The Copenhagen Accord is a statement of intentions of the majority of nations, developed and developing, to stabilize the climate below 2 degrees Celsius, provide long-term financing, adopt transparent reporting practices. More importantly, it is a prompt start for developing country action.

But time is running out for a global solution to climate change and we must move quickly towards a global agreement. At CI, we are particularly disappointed with the fact that the accord failed to recognized the key role of forests in helping people and nature to reduce climate change and adapt to its impacts.

Many country delegates, NGOs and participants are returning home for the holidays disappointed. The work is not done yet. 2010 will start with the challenge of acting decisively to seal a global agreement with emissions cuts and financing to tackle climate change.

As he was preparing to leave Copenhagen, Dr Fred Boltz, head of Conservation International’s Copenhagen delegation said: “The clock is no longer just ticking – it’s ringing an alarm, and if we don’t listen the consequences for people and biodiversity will be catastrophic.”

Here is what we released today on what happened in Copenhagen.

But, looks like things are going better today. Danish hosts re-launched the talks after the United States backed a $100 billion fund to help developing countries deal with the impacts of climate change.

“I understand that the talks have been difficult. I know that our team, along with many others, are working hard and around the clock to forge a deal. And we will continue doing all that we can do. But the time is at hand for all countries to reach for common ground and take an historic step that we can all be proud of,” said US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in her remarks at the COP15.

France’s Sarkozy and Germany’s Merkel also addressed the UNFCCC today and seemed to make an effort to give impetus to the negotiations. Other important political leaders are speaking today and tomorrow. Fingers crossed that speeches turn into action and Copenhagen becomes known in history not as Constipagen, but Hopenhagen.

Patricia Yakabe Malentaqui is the Press Officer for Conservation International.

Many CI delegates from all over the world are attending the COP15 Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. See who’s there and read about CI’s agenda and climate policy positions on our COP15 page.

World leaders have 36 hours left to take the brave and difficult decisions that will help the world to turn a corner and prevent climate change from becoming an even greater threat to people, and the habitats and economies that sustain us.

While many aspects of the Copenhagen negotiations have been tortuous, there are two major aspects of the negotiations that are both well advanced and stand to make a colossal difference to the world – decisions on REDD+ (Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) and funding for adaptation to climate change in the developing world.

Meaningful commitments to short term action are critical. Pledges were made yesterday by the US, UK, France, Australia, Norway and Japan for a $3.5bn “quick-start” fund for REDD+ over the next three years. This is an important start, but is inadequate. Funding for REDD+ must be a minimum of $10bn – and ideally $25bn – over this three year period to respond at a level commensurate with the bold commitments of forested developing nations to end deforestation.

Our CEO, Peter Seligmann, who is in Copenhagen following the negotiations closely in the Bella Center, said: “Considerable progress has been made over the past two years, but decisions are needed now in Copenhagen to solidify the progress that has been made. These decisions should be backed up by a legally binding agreement by the end of 2010 and a timeframe for finalizing that agreement must be decided on in Copenhagen.”

Read the press release

Patricia Yakabe Malentaqui is the Press Officer for Conservation International.

Many CI delegates from all over the world are attending the COP15 Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. See who’s there and read about CI’s agenda and climate policy positions on our COP15 page.

According to one of the authors and Vice President of Global Change and Ecosystem Services at CI, Dr. Celia Harvey, the paper presents a variety of options for how to achieve biodiversity conservation through REDD+, and highlights the many synergies between climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation goals.

This reminded me of the most recent IUCN Red List published last month, showing that the extinction of species continues at a shocking pace. More than 17,000 species, or 36 percent of the total of number of species assessed by IUCN, are threatened with extinction. Amphibians are the most threatened group of animal species, with 30 percent in danger of disappearing in the wild.

Both IUCN’s assessment and the scientific paper being previewed underline the need for governments meeting in Copenhagen to look at the conservation of biodiversity and the ecosystems that sustain it – especially tropical forests – as one of the most effective and quickest means of climate stabilization.

The paper titled “Opportunities for achieving biodiversity conservation through REDD” is available online in the scientific journal Conservation Letters. Read the abstract.

Patricia Yakabe Malentaqui is the Press Officer for Conservation International.

Many CI delegates from all over the world will be attending the COP15 Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. See who’s going and read about CI’s agenda and climate policy positions on our COP15 page.

REDD stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The main idea behind it is that deforestation is one of the main contributors to climate change and that reducing it is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways of lowering carbon emissions. REDD projects give financial incentives to those communities or nations that are effectively working to prevent forests form being cut.

The new set of standards aims to put the interests and rights of people in the forefront, so that efforts to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and can also contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development. Another innovative feature is the fact that this is the first initiative to develop REDD standards through a global public consultation process. Read “Indigenous views of climate change” >>

These standards provide governments with a way of demonstrating the benefits of their REDD programs, while at the same time trying to prevent any potential negative social and environmental impacts of REDD to indigenous peoples and communities that depend on forests for their livelihoods.

The REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards can be found at: www.climatestandards.org

Read the press release: A new global social and environmental standard for REDD+ programs
en Español: Nuevos estándares sociales y ambientales para programas REDD+

Patricia Yakabe Malentaqui is the Press Officer for Conservation International.

The CCBA is a partnership convened by CI’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business and several leading NGOs to leverage markets to foster the development of forest protection and restoration projects around the world that deliver significant climate, local community and biodiversity benefits.

The top three resolutions are: to support the consolidation of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor; to protect old-growth forests for climate stabilization; and to align federal development policies with conservation management plans in areas of influence of Protected Natural Areas in Mexico.

Overall, the emphasis of congress was on the importance of wilderness conservation efforts for both climate regulation and biodiversity protection. The need to incorporate indigenous and traditional communities in conservation management plans was also highlighted. These two aspects are particularly important now that we are only a few weeks away from Copenhagen and approaching 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity and when the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) gathers in Japan.

WILD9 is ending on a positive note and with a take home message: to take the conservation message outside of the scientific circles and reach out particularly to the youth, to engage them and show them the beauty and need to protect the natural world for future generations.

Patricia Yakabe Malentaqui is the Press Officer for Conservation International.