The Elders are a group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. They include Kofi Annan, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu.
In an inspiring personal letter (PDF), The Elders have urged 192 world leaders to attend the Copenhagen climate talks in person and to reach a fair, ambitious, effective and binding agreement to reduce emissions and build a low-carbon, and sustainable future for us all.
Here's an excerpt from the letter:
A few weeks ago, as you can see from photographs posted on www.theElders.org, we joined forces with thirteen of our grandchildren from Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States to remind the world of the risks of climate change to future generations. Like all young people, our grandchildren expect today's leaders to take responsibility for delivering a low-emission, sustainable future: one that requires shared commitment, based on common but differentiated responsibilities.
The agreement reached in Copenhagen must have climate justice at its heart. It is a tragic irony that the world’s least developed countries have contributed less than 2 percent of the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, yet are most vulnerable to climate change and least able to protect their people. We have had the opportunity to meet small farmers and indigenous leaders from the poorest countries, many of whom are women, who tell us that changing weather patterns are already putting increasing pressure on water, food and land.
The letter lays out some specific details of a legally binding agreement on climate change. Among others, these requirements include a 2 degree Celsius target as the outer limit of global temperature increase, a reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the year 2050, and a commitment from developed nations to cut emissions of 25-40% by 2020, and 80-95% by 2050, relative to levels in 1990.
The Elders are getting fully behind our next global day of action on the weekend of December 12, World Wants a Real Deal they will be present at a vigil in the Copenhagen conference center when we present your photos and stories from around the world. We sincerely hope the world leaders of today will heed the call of their Elders.
Comments
09 December 09 | nuthakki radhakrishna
climate change - Ten Commandments
This supposed global warming will make the earth uninhabitable for humans and also it should be understood that climate has not got any nation but it is global.If emissions are due to sheep in Australia, due to cattle in Denmark ,due to deforestaition in Brazil and Indonesia or China and India using cheaper technolgy to get industrialised and feed their billions of people - all these are for their national interest.Until 21st century,West was responsible for most of the emissions as their industrialisation started centuries ago and they developed better technology to mitigate the emissions but they did not share it with the remaining world and put that technology in the market at very high price which poor nations can not afford to create energy at that price to give even electricity to all their people to light their homes.So by toiling hard with half empty stomachs for decades these nations are in the path of development and most of this devlopment is fuelled by exports to you at abnormally low prices which you are enjoying.Instead,you could have supplied the most better technolgy at reasonable costs but you will not do it as you want many more Bill Gates and here it must be brought to the notice of the world about the price difference between branded and generic medicines.Even in this grave climate situation,as greatly and cleverly publicised by the developed world,you want to encash thro` your efficient technology for cleaner and alternative energy. Yes -this is a big fraud by you on billions of people who do not have two square meals a day,dying due to lack of medical facilities and mal-nutrition.Wake up,be human ;otherwise nature will take a balancing action and you also will be extinct along with the people of the poor world.We have seen dinosautus which is much bigger than you extinct.
To come out of this,all the devloped countries should help the -whole world- by aiding with funds and technolgy to adapt to these - TEN COMMANDMENTS -
1. Day should start one hour earlier to utilise the sunlight to maximum.
2. Control population explosion
3. Replace ordinary bulbs by cfl lamps through out the world.
4. Survey of availablity of wind ,solar and hydel energy and construction by UN.
5. Afforestation.
6. Reducing the power of automobiles by 20 %
7. Low carbon technology for old and new thermal power plants
8. Make public transportation by buses,trains customer friendly and convenient.
9. All the future development of towns and cities should be environmental friendly
10.Lifts should start from the 1st floor of the buildings.
10 December 09 | SarahM
Witness to climate change
Working for HelpAge International and being a partner of the tcktcktck campaign, it's great to see the Elders talking about climate change and passing on their wisdom and experience to future generations.
What you say about developing countries is completely accurate; they have contributed the least to CO2 emissions, yet are already suffering the impacts of climate change.
We have interviewed many older people in the developing world and they all speak with one voice when they say that their climate is changing for the worse. Not only that, they also say that they are excluded from climate change debates when they have lived through natural disasters and environmental changes for decades.
It's a big mistake to ignore the knowledge and experience older people can pass to future generations when it comes to climate change adaptation and mitigation. I hope the delegates in Copenhagen take this into account.
Sarah. www.helpage.org