Copenhagen Primer
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Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Climate change ( lcshac )
United Nations Climate Change Talks ( lcshac )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )

Notes

Summary:
This is a primer on the upcoming 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference outlining the core issues and objectives to be addressed at the conference in relationship to past and present initiatives to decrease the production of man-made greenhouse gases and to reduce the negative impacts of climate change. It discusses: (1) the political and environmental purpose of the Copenhagen Conference; (2) the future global risks associated with present day climate change; and (3) the obstacles participants will face at the Copenhagen Conference. The document begins with a timeline of recent events of significance associated with global climate change, including international efforts to address its impacts. These include the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the 2003 EU heat wave, and the 2008 finding that China had passed the United States as the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. This timeline is followed by graphs and charts that display historical and projected increases in greenhouse gas emissions as well as mean temperatures across the globe. Though climate change will impact populations around the world, certain regions will face greater threats and risks than others. The populations that will face the worst impacts of climate change are also those with the least amount of capacity to reduce their vulnerability to droughts, heat waves, floods, food shortages, and water scarcity, particularly the poor in Southern Asia and Africa. The Copenhagen Conference seeks equal representation from all states on climate change matters, providing ambitious mitigation and adaptation goals for developed and major developing states, and calling for international efforts to help poorer developing states increase their capacities to engage in similar mitigation and adaptation efforts. Financing climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries must involve two critical actions: (1) reforming the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows developed countries with limits on the amount of emissions they can produce to invest in carbon emission reduction projects in developing countries, so that the poorest countries benefit; and (2) reworking intellectual property laws in order to facilitate the transfer of technologies necessary for the expansion of climate change adaptation (CCA) and mitigation efforts throughout the developing world.
Subject:
Climate Change ( English )
Citation/Reference:
(2010). Copenhagen primer. The Earth Institute—Columbia University, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
Refer to main document/publisher for use rights.
Resource Identifier:
FI13042490

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