How old will your children be in 2050?
With just nine months to go until the Copenhagen deadline, the world is in a race against time if we are to achieve a fair, science-based and effective climate treaty.
Also attending the Bonn meeting is a delegation made up of young people. The youth delegation has called on developed countries to reduce their emissions by at least 40% of 1990 levels by 2020—and for total de-carbonization by 2050. After all, they say, it’s their generation that will live with the consequences of decisions being made on this year.
They’ve also named names. In particular Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Russia: “We condemn your ambition as it now stands, go back to your governments and tell them that. We will support you if they rise to the challenge, naming the targets, uniting on finance, sealing a fair and effective deal in Copenhagen, and beginning the change that we will complete from now until 2050”.
In similar spirit, WWF-Canada is inviting kids here at home to let decision-makers know their concerns about climate change. As part of its campaign to broaden and deepen the significance of Earth Hour, WWF-Canada has launched the My Future, My Climate Postcard Contest. Open to kids between the ages of 6 to 14 across the country, My Future, My Climate Postcard Contest invites young Canadians to create a postcard addressed to the Prime Minister, voicing their own perspective on climate change.
The contest runs between March 23 and April 24. Full details are available at www.wwf.ca/mypostcard.