WWF, Other NGOs Draft Benchmark Copenhagen Climate Treaty

Climate change experts from leading non-governmental organizations
today unveiled their blueprint for a legally binding Copenhagen
agreement. This will serve as the benchmark for governments negotiating
a new climate deal this year and shows how major differences between
rich and poor nations can be overcome.

The 160-page "Copenhagen
Climate Treaty", which will be distributed to negotiators from 192
states, took some of the world's most experienced climate NGOs almost a
year to write and contains a full legal text covering all the main
elements needed to provide the world with a fair and ambitious
agreement that keeps climate change impacts below the unacceptable risk
levels identified by most scientists.

"This is the first time in
history that a coalition of civil society groups has taken such a step.
Together we have produced the most coherent legal document to date
showing balanced and credible climate solutions based on equity and
science," said Kim Carstensen, head of WWF's Global Climate Initiative.

The
document describes the path the world must be on to avoid catastrophic
climate change, recognizing that global temperature increase must be
kept well below 2 degrees Celsius. It sets a global cap on emissions -
a carbon budget - and explains in detail how both industrialized and
developing countries can contribute to the safety of the planet and its
people, according to their means and responsibilities and shows how the
poorest and most vulnerable on the planet can be protected and
compensated.

"We have put protection of the climate and therefore
the planet and its people at the heart of this Treaty and we should
expect and demand no less of our governments," said Martin Kaiser of
Greenpeace International. "All that is needed now is political will and
the 'cut and paste' feature to produce the agreement the world is
waiting for."

Adaptation is another key component of the Treaty
outlining an Adaptation Action Framework which includes grants,
insurance and compensation for the most vulnerable countries.

"Help
for the poor and vulnerable to deal with the climate impacts that are
unavoidable is crucial. Without a strong, effective deal in Copenhagen
we could also be looking at more resource wars, disruption, refugees
and natural catastrophes in the very near future," said Wael Hmaidan,
IndyACT.

The Treaty calls for a legally binding agreement
consisting of three parts: the Kyoto Protocol updated to strengthen
industrialized country obligations; a new Copenhagen Protocol that has
legally binding commitments for the USA and sets out low carbon
pathways for developing countries, supported by the industrialized
world; and a set of decisions that lays the groundwork for the next
three years.

The "Copenhagen Climate Treaty" was drafted by
Greenpeace, WWF, IndyACT - the League of Independent Activists,
Germanwatch, David Suzuki Foundation, National Ecological Centre of
Ukraine and expert individuals from around the world.

Notes to Editors: The Copenhagen Climate Treaty includes:

• The annual global carbon budget in 2020 from all sources of greenhouse gases (not
  counting those controlled by the Montreal Protocol) would be no higher
  than 36.1 Gt CO2e, bringing emissions down to roughly1990 levels and
  would need to be reduced to 7.2 Gt CO2e in 2050, in other words by 80%
  below 1990 levels.
• A design proposal for a new institution -
  the Copenhagen Climate Facility - to manage the processes for emissions
  cuts, adaptation and forest protection under the new global treaty.
• A
  recipe for long-term action plans for both developed countries (Zero
  Carbon Action Plans, ZCAPs) and developing countries (Low Carbon Action
  Plans, LCAPs).
• Binding targets for Newly Industrialized
  Countries (NICs) like Singapore, South Korea and Saudi Arabia in line
  with the Convention principle of common but differentiated
  responsibilities and respective capabilities.

The treaty is available online: https://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/ngoclimatetreaty.html.

To arrange an interview with Kim Carstensen or other experts, please contact Joe Pouliot at joe.pouliot@wwfus.org or 202-476-9919.