IST3504th December 2009

WHY ‘350’? 350 is the number that

leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" - in our atmosphere.

This is the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

We are already above the safe zone at our current 390ppm

Unless we can return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.

WHAT IS THE COPENHAGEN CONFERENCE? (COP15)

In December, the UN will hold a climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. There, delegates, NGOs, and businesses from every nation will meet to finalize a new global climate change agreement.

This treaty needs to put a high enough

price on carbon that we stop using so much. It also needs to ensure

poor countries a fair chance to develop.

WHY ARE WE HAVING OUR CONFERENCE?

We want to give you the opportunity to research the issues surrounding global warming from the point of

view of a particular country or group of countries.

THE CHALLENGE:

To see if you can come up with a treaty that’s strong, fair and achieved through negotiation

Can YOU do better than the world leaders?

WHO WILL YOU BE REPRESENTING?

The African Union Australia

Bangladesh Brazil

China France

Germany Greenland

İndia Kuwait

Maldives Mexico

Nepal Russia

Turkey USA

WWF UNHCR

HOW WILL YOU PREPARE FOR THE CONFERENCE?

Research you chosen country: how it’s feeling the effects of climate change and how it will be affected in the future.Find out what your country is bringing to the negotiating table in Copenhagen (targets, funding, expectations, conditions…)Prepare a presentation that explains the above. Your powerpoint can have no more than 6 slides with max. 3 bullet points per slide.Post on to the Wiki by DECEMBER 1st

DRESS CODE:

FORMAL (SMART JACKET AND TROUSERS / SKIRT). BOYS MUST WEAR A TIE.

FINALLY… Last week, President Mohamed

Nasheed of the Maldives gave a speech at a meeting of the nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This is what he said…

“We are gathered here because we are the most vulnerable group of nations to climate change.

Some might prefer us to suffer in silence but today we have decided to speak…we will not die quietly.

Members of the G8 rich countries have pledged to halt temperature rises to two degrees Celsius. Yet they have refused to commit to the carbon targets, which would deliver even this modest goal.

At two degrees we would lose the coral reefs. At two degrees we would melt Greenland. At two degrees my country would not survive.

As a President I cannot accept this.  As a person I cannot accept this.

I refuse to believe that it is too late, and that we cannot do any about it. Copenhagen is our date with destiny.  Let us go there with a better plan.”

CAN YOU COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN?