Bottom Line from Copenhagen
Pembina's climate change team — Matthew Bramley, Clare Demerse and P.J. Partington — were in Copenhagen, Denmark, from December 7 to 19 for the climate negotiations along with 60 heads of state and 15,000 people.
Clare Demerse, Pembina's Associate Director of Climate Change, says in her Climate Change blog that Copenhagen produced "a weak deal that needs fixing up as soon as possible, and a diminished reputation on the world stage for Canada."
Matthew Bramley, Pembina's Director of Climate Change, explains in a media release that "Canada's performance is the worst in the industrialized world" at the UN climate summit. Canada was ranked 56th out of 57 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index.
PJ Partington, Climate Change Policy Analyst, blogged about celebrating his birthday in Copenhagen. "Yesterday I turned 24 at the Bella Centre," he said. "While somewhat unconventional as far as birthday celebrations go, I can't think of a more meaningful way to spend the day than fighting for a fair, ambitious and legally binding global climate deal."
Read our reports from Copenhagen in the Pembina Climate Change Blog. As Clare Demerse, ever the optimist, says: "The good news is that we can fix the deal, and Canada can get its act together on climate change in 2010."
Copenhagen Background: Where Canada Stands
In the lead-up to Copenhagen, Canada has come under intense international criticism for positions that are widely considered to be inadequate or unfair. Download our Copenhagen backgrounder for an overview of recent developments in the international climate
negotiations, the agenda of the Copenhagen conference, information on some of the major issues on the table, and an outline of
Canada‘s positions and track record at the talks to date.
At The Climate Crossroads
Climate science tells us that, to avoid an unacceptable amount of global warming, the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must peak in just a few years — by 2020 at the latest.
The new agreement to be reached at the Copenhagen conference could last until 2020. So the world’s fight against catastrophic warming could be won or lost based on the outcome in Copenhagen.
Download our "Climate at a Crossroads" fact sheet to learn more about the international climate negotiations process, including where Canada stands on the world stage, and the key elements of a global climate agreement.
Download: English Fact Sheet | Version française
Other Copenhagen Resources
Whether you're heading to Copenhagen, or following the negotiations from home, check out these web sites to learn more about the December 2009 UN climate negotiations.
Host Site of the UN Climate Summit
Links to news and information about the climate negotiations, background on the international process, and a schedule of official and side events taking place during the UN climate summit.
News and updates on the international climate negotiations from a consortium of environmental organizations in Canada, including information about events happening in Canada and abroad.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Official Site
The UNFCCC homepage features the official programme for the Copenhagen climate summit, essential background materials for journalists and observers, and links to virtual tools for monitoring the negotiations online.
The University of Copenhagen hosted an International Scientific Congress on climate change in March 2009 to provide a synthesis of existing and emerging scientific knowledge needed to respond to climate change.
