WE WANT PEOPLE TO WANT TO CHANGE

At the meeting with the President of the National Assembly and the government's Working Group for International Negotiations on Climate Change, 30 young climate advocates from Great Britain, Finland, Denmark, Turkey, Hungary and Slovenia presented their views on the Copenhagen Climate Agreement. In their opinion the most important goal is to reach binding targets for CO2 concentrations that give a realistic chance of staying under a 2°C rise.  The advocates formulated some priorities that only their governemnts can address.

Top Ten Priorities:

1. Binding Targets for CO2 concentrations that give us a realistic chance of staying under a 2°C rise

2. An alternative to GDP as a measure of progress

3. To get the prices right: reflect the true environmental and social cost

4. Finance for structural change to low carbon transportation, green buildings and food production

5. To Ease Technological Transfer to developing countries

6. To address global population growth

7. An adequate contribution to the adaptation fund for developing countries

8. A global sectoral approach to emissions reduction

9. An agreement to establish mandatory targets at a national level for renewable energy production

10. For all countries to establish a Ministry dedicated to climate change to ensure implementation of agreed targets

The year 2009 is of key importance for our climate as in December the Copenhagen Climate Conference must deliver a global climate agreement. Such an agreement will provide the framework for climate actions across the globe following the end of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. Reaching an agreement on climate change can be a path towards economic recovery and an investment with strong returns, today and for many generations to come. Delays and inaction will only make matters much worse for millions of people – and much more expensive. These costs will dwarf any sums now being used for economic bailouts.

In order to be part of, and contribute to, the process of forming the Climate Agreement, 30 advocates from Great Britain, Finland, Denmark, Turkey, Hungary and Slovenia attended an “International Climate Camp” in Jezersko from 21 to 24 September. “Experts helped us build an understanding of the process of negotiations on climate change and provided insights into the most important open issues for the negotiations, such as emission reduction targets, financing of climate actions and climate change technology transfer. This helped us shape our own perception of priorities for the Climate Agreement,” said Lara Kastelic from Slovenia about the camp.

“Our key messages to decision-makers are to think of an alternative to GDP as a measure of progress and prices to reflect the true environmental and social costs. We want them to finance structural change to low carbon transportation, green buildings and food production, to ease technological transfer to developing countries and contribute adequately to the adaptation fund for developing countries. A global sectoral approach to emissions reduction is necessary in or opinion,” stressed Jane Burston from United Kingdom. “These are the messages that were communicated today to representatives of the Slovenian Working Group for International Negotiations on Climate Change, the National Assembly, ambassadors and other individuals responsible for climate actions. We expect them to take appropriate measures, as we will otherwise have to face climate challenges of inconceivable dimensions,” stressed Lidija Živčič, from Focus, Association for sustainable development, a partner nongovernmental organisation to the International Climate Camp.

The International Climate Camp is part of British Council’s Challenge Europe project, which has been operational since 2008. This project provides opportunities for young people who are dedicated to protecting our climate to find effective ways of addressing climate change. The project includes over 400 “Climate Advocates” from 17 European countries.

Climate Camp was organised by the British Council in association with the British Embassy and in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in the Republic of Slovenia. The International Climate Camp is being supported by: The Office of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, The Office of the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Slovenia, The Slovenian Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning, The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The United Nations Information Service, Vienna, The Finnish Embassy in Slovenia, The Danish Embassy in Slovenia, The Hungarian Embassy in Slovenia, The Turkish Embassy in Slovenia.