The Elders, a group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, have delivered an urgent message to world leaders taking part in upcoming climate change negotiations in Copenhagen to deliver a fair, ambitious, binding and effective deal.  

 

The event hosted in the garden of the British Consulate General in Istanbul, involved the Elders inviting thirteen of their grandchildren to join them to emphasise that that the world must act now to prevent climate catastrophe in the future. Elders' Chair, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: 'No one is immune – rich, poor, developed and developing countries. We are all in this together. I will probably be spared the worst effects of climate change but I worry for our children’s future and for the millions of people who are already being impoverished and displaced.'

 

The Elders urge all heads of government to attend the talks in Copenhagen and reach an ambitious, fair, effective and binding agreement in which they:

 

• Agree to a 2 degree Celsius target as the outer limit of global temperature increase that humankind can tolerate
• Agree that global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by at least 50 percent by 2050 to stop further global warming
• Agree that the G8 and other industrialized countries must accept their historic responsibility for the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere, and commit to emissions cuts of 25-40 percent by 2020, and at least 80 percent by 2050, relative to levels in 1990, backed by verifiable national action plans
• Agree that the big emerging economies reduce their emissions through national action plans that are measurable and verifiable
• Agree that industrialized countries will provide the majority of financial support of at least €100 billion a year to help developing countries – particularly the poorest and most vulnerable - to shift to low carbon prosperity and adapt to the damaging effects of climate change that are already taking place
• Agree to accelerated transfer of clean energy technologies to developing countries on preferential terms, to enable their economies to grow in a more sustainable way.

 

Other Elders in attendance included Kofi Annan, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Jimmy Carter, former US President who said: 'Averting climate change is possible, and is much cheaper than living with the consequences. But no meaningful agreement can be reached without the United States. I urge all Americans to think carefully about the fact that our own young people face a harsh and perilous future if nothing is done to stop climate change.'

 

Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, said: 'Climate change is not an abstract or future threat. It is happening now, with damaging consequences. Failure to take meaningful action in Copenhagen will not only fail those who are suffering today, but will also jeopardize the wellbeing of our planet and future generations. Leadership has never been more needed than it will be in the following days and weeks....we must help our political leaders have the vision and courage to set aside national and sectional interests to confront the climate challenge.'

 

Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of Brazil, said: 'Developed nations and fast growing economies like Brazil, China and India must share in the common effort to put the future of the planet before short term profits.'

 

 

Related links

The Elders enlist their grandchildren's help on climate change, The Elders 01 November 2009

Elders send climate message to world from İstanbul, Todays Zaman 03 November 2009

Photos for the GB consulate, The Elders Flickr