2009

Copenhagen climate talks
13 July 2009

This year the Danish capital of Copenhagen is hosting crucial talks on climate change.

The talks run from 7-18 December and are the latest in a series of efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Origins of the talks

The big push began at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. More than 100 world leaders agreed to take action on climate change.

They signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The UNFCCC was set up to look at how to:

Reduce global warming
Preventing dangerous climate change.
Support poorer countries
To develop cleanly and cope with climate impacts.

Global deal

The process continued with the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

The Protocol is the first legally enforceable international treaty designed to reduce emissons. It requires rich countries to take urgent action.

It was signed by 141 countries and came into force in 2005.

The time is now

World leaders are expected to attend the Copenhagen talks. The summit is crucial if we are to take serious action to avoid dangerous climate change.

The talks will focus on setting new targets for the next stage of the Kyoto Protocol and securing financial commitments to tackle climate change internationally.

Demand climate change

Our new campaign is calling for action at Copenhagen. We want to see rich countries commit to:

Real action not dodgy accounting
Cut emissions at home by at least 40% without offsetting.
Provide funding to developing countries
Enabling them to adapt to climate change and develop low carbon technologies.
A fair and transparent process
Funding for the developing world should not be controlled by the World Bank
Stop gambling with our forests
Scrap proposals to reduce emissions from deforestation through offsetting.

Take action

Thousands of people around the world have signed our petition.

Join them and urge world leaders to do the right thing by our climate.

Join us in Copenhagen

Find out how you can join Friends of the Earth during the talks.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen harbour