Dear Mr President26 November 2009
Dear Mr President,
So pleased you're coming to Copenhagen.
But are you sure you're only coming for the first couple of days? Isn't it like watching the band warm up - then leaving before the party starts?
And it seems to me to send out the wrong signal about your commitment to tackling climate change. Especially when US emissions targets fall well short of what they should be.
We've both got busy schedules, so not sure we'll be able to get together. A pity. Because I wanted to remind you of an issue that is at the core of the talks: climate justice.
The poorer countries on the planet are already being worst hit by climate change - which has been overwhelmingly caused by the rich ones.
So any global agreement on emissions must see the rich take responsibility and lead the way in tackling climate change.
Some Pacific islands are being swallowed by rising sea levels (look at this film of someone who's seen it first hand).
In Bangladesh monsoons and flooding are happening more often - destroying homes and crops. I could go on.
Climate justice is an obvious idea. But then the best ideas often stare you in the face.
Please be sure to mention it to Gordon, Angela and the others.
All the best. Dominic.
