About Seal the Deal!
http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/
Seal the Deal
Power Green Growth
Protect People and the Planet
The UN-led Seal the Deal Campaign aims to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December.
Climate change affects us all. Nine out of every ten disasters recorded are now climate related. That is a scary fact. Rising temperatures and more frequent floods, droughts and storms are impacting millions of people’s lives. And set against the backdrop of global warming is a global financial crisis. Clearly, planet Earth needs our attention.
On December 7, world leaders will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark, to respond to one of the greatest challenges facing humanity: climate change and sustainable economic growth. But how to protect the planet and create a green economy that will lead to long-term prosperity? The negotiations in Copenhagen will need to answer this question. Our existence depends on it.
Reaching a deal by the time the meeting ends on December 18 will depend not only on political negotiations but also on public pressure from around the globe. Public support must be galvanized. To do this, the United Nations has launched “Seal the Deal”, a campaign that encourages users to sign an online, global petition which will be presented to world leaders. The petition will serve as a reminder that world leaders must negotiate a fair, balanced and effective agreement in Copenhagen, and that they must seal a deal to power green growth, protect our planet and build a more sustainable, prosperous global economy that will benefit all nations and all people.
Campaign activities include:
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A call to all organizations to join Seal the Deal!
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Seal the Deal! rallies around the world where supporters can dip the “People’s Seal” in paint and add their stamp to a global petition.
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Seal the Deal! Climate Week – 20-26 September 2009 – targeting 100 cities around the world.
Scientific Urgency
Now is the time to act. Scientists warn that time is quickly running out. We must act urgently to stabilize our climate, prevent the extinction of more species, the further loss of glacier water sources, forests and arable land, and the increasing incidence of extreme weather. Carbon dioxide emitted into today will remain resident in the atmosphere for decades to come, if not centuries. Today’s energy investment decisions will lock in the world’s emissions profile for years to come, which is why it is imperative we act now to reduce emission levels. The Nobel-prize winning IPCC has warned that global emissions need to peak by 2015 and decline thereafter we hope to keep global average temperature increase within 2.0 Degrees Celsius, which scientists say is the tipping point to avoid catastrophic damage from climate change.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment report of 2007, which remains the accepted standard on climate change science, confirm that continued high rates of greenhouse gas emissions are now leading to trajectories at the high end of case scenarios outlined by the 2007 IPCC report. New evidence presented on ice melt in Greenland, changing dynamics in the polar ice sheets, and increasing warming and acidification of the oceans is also highly disturbing.
Ideal Deal
At COP 15, this December, the world’s governments will meet to seal the deal on a new climate change agreement, which must be ambitious, fair and effective in reducing emissions while assisting countries as they adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change.
Time is of the essence. The latest science shows our climate is changing more rapidly than estimated in the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Millions of people are already suffering from the effects of climate change. Hundreds of millions more could be affected if we do not act immediately. Leadership at the highest level is needed to protect the planet, save lives, and build a more sustainable global economy for all.
The agreement in Copenhagen needs to deliver on at least five points:
- What industrialized countries will do, through individual targets, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- What developing countries will do to limit the growth of their emissions
- On finance, since developing countries cannot be expected to act on this issue without financial support;
- On governance, there needs to be an efficient institutional mechanism for disbursing these funds and an equitable, accountable governance structure;
- A framework must be established that will bolster the climate resilience of vulnerable countries and protect lives and livelihoods.
Climate Petition
Reaching a deal on climate change in Copenhagen will depend not only on political negotiations but also on public support. To galvanize support globally towards this goal, the world is invited to unite to combat climate change by signing the Climate Petition.
Spread the message: Seal the Deal!
The Climate Petition
Seal the Deal!
The world urges world leaders to:
Seal the Deal at COP 15 on a climate agreement that is definitive, equitable and effective.
Set binding targets to cut greenhouses gases by 2020 to avert the climate change threat.
Establish a framework that will bolster the climate resilience of vulnerable countries and protect lives and livelihoods.
Support developing countries’ adaptation efforts.
Seize this defining opportunity to protect People and the Planet.
Power green growth; launch the green, low carbon economy of tomorrow
Seal the DealPower Green Growth
Protect People and the Planet
SIGN THE PETITION