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The Copenhagen Climate Talks |
Environment
Climate change is a problem facing every person in every country on Earth. Starting on December 7, 2009 an eleven-day conference began in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark. World leaders and scientists are meeting to put together a way to actually save the world!
What’s the Issue?
You’ve probably heard people talk about climate change or global warming. It’s a very complicated problem. If temperatures around the world go up even a few degrees, it can change the planet a lot. Ice from the poles will melt in to the oceans, and the oceans will rise. Animals from the North and South Poles will lose the ice they live on, and animals and people who live near the oceans may get flooded out of their homes as well.
Weather will change. Storms can get bigger and more dangerous, which is especially difficult for some poorer countries that cannot afford to rebuild very easily. It all can happen with just a few degrees change in temperature. That doesn’t mean on a very hot day there’s going to be disaster. Global warming is when the normal temperatures of all places go up.
What’s causing climate change? Historically, climate has changed all by itself. We have ice ages and then warm periods where all the ice melts. Many scientists now think that people are playing a big part in changing the climate unnaturally, and not in a good way. Our power plants, factories, and cars often send chemicals up into the air. These chemicals act like a blanket and heat gets trapped inside, making it warmer. There are other things people do, like cutting down forests, which also hurt the environment and can cause the climate to change too. If there aren’t rules or guidelines in place, it can quickly get out of hand!
What are they doing in Copenhagen?
The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (or COP15 for short) is the largest United Nations meeting about climate change in history! It is also being called the most important as many people believe if we don’t act now, we might not get another chance to protect the world from the dangers of global warming.
There will be representatives from 192 different nations, including United States President Barack Obama. Together they hope to come up with a plan of action and rules for controlling how much pollution people create and how to handle climate change. If everyone agrees to the same plan, it just might work!
Some of the plans being discussed include ways to slowly get countries to stop burning fuels that harm the environment, and instead, find cleaner and greener forms of energy. There are also plans to give money to poorer countries so that they can deal with the effects of climate change, like harsh weather and flooding that can hurt people as well as animals and crops.
Kids in Copenhagen:
Kid’s got involved at Copenhagen too! The conference opened with videos of kids from all around the world asking the people attending the conference to help them grow up in a world without dangerous global warming. It’s important for grown-ups to know that the choices they make now will be affecting today’s kids and future kids as well!
There was also an event that happened before the main conference called the Children’s Climate Forum Copenhagen 2009. Students from 42 countries met to talk about what environmental issues were important to them. They also learned about how they can help slow climate change. At the end of the Children’s Forum, a paper was written that listed the kids’ important issues and how they would like to help. The paper was then given to COP15 president, Connie Hedegaard, so their views were definitely heard by the grown-ups making the big decisions.
How can I help?
You’ve probably heard people say to turn off the water while your brush your teeth, or that you shouldn’t leave your lights on when you leave a room. These are important and helpful to the environment. The most important thing to remember is that climate change is big problem. Every little bit helps.
If a grown-up in your life is thinking of buying a new car, you can suggest that they look into a hybrid car, which will burn less fuel. You may not be able to control what kind of car is bought, but at least talking about it will keep environmentally friendly ideas in your grown-up’s mind. Also, if the grown-ups in your life are buying new electronics, ask them to buy items with the Energy Star label. Energy Star items use less electricity and are better for the environment.
Let people know that climate change is an important issue for you. If you want to learn more about the environment, ask a parent or teacher to help you find more information. Knowledge is always a big help!
