Copenhagen heats up for climate conference
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Mohiuddin Babar
IN the midst of a cool Nordic weather, the Danish capital, Copenhagen has warned up to host the upcoming Climate Conference, to be attended by several world leaders.
The conference is expected to seal a deal to tackle global climate issues in the backdrop of the failure of the Kyoto Protocol and fears of increasing natural disasters due to global warming and sea level rise.
Environmentalists and scientists have already dubbed the conference as the last chance to save the planet from as many disasters like increasing floods, storms, loss of species, increased diseases and more importantly, loss of several low lying areas to the rising sea level.
Meanwhile, thousands of delegates from all across the world have started arriving in Copenhagen to participate in several days of seminars, exhibition and discussions.
As a run up to the conference, Climate Forum and Climate Exchange events have been taking place at various places in the Danish capital.
Participants, mainly from academia, media, NGOs and civil societies from as many 140 countries have been delivering on the plight of agriculture, health and economy due to the impacts of climate change.
They have strongly urged the world leaders to conclude a practical and committed deal to off-set carbon emissions and reduction in consumption habits worldwide. At some seminars, representatives from Third World countries have echoed concerns at the delay of the developed countries in funding mitigation programmes in the poorer countries. An exhibition of alternative energy is also taking place.
Speakers at seminars have also demanded that any climate change deal should not eclipse poverty alleviation efforts. They commented that some developed countries were trying to divert poverty alleviation fund to climate mitigation fund.
The writer can be reached at email: babar.mohiuddin@googlemail.com
IN the midst of a cool Nordic weather, the Danish capital, Copenhagen has warned up to host the upcoming Climate Conference, to be attended by several world leaders.
The conference is expected to seal a deal to tackle global climate issues in the backdrop of the failure of the Kyoto Protocol and fears of increasing natural disasters due to global warming and sea level rise.
Environmentalists and scientists have already dubbed the conference as the last chance to save the planet from as many disasters like increasing floods, storms, loss of species, increased diseases and more importantly, loss of several low lying areas to the rising sea level.
Meanwhile, thousands of delegates from all across the world have started arriving in Copenhagen to participate in several days of seminars, exhibition and discussions.
As a run up to the conference, Climate Forum and Climate Exchange events have been taking place at various places in the Danish capital.
Participants, mainly from academia, media, NGOs and civil societies from as many 140 countries have been delivering on the plight of agriculture, health and economy due to the impacts of climate change.
They have strongly urged the world leaders to conclude a practical and committed deal to off-set carbon emissions and reduction in consumption habits worldwide. At some seminars, representatives from Third World countries have echoed concerns at the delay of the developed countries in funding mitigation programmes in the poorer countries. An exhibition of alternative energy is also taking place.
Speakers at seminars have also demanded that any climate change deal should not eclipse poverty alleviation efforts. They commented that some developed countries were trying to divert poverty alleviation fund to climate mitigation fund.
The writer can be reached at email: babar.mohiuddin@googlemail.com