350 in Copenhagen For the UN Climate Conference (COP15)

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A Brief Introduction

For the first few weeks of December, all eyes will be on the northern European city of Copenhagen Denmark for COP15, or the fifteenth 'Conference of the Parties' (thus, COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  The COP is the highest body of the UNFCCC and consists of environment ministers from about 190 countries who meet once a year in December to discuss the convention’s developments.  At least 15,000 people, including from countries with observer status, industry groups and non-government organizations are expected to attend the conference.

The Kyoto Protocol, which was negotiated in 1997, specified greenhouse gas emission targets for the developed Annex I countries. It also specified that the first "commitment period" would run from 2008 to 2012. With the agreement set to expire at the end of 2012, it is intended that the COP15 meeting, to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009, will finalize the terms for the next commitment period.

The official Denmark website states that the "the goals of the climate change convention are to stabilize the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that prevents dangerous man-made climate changes."  The 350 team will be present in Copenhagen to make sure that the leaders assemble know that 350ppm must be the stabilization level to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and will be working hard to make sure your voices are heard from the outside.  For more of an overview of the COP and how it all works, download the 350 Policy factsheet here, and check out the resources listed below.   

 


What 350 is doing in Copenhagen

350.org will have a very international delegation at COP15, with mostly youth climate leaders from over 31 countries.  Our delegation will be keeping the pressure on from October 24th, and making sure that 350ppm is firmly on the table in Copenhagen.  Here's a broad overview of what we will be up to:

 

  • Organizing Events:

    - Survival Pact, not Suicide Pact: Bill McKibben and President Mohammed Nasheed of the Maldives on the global movement for 350ppm
    Venue: the Orange Room Room, Klimaforum
    Date and Time: Monday, 14 Dec., 4-6:30pm

    - GeoDome: Visualizing World Views Shifting Perspectives on Global Change
    Venue: KlimaForum, Øksnehallen Hall
    Date and Time: Tuesday, 15 December- Friday 18 December, Regular Shows throughout the day.

    Expand your world view--enter 350.org Geodome and experience the Universe, Planet Earth, and climate change like never before. The Geodome is an immersive and interactive visual and audio display--housed in an inflatable dome--that will provide revelations about climate science, and new insights into the social movements we need to solve the climate crisis.

    Click here for more info.
     

  • Liaising with delegates: giving them info to back up the 350 target, and photos from their capital and capitols around the world - keeping the heat on for 350ppm. Over 90 countries already support the 350 target, and we want to provide them with a strong platform from which to work.
     
  • Taking action: on Dec. 12, we will be organizing a large vigil outside the Bella Center with our partners, in concert with thousands of vigils around the world that day.
     
  • Reporting out: with the help of Bill McKibben and our amazing team, we will be producing videos, writing blogs, and tweeting the latest news out to you all - in many languages
     
  • Building the movement: we will be helping organize and lead the conference of youth with youth leaders from around the world, and will be holding discussions with those leaders to find concrete ways to keep building our movement beyond Copenhagen.

The Basics: What's Going on in Copenhagen?

A few good resources for the basics:

What 350 is Standing For in Copenhagen

  • 350.org is standing with the most vulnerable countries who are clearly calling for a treaty in line with the latest science to safeguard their very survival.
     
  • As a member of the TckTckTck coalition, we at 350.org are fighting for a deal that is fair, ambitious and binding (FAB) -- fair because developed countries provide at least $200 billion a year for developing countries to develop on a low carbon pathway and face the impacts of climate change, ambitious because the treaty sets 350 ppm as a target and demands at least 40% carbon cuts by 2020 for developed countries, and binding, because it will be a legally binding treaty, not just a political agreement.
  • The old targets of 2 degrees and 450 ppm are not only out of date, they are incredibly dangerous. African nations and small island nations have said time after time that 2 degrees of warming would condemn millions of their people to starvation from mass drought or a loss of lives and livelihoods from sea level rise. We stand with them in refusing to accept this. With this in mind, we declare that "2 degrees is 2 much for 2 many."
     
  • President Nasheed of the Maldives has said that he would not sign a "suicide pact" in Copenhagen and stated that for the Maldives survival equals 350 ppm. 350.org stands with President Nasheed and the nations and people on the front lines of climate change.

Blogs who will be reporting live from Copenhagen


Get on Twitter for up to the minute updates from the 350 team and other organizers on the inside

  • @350 (Follow a bunch of global 350 organizers, including the 350 team, with a couple clicks!)

Follow a few 350 Team Members who will be active in Copenhagen:

Below are a few 350 Friends & Allies (follow this Twitter List for more) 
And here are a few blogs, most of which will have on-the-ground bloggers: