A Copenhagen Cliamte Treaty

Climate change is not just a human tragedy but changes the very basis of survival on this planet. We know that our window of opportunity for limiting climate change is closing and therefore unprecedented international cooperation and commitment is required.

We need to, and we can, progress much faster, catalyzing the world onto a low-carbon development pathway that is ambitious, effective and fair and ensures that the right to survival for the most vulnerable is not sacrificed.

The Copenhagen Climate Treaty is a draft version of what the agreement in Copenhagen should look like. It is a work in progress; although the views on targets and the ambitious emission pathways will not change, the finer points are likely to evolve in step with the negotiations themselves. It is meant to encourage and provoke countries into thinking hard about the level of ambition, scope and detail that needs to be agreed in Copenhagen, the path to get us there and what comes afterwards.

The Copenhagen Climate Treaty, which must be adopted by all Parties, marries the need for ambitious and urgent action on adaptation and emissions reductions – driven by the science and equity – with the transformation of technology, the preservation of forests and the acceleration of sustainable development.

This NGO proposal serves as testament to the fact that compiling the Copenhagen Climate Treaty is possible today. All that is needed is that Parties have an open mind and real dedication to concluding a just, effective, science-based agreement, in time to keep global average temperature rise far below the danger threshold of 2°C.
Reaching this understanding about climate change between 192 countries will mean that the world has started to learn how to manage its planet. Failure to agree a strong, effective deal in Copenhagen will accelerate the demise into competing smaller entities, resource wars, disruption, refugees, and natural catastrophes.

Such deal in Copenhagen is a small step for governments – but a big step for humanity.