-organized workshops, seminars and meetings, key plenary discussions with expert panelists, and discussions in 17 different working groups on a variety of topics, including:

  • Structural causes (of climate change)
  • Harmony with Nature and Mother Earth Rights
  • Climate Justice Tribunal
  • Climate Migrants
  • Indigenous Peoples
  • Climate Debt
  • Kyoto Protocol
  • Technology transfer
  • Dangers of Carbon market
  • Agriculture and food sovereignty

Activities will close with a mass gathering and release of a final declaration.

View World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth
View Bolivia UN Website

Only Two Countries File Targets for 2°C


Only 2 out of 10 developed countries' reduction targets submitted under the Copenhagen Accord for the January 31,2020 deadline qualify as 'sufficient' to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. The current pledges leave the world heading for global warming of over 3°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

The ambition level of major countries submitted for the Copenhagen Accord has not changed compared to levels proposed in December 2009 in Copenhagen. Of the developed countries, Russia slightly increased its ambition level, while Canada decreased its ambition level. Mexico, the host country for the next climate summit in November this year, did not submit by 31 January 2010.

View Climate Action Tracker website
downloadDownload February 2, 2010 Climate Analytics & Ecofys press release (PDF)
downloadDownload December 15, 2009 Climate Analytics & Ecofys briefing paper (PDF)
Source: Climate Action Tracker

Lima Declaration


Lima, PeruIndigenous groups from 14 countries in Latin America defended their tradition knowledge and teachings for combating climate change at the second Latin American summit on Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous Peoples held January 25-26 in Lima, Peru.

The summit, convened by the Coordinating Group of Indigenous Women's Continental Region South American, Central American Indigenous Council and Center for Indigenous Cultures of Peru-Chirapaq, identified best development methods on indigenous lands, measures to monitor forests and rivers, and discussed food sovereignty and security, gender and indigenous rights.

Participants agreed indigenous peoples are some of the worst affected by climate change, with extreme impacts on their lands, health, culture, economy, water and natural resources. They called for unified action regarding extractive industries such as oil and mining, which directly hurt the communities. In issuing a declaration they said their traditional knowledge should be used to counter the economic models that promote dangerous, or unsustainable development.

Plan of Action in Declaration (excerpts)

General Actions:
  1. To continue efforts for building and consolidating the Regional Indigenous Latin American Forum on Climate Change
  2. To create alliances with the various sectors of civil society involved in the struggle to root out the origins and overcome the effects of Climate Change
  3. To have the Regional Indigenous Latin American Forum on Climate Change serve as a source of information on processes of regional relevance
See declaration for specific strategies and solutions.

View Lima Declaration
View February 3, 2010 Latin America Press article

Source: Latin America Press
Photo Source: www.peru-explorer.com

Peoples Submission - Copenhagen Accord


People's SubmissionA network of leading non-government organizations including Climate Action Network, Sierra Club of Canada, and the David Suzuki Foundation made a Peoples Submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on behalf of 150,000 Canadians who signed the KyotoPlus Petition.

The Peoples Submission is from Canadian citizens that have a desire for our government to take real action on climate change and suggests Canada take the following actions to contribute to a binding international climate change agreement:
  1. Commit to science-based emissions reductions of 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.
  2. Help provide long term climate financing to assist the poorest countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate impacts (target of $195 billion US per year).
  3. Help provide short term financing to assist the poorest countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts, equivalent to $320-420 million CAN from 2010 to 2012.
  4. Recommit to legal agreements under the Kyoto Protocol and come to a stronger agreement and better commitments for after 2012.

The current prorogation of the Canadian parliament prevents debate of the Copenhagen Accord. British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland have all set more ambitious emissions reductions targets. Also polling shows 75% of Canadian citizens are embarrassed by their government's inaction on climate change. And 150,000 Canadians have signed the KyotoPlus petition to cut Canada's emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.

The Peoples Submission will be considered by the UN with submissions from countries that committed to implement economy-wide emissions targets for 2020 under the weak Copenhagen Accord. As of January 31, 2010 all countires who signed the Copenhagen Accord were to file their emission reduction targests with the UN.

View Information provided by Parties to the Convention relating to the Copenhagen Accord
View January 28, 2010 Sierra Club of Canada press release
View January 28, 2010 Sierra Club of Canada press release video
View Climate Action Network Canada web site
downloadDownload December 18, 2009 Copenhagen Accord Draft Decision (PDF)
downloadDownload February 1, 2010 UNFCCC press release (PDF)
downloadDownload January 27, 2010 The Peoples Submission Final Draft (PDF)
Source: Sierra Club of Canada, United Nations, Climate Action Network
Photo Source: CAN-RAC Canada

From Copenhagen to a Real Deal


The UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen had three main outcomes: draft detailed negotiating texts under the two ad-hoc working groups, a mandate to continue negotiations in these groups for one year, and a political statement dubbed 'The Copenhagen Accord' (see Annex I for an overview). The Accord does not deliver the needed fair, ambitious and binding deal millions globally have been calling for to avoid dangerous climate change. However, if governments build on the good aspects of the Accord and commence further meaningful negotiations, it could be one of the stepping stones toward a fair, ambitious and binding deal.

download Download January 12, 2010 WWF Report The path from Copenhagen to a real deal on climate change (PDF)
Source: WWF International

2009 UN Climate Meetings:
COP 15 & CMP5 - Copenhagen, Denmark


Copenhagen logo

The COP15 conference is the fifteenth Conference of the Parties under the United Nations' Climate Change Convention. The conference will take place December 7 - 18, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (More to follow.)

Visit COP 15 Copenhagen Climate Conference website

Manitoba Wildlands will be providing selected and recommended links for news, reports, and analysis regarding the UN Copenhagen Climate Summit December 2009. Media releases and clips will be listed by: Pre Copenhagen, During Copenhagen, and after Copenhagen. Sub pages will appear below.

You may wish to visit Climate Action Network International to review its daily Eco NewsBulletin and Eco Digital, the CANET online news and commentary bulletin.
View ECO NGO 2009 Newsletters
View Eco Digital blog
Visit Climate Action Network Canada

View Manitoba Wildlands Climate Change Reports pages
View Manitoba Wildlands on YouTube
View Manitoba Wildlands on Twitter
Fred Curatolo cartoon
By Fred Curatolo
Larger version

For more information and to follow the Copenhagen, December 2009 UN climate meetings visit the following web pages:

The 2009 Copenhagen Diagnosis: Climate Science Report, UNSW Climate Change Research Centre
November 17, 2009 U.S.-China Joint Statement
November 26, 2009 Ignatieff's Climate Solutions Speech at Laval University
CCIC Fall 2009 Newsletter, Global Justice and Canada's Climate Crossroad
November 24, 2009 Climate science statement from the Met Office, NERC and the Royal Society
Copenhagen Climate Council Jargon Buster
April 2009, Climate Action Network International, Position on an Annex I aggregate target (PDF)
November 2007 Climate Action Network International, Fair, Ambitious and Binding: Essentials for a successful climate deal (PDF)

Organizations:
The Global Climate Change Lobby
David Suzuki Foundation
Climate Deal
Climate-L.org
Inter Press Service TerraViva
Canadian Youth Delegation to Copenhagen
RING YOUR BELLS!, KAIROS
Carbon Central - Reuters
OneClimate.net TV Channel
Fossil of the Day
Sierra Club Canada
World Wildlife Fund - Canada
The Pembina Institute
World Wildlife Fund
CUPE
TckTckTck website
David Suzuki Foundation

Blogs:
Earth Hour
SPIEGEL ONLINE International
Alex Staffen of Worldchanging on Twitter
ENDS Copenhagen Blog
World Watch Institute
guardianeco on Twitter
Der Spiegel International Climate Coverage
SPIEGEL ONLINE's Climate Countdown
Elizabeth May
Pembina Institute on Twitter
CYDCopenhagen on Twitter
Indigenous Environmental Network
Copenhagen Tweets on Twitter
The Council of Canadians
Eric Reguly, Globe and Mail
Sierra Club: Witness Copenhagen
May Jeong
mayjeong on Twitter
CarbonCentral on Twitter
Journey to Copenhagen
It's Getting Hot In Here
Greenpeace Canada
Fossil of the Day
Avaaz on Twitter
Pembina Institute Climate Blog
debatewise
Climate Crisis: Countdown to Copenhagen
SealTheDeal2012 on Twitter
cop15 on Twitter
TckTckTck on Twitter
The Good Guide to Copenhagen
Paying our climate debt
State of the Planet
WWF Canada Blog
BioCarbonMan on Twitter
JustMeans Blog
PowerUp Canada: Copenhagen Special Report Blog
Amnesty International: Demand Dignity Blog
Make Forests Count Blog
CPAWS blog: Forests and Climate Change
Global Force Blog

Photos:
High Resolution Photos onTckTckTck
CBC Copenhagen Photo Gallery
TckTckTck: Copenhagen Real Deal March
TckTckTck: High Resolution Photos
Mom's Against Climate Change
Jim Dougherty Photography
The Australian: Copenhagen Prepares


Videos/Live On Site - Post-Conference:  video
December 19, 2009 G-77 Chairman Makes Angry Plea to Obama After Talks
December 22, 2009 What Happened In Copenhagen: Dr. Seuss-Style (VIDEO), Huffington Post
December 18, 2009 Civil Society Comes Together for 'Vigil of Survival', TckTckTck
Power Up Canada Youtube channel
December 19, 2009 Final Day Video Blog: The Copenhagen Accord, Canada, and wrap-up of the week, Zero Carbon Canada
December 17, 2009 Naomi Klein on activism's impact on the climate negotiations, Greenpeace UK
December 19, 2009 Climate talks end with sketchy deal, CBC News
December 17, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Negotiation News Update, CANET
Climate Talks TV
COP15 Copenhagen Live
December 15, 2009 COP15 Climate Negotiation Update Day 8: Finance & Developing Countries Update
December 11-13, 2009 Vigils For a Real Deal
December 11, 2009 What Will Copenhagen Accomplish?, Tzeporah Berman
Tzeporah Berman on The Hour
Climate Voice Live at Copenhagen
Videos at CommonDreams.org
December 13, 2009 Greenpeace executive director Kumi Naidoo speech in Copenhagen
Climate change protests, CBC News
Worldwide Action, CBC News
December 10, 2009 UNFCCC press briefing, UNFCCC
December 12, 2009 Canada's Copenhagen hero cries out for change
World Council of Churches/ IPCC Chair on Climate Change
Vancouver Mayor Robertson
Sierra Club US COPENHAGEN video gallery
Sierra Club US Youth - Developing Nations and Climate Change
December 10, 2009 Logging Loopholes Big Enough To Drive A Truck Through!
December 8, 2009 COP15 CAN press conference Day 2
December 7, 2009 Tens of Thousands Protest Across Europe Calling for Climate Justice
December 7, 2009 ICIJ: The Alternative Energy Lobby
December 7, 2009 Please help the world - COP15 opening film
December 7, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Summit Opens, CBC

Videos/Live On Site - Pre-Conference:  video
December 3, 2009 Open letter to Harper on UN Climate Summit Copenhagen
October 28, 2009 Moms Against Climate Change - "Demonstration"
The Story of CAP & Trade
Virtual Participation in COP 15
November 29, 2009 Climate Change speech by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
November 26, 2009 COP 15 message by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
November 24, 2009 COP 15 message by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Media Releases - Post-Conference:
December 27, 2009 Copenhagen has given us the chance to face climate change with honesty, The Guardian
December 21, 2009 If you want to know who's to blame for Copenhagen, look to the US Senate, The Guardian
December 23, 2009 Escape from Copenhagen, Worldwatch Institute
December 21, 2009 Carbon Positive News #37 - Copenhagen in Review
December 23, 2009 Sarkozy Wants Global Carbon Talks In Paris: Groups, Planet Ark
December 22, 2009 Brown: we must learn lessons of Copenhagen, The Independent
December 21, 2009 More Than 100 Groups Endorse Petition to Cap Carbon Dioxide Pollution at 350 Parts Per Million, Center for Biological Diversity
December 19, 2009 Copenhagen Accord: Too much unfinished business, WWF
Summary of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Earth Negotiations Bulletin
December 21, 2009 UN Secretary-General Discusses Next Steps in Remarks to UNGA on the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Climate-L.org
December 19, 2009 UN Climate Change Conference Concludes by Taking Note of the "Copenhagen Accord", Climate-L.org
December 19, 2009 C-ROADS Analysis of the Final Copenhagen Accord, Sustainability Institute
December 18, 2009 Limited Agreement is Reached as Copenhagen Summit Comes to an End, Yale Environment 360
December 20, 2009 What did it all mean?, Elizabeth May
December 20, 2009 Green battle goes on: Canada's environmentalists look beyond Copenhagen, Canwest News Service
ClimateBiz.com at Copenhagen
Outreach Copenhagen Newsletter
December 19, 2009 Climate deal hailed but hard choices left, Toronto Star
December 19, 2009 The work must continue, Globe and Mail
December 19, 2009 Copenhagen is over, but we're not done yet, Greenpeace UK
December 19, 2009 Climate talks end with sketchy deal, CBC News

Media Releases - Week 2:
December 16, 2009 An Open Letter to President Obama, Greenpeace
December 18, 2009 Copenhagen Negotiators Bicker and Filibuster While the Biosphere Burns, The Guardian
December 17, 2009 China Transparency Pledge Moves Copenhagen Talks Forward, NRDC
December 18, 2009 Harper fails Canada and planet at Copenhagen, National Union of Public and General Employees
December 17, 2009 Copenhagen and the ethics of climate change, Globe and Mail
December 16, 2009 Evo Morales stuns Copenhagen with demand to limit temperature rise to 1C, The Guardian
December 17, 2009 Prime Minister Stephen Harper Must Deliver in Copenhagen, Climate Action Network Canada
December 15, 2009 Canada wins yet another fossil for being three times worse than we thought, Climate Action Network Canada
December 15, 2009 Secret Cap-and-Trade Proposal Confirms That Canada Has No Intention of Meeting its 2020 Greenhouse Gas Target, Climate Action Network Canada
December 17, 2009 Victory for developing nations as rich countries abandon effort to kill off Kyoto, The Guardian
December 17, 2009 Obama's arrival expected to inject fresh momentum into Copenhagen talks, The Guardian
December 17, 2009 Leaked UN report shows cuts offered at Copenhagen would lead to 3C rise, The Guardian
December 17, 2009 Copenhagen conference on the brink of collapse as world leaders arrive at talks, The Guardian
December 16, 2009 Canada to announce climate change cash for poorer nations, Global News
December 16, 2009 Copenhagen: Curse or Cure?, WWF Canada
December 16, 2009 Agreement on $3.5bn initial funding for deforestation, UK Government
December 16, 2009 Council of Canadians in 'Reclaim Power!' march, Council of Canadians
December 14, 2009 Schwarzenegger: Beyond Copenhagen, global warming requires grassroots action, Christian Science Monitor
December 15, 2009 Manitoba, Australia join forces on climate change, CBC News
December 13, 2009 What happened last week in Copenhagen?, WWF Canada
Joint faith leaders declaration on climate change, David Suzuki Foundation
December 15, 2009 President Gorbachev, PM Campbell Call On Canada to Dispel 'Defeatism,'Act on Climate, PowerUP Canada
December 14, 2009 The one real story out of the first week of Copenhagen, Grist
December 13, 2009 Cdn farmers suggest local food initiatives as way to fight climate change, Winnipeg Free Press
December 14, 2009 Climate negotiators eye the 'forgotten 50%' of greenhouse gas pollutants, Los Angeles Times
December 14, 2009 Environmentalists, businesses see eye to eye on climate change solutions, Vancouver Sun
Pembina Reacts as Canada is Ranked Next to Last in Climate Change Performance Index
December 14, 2009 Canada climate stance pranksters revealed, Toronto Star
December 14, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Talks SUSPENDED, In Chaos, As Countries Walk Out Of The Conference, Huffington Post
December 13, 2009 Canada's Tar Sands - 'Dirty, Toxic and Huge', IPS/TerraViva
December 13, 2009 December 12th Was a Tipping Point, IPS/TerraViva
December 13, 2009 Forest communities said key to climate fight

Media Releases - Week 1:
December 10, 2009 BirdLife International's 5 "asks" for Copenhagen, Nature Canada
December 10, 2009 Vulnerable nations at Copenhagen summit reject 2C target, The Guardian
December 12, 2009 Taking to the streets in Copenhagen, CBC News
December 12, 2009 Climate science under attack, Ottawa Citizen
December 7, 2009 350 years of science, now under siege, CBC News
December 10, 2009 1,700 U.K. scientists back climate science, CBC News
December 12, 2009 Nearly 1,000 protesters detained in Copenhagen, CBC News
December 12, 2009 Canadians raise climate awareness at country-wide rallies, Globe and Mail
December 11, 2009 Global Civil Society Brandishes Utopian Vision, Reuters
December 11, 2009 Toronto mayor 'embarrassed' by Canada's environmental record, Calgary Herald
December 11, 2009 Interactive Climate Scoreboard with Daily Updates, Green Economy Post
December 12, 2009 Sea of lights in Copenhagen for climate action rally, TckTckTck
December 11, 2009 Draft deal gives lift to flagging climate talks, Reuters
December 10, 2009 A Fair, Ambitious and Binding Deal, New York Times
December 11, 2009 Protests Hit the Streets of Copenhagen, 40 Arrested, Climate Crossroads
December 10, 2009 Ottawa plays foul with number game, Globe and Mail
December 10, 2009 Hundreds of Climate Change Rallies and Vigils Across Canada December 12, CNW Group
December 10, 2009 Greenpeace: President Obama Must Earn Nobel Peace Prize With Strong Climate Action in Copenhagen, YubaNet
December 10, 2009 Climate Change: Three Quarters of Canadians believe that our government must do more, Climate Action Network Canada
December 9, 2009 The Psychology of Climate Change Denial, Wired
December 10, 2009 Canadian youth protest tarsands in Copenhagen, CBC News
December 10, 2009 Extension of Kyoto targets urged, Toronto Star
December 9, 2009 Setting targets is easy, The Ottawa Citizen
December 8, 2009 Wide gap between rich, poor nations at climate talks, National Post
December 7, 2009 PM must do more on climate change, CBC News
December 8, 2009 Country takes verbal lashing for inaction on climate change, Winnipeg Free Press
December 8, 2009 Harper dubbed climate crook, Toronto Sun
December 8, 2009 Gordon Brown: EU cuts must go deeper to get Copenhagen climate deal, Guardian
December 8, 2009 Oil sands emissions polluting waterways, Globe and Mail
December 7, 2009 Greenpeace occupies Parliament roofs to shout "Climate inaction costs lives", Greenpeace
December 7, 2009 EPA: Global Warming Endangers Public Health, Earthjustice
December 7, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference Opens to Dire Warnings, Common Dreams
December 7, 2009 EU keeps world in suspense on 30 percent vow, COP15
December 7, 2009, Immediate action needed, climate summit hears, CBC

Media Releases - Pre-Conference:
December 6, 2009 'Dirty' image puts Canada in climate doghouse at Copenhagen, Globe and Mail
December 6, 2009 Canada has target on its back headed into Copenhagen summit, Canada.com
December 3, 2009 Canada's Kyoto legacy, Globe and Mail
December 1, 2009 Judge the government's emissions targets by its exit strategies, Globe and Mail
December 7, 2009 Climate Concerns Continue to Increase, BBC & GlobeScan
December 4, 2009 Canada must do more to confront climate crisis, David Suzuki Foundation
December 4, 2009 Geographically speaking, what on earth is Canada doing?, Globe and Mail
November 30, 2009 Copenhagen: The era of climate stability is coming to an end, The Guardian
Renewable Energy World
December 2, 2009 Climate change the second most serious problem faced by the world today, Europa
December 5, 2009 Scientists press PM on climate change, Globe and Mail
December 3, 2009 End the Politics -- Let Scientists and Engineers Lead, Huffington Post
December 2, 2009 Landmark as offshore wind farm is officially opened, BBC News
November 30, 2009 Canada's image lies in tatters, The Guardian
December 1, 2009 Prescription for Canada's Prime Minister..., Canadian Nurses Association
November 30, 2009 Canadians want action on climate, poll finds, Toronto Star
November 28, 2009 Commonwealth to back Copenhagen pact, Globe and Mail
November 27, 2009 Please, Canada, clean up your act, Globe and Mail
November 27, 2009 UN chief presses Canada on climate change, CBC
November 27, 2009 Queen urges Commonwealth to lead way on climate change, Ottawa Citizen
November 26, 2009 Obama to Go to Copenhagen With Emissions Target, New York Times
November 26, 2009 Harper to attend climate summit in Copenhagen, Ottawa Citizen
November 25, 2009 Obama boosts hopes of a climate deal, UN
November 24, 2009 U.S. to bring emissions cut target to Copenhagen talks, Reuters
November 23, 2009 Quebec promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions, CTV
November 22, 2009 Our carbon plan ranks at bottom, Toronto Star
November 20, 2009 Announcements of U.S.-China cooperation create a path to Copenhagen success, Climate Progress
November 20, 2009 Canadians chagrined over status as climate-change dawdlers, Globe and Mail
November 18, 2009 How Canada can restore its reputation on climate change, Globe and Mail
November 17, 2009 Ad campaign takes aim at climate change, Globe and Mail
October 26, 2009 AP IMPACT: Statisticians reject global cooling, Associated Press

Wild 9 Calls on Copenhagen to Protect Land


Wild 9 logoIn November 2009, Merida, Mexico hosted the 9th World Wilderness Congress (WILD 9). Wild 9's central theme of wilderness, people and climate change brought over 1500 delegates from 51 countries together and resulted in forty-two targeted resolutions being passed. The Wild 9 resolutions and a special Message from Meridadeclaration will be sent to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) December conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Message from Meridadeclaration outlines an international call for specific policy to integrate wilderness and biodiversity conservation into next global climate change strategy. The declaration states that protection of critical wilderness areas will help combat climate change.

Other resolutions drafted at the Wild 9 summit focus on land conservation. Resolution 2: Protecting Old-Growth Forests for Climate Stabilization called upon participants of the 2009 Copenhagen negotiations and member States of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to permanently (legal) protection for all remaining old-growth forests within their borders as a part of climate commitments. Additionally, this resolution urges the IUCN to ensure status of these areas is consistent with continued use and stewardship by Indigenous peoples. Resolution 9: Advancing Boreal Forest Conservation in Canada calls for specific protection of the Canadian Boreal forest, in addition to providing protection for cultural and biological diversity.

The Message from Meridawill be collecting signatures from international delegates until the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, December 7th to 18th. To sign the Mensaje de Merida as an organization, please send your logo, name and title to Emily Loose (Emily@wild.org). Individuals are also welcome to sign. Wild 9 resolutions are available for comment on the resolutions website.

View November 11, 2009 Mongabay article
View The Wild Foundation website
View Wild 9's Resolutions webpage
View Wild 9's Message from Merida
View Wild 9's Resolution 2 webpage
View Wild 9's Resolution 9 webpage
View Wild 9's Resolution 10 webpage
Source: Mongabay, The Wild Foundation

Lead-Up to Copenhagen 2009


UN Climate Change Meetings in Bonn - June 2009
Meetings in Bonn, Germany that concluded June 12, 2009 are part of the final year of negotiations before the historic Copenhagen summit in December 2009.

Here's what Climate Action Network (CAN) Canada members had to say at the conclusion of the Bonn meetings:
Although the Bonn talks moved ahead in terms of process, many countries' level of ambition here is dangerously low. Unfortunately, Canada's role continued to be predominately negative. With Copenhagen less than 180 days away, Canada needs to change course urgently so that we can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

CAN Canada prepared a backgrounder to summarize progress on major elements of the UN's Bonn climate talks. The backgrounder comments on:
  • Failure to achieve significant progress on the Kyoto Protocol negotiation track (in UN parlance, the AWG-KP)
  • Slow progress and Canada's potential obstructionist tactics with respect to the Long-Term Cooperative Action (LCA) negotiation track (in UN parlance, the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention, the AWG-LCA)
  • Next steps for Canada
  • NGOs' Copenhagen agreement (see also below)
  • Fossil of the Day Awards ('awarded' to countries for obstruction of, or contradictions to regulations)
downloadDownload June 2, 2009 CAN Canada Update on the Bonn Negotiations (PDF)
Source: CAN Canada
NGOs Create Blueprint for Copenhagen Climate Agreement
Bonn report cover Climate change experts from leading non-governmental organizations released their blueprint for a legally binding Copenhagen agreement on June 8, 2009 in Bonn, Germany.

The 160-page Copenhagen Climate Treaty, which took some of the world's most experienced climate NGOs almost a year to write, was distributed to negotiators from 192 states at the June talks in Bonn. The document contains a full legal text covering all the main elements needed to provide a fair and ambitious agreement that keeps climate change impacts below unacceptable risk levels being identified by most scientists. It is intended to serve as the benchmark for governments negotiating a new climate deal and shows how differences between rich and poor nations can be overcome.

downloadDownload NGO A Copenhagen Climate Treaty (PDF)
downloadDownload NGO Copenhagen Treaty: full legal text (PDF)

Some highlights:
  • describes the path the world must be on to avoid catastrophic climate change, recognizing global temperature increase must be kept below 2 degrees Celsius
  • sets a global cap on emissions - a carbon budget - and explains in detail how both industrialized and developing countries can contribute to the safety of the planet and its people, according to their means and responsibilities
  • shows how the poorest and most vulnerable on the planet can be protected and compensated
  • outlines an Adaptation Action Framework which includes grants, insurance and compensation for the most vulnerable countries
  • calls for a legally binding agreement consisting of three parts:
    1. Kyoto Protocol updated to strengthen industrialized country obligations
    2. new Copenhagen Protocol with legally binding commitments for the USA, with low carbon pathways for developing countries, supported by the industrialized world
    3. set of decisions that lays the groundwork for the next three years
WWF logo The Copenhagen Climate Treaty, was drafted by David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace, WWF, IndyACT - the League of Independent Activists, Germanwatch, National Ecological Centre of Ukraine and expert individuals from around the world.

View June 8, 2009 WWF International press release
View June 12, 2009 David Suzuki Foundation press release
View ECO at Bonn on CANet interational site
Sources: David Suzuki Foundation, WWF International

The Official Line - The UN On Bonn Climate Meetings
In contrast to NGO analysis of the June 2009 climate talks (see above), the headline for the UNFCCC's June 12, 2009 press release from Bonn read "Progress Made in Negotiations for Ambitious and Effective Copenhagen Deal at Bonn UNFCCC Meeting".

The UNFCCC press release does not provide examples of progress, but rather asserts there was progress on draft negotiating texts, "reflecting governments' proposals on how to step up international climate change action".

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is quoted as saying, "a big achievement of this meeting is that governments have made it clearer what they want to see in the Copenhagen agreed outcome".

downloadDownload June 12, 2009 UNFCCC press release (PDF)
View UNFCCC June 2009 Bonn meetings webpage
Source: UNFCCC

Central Negotiating Text for Copenhagen
UNFCCC logo On May 19, 2009, a negotiating text prepared by the Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) was posted on the UNFCCC web site.

downloadDownload May 20, 2009 UNFCCC press release (PDF)

The text is intended to "facilitate negotiations among Parties on fulfillment of the Bali Action Plan towards the agreed outcome to be adopted at COP 15 in Copenhagen December 2009. The text builds upon ideas and proposals submitted by Parties and will be considered at the Bonn Talks in June."

downloadDownload UNFCCC May 2009 AWG-LCA Negotiating Text (PDF)

The AWG-LCA Negotiating Text contains some strong elements that NGOs will likely emphasize, including an option to stabilize "GHG concentrations in the atmosphere well below 350 ppm CO2eq and a temperature increase limited to below 1.5oC above pre-industrial level", which is equated to a global emissions reduction goal in the range of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050:

Stabilization of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere well below 350 ppm CO2eq and a temperature increase limited to below 1.5oC above the pre-industrial level. For for this purpose, the Parties {shall}{should} collectively reduce global emissions by {81-71}{more than 85} per cent from 1990 levels by 2050. (Paragraph 12, Option 2)

Paragraph 14 also opens the door to an up to 45% emissions reduction from 1990 levels by 2020, and more than 95% by 2050.

(Paragraph 14) To this end, {developed country Parties} {Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Annex I Parties)} {developed country Parties included in Annex II to the Convention (Annex II Parties)}, as a group, {shall}{should} reduce their GHG emissions:
(a) {By at least 25-40}{By 25-40}{By more than 25-40}{In the order of 30}{By at least 40}{by 45}{by at least 45} per cent from 1990 levels by 2020, {with further reductions to be achieved through policies and measures that promote sustainable lifestyles};
(b) {And {by more than 95}{in the range of 75-85} per cent by 2050}.
Source: UNFCCC





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