The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has become the first world leader to offer to go to the crucial climate change negotiations this December.

 

 

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, the PM has said that, if necessary, he will go to Copenhagen himself. In the 'Super September' milestones in the US this week, the PM is expected to urge fellow leaders to do the same.

 

This year is a crucial year for climate change and the negotiations in December are vital for ensuring a global deal that is ambitious, effective and fair. Climate scientists have warned that to avoid catastrophic climate change, average global temperature increase must be limited to no more than 2 degrees. In July this year, leaders at the G8 and MEF made an 'historic' agreement that recognised the significance of 2 degrees.

 

Political urgency

 

Greenpeace welcomed the PM's offer and said that 'Gordon Brown has injected a note of urgency into the Copenhagen talks by agreeing to attend'.

 

The Copenhagen deal is in balance, according to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and David Miliband, Foreign Secretary in a joint press conference earlier in September, they highlighted the real danger that the December talks may not reach a positive outcome and the equal danger that people won’t wake up to the danger until it is too late.

 

The Copenhagen talks (which would become a summit should Heads of State attend) are essential for not only avoiding climate chaos, but also to help kick-state a global low-carbon economy. The PM has said:

 

'What has now become clear is that the push toward decarbonisation will be one of the major drivers of global and national economic growth over the next decade,' he said. 'And the economies which embrace the green revolution earliest will reap the greatest economic rewards.'

 

The presence of Heads of State at Copenhagen may help capitalise the political opportunity that Ed Miliband has said we can't afford to let slip: 'That is why as a Government we are committed to doing all we can to reach a deal' he said.  

 

Related links

Copenhagen or bust, PM Gordon Brown, Newsweek, 21 September 2009

PM offers to attend climate change summit, Number 10, 21 September 2009

PM Speaks to climate change NGO, Number 10, 21 September 2009

PM's article on a new global economic compact, Number 10 18 September 2009

Climate deal in peril, says Brown, BBC News 21 September 2009

Gordon Brown urges world leaders to attend Copenhagen climate change talks, Guardian 20 September 2009