South Africans Can Become Citizens of Hopenhagen and Power Climate Change
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 |   |  0 comment

On December 7, leaders from 192 countries will gather at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to determine the fate of our planet. South Africans now have the opportunity together with the rest of the world to help lead the leaders and turn Copenhagen into Hopenhagen. By visiting http://hopenhagen.org/ and signing the petition and posting a message of hope South Africans can become citizens of Hopenhagen and fuel the movement. Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning.  The petition and all messages will be presented by the UN to the conference delegates.

Individuals are encouraged to pass on the story of Hopenhagen to friends and family. With everyone getting involved, signing the petition and sending a message of hope, leaders will recognise the world is serious about change.

“Hopenhagen provides ordinary people with the opportunity to have their say and to put pressure on our leaders to take global climate change seriously. The environmental crisis affects all of us. In South Africa  and Africa it isn’t just about the environment, climate change threatens key economic activities like agriculture and critically impacts on our natural surroundings that are a very important export for us from a tourism and economic perspective. It is critical to our future and ordinary people need to make their voices heard,” says Rob Hill, Ogilvy South Africa Group Managing Partner.

Ogilvy created and launched Hopenhagen, the global campaign designed to generate worldwide support for an agreement at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 15 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, at the UN in New York in September.

The campaign includes the Hopenhagen website and a host of cross-channel social networking features, which has involved Ogilvy agencies from across the worldwide network working together.  Over and above people signing the online petition and posting a message about what gives them hope, the campaign also encourages ‘citizens’ to share their message and recruit further support online by using a host of interactive features, including banners which can be downloaded  and installed onto social-networking profiles, blogs and websites.

One can invite friends and earn points for actions they take that are positive for the environment. Individuals can complete actions to collect stamps in order to stand the chance to become an Ambassador of Hopenhagen and the opportunity to hand over the petition at the conference. The petition outlines that the people of the world urge political leaders to:

Seal the Deal at COP 15 on a climate agreement that is definitive, equitable and effective.
Set binding targets to cut greenhouse gases by 2020.
Establish a framework that will bolster the climate resilience of vulnerable countries and protect lives and livelihoods.
Support developing countries’ adaptation efforts and secure climate justice for all.

This conference, which is held in one the greenest cities in the world, is thought to be the last major chance the world has to decide on a concrete and effective plan for reducing carbon emissions. It’s also an amazing opportunity for humanity and the planet. The primary goal of the conference is to limit future carbon emissions and minimise the effects of climate change. In the process, the agreement will also fuel the transition to a sustainable green economy.

It might not seem like global warming has anything to do with the economic meltdown, but the two issues are actually closely interconnected. Those behind the creation of Hopenhagen believe that reducing carbon emissions will not only stabilise the climate, but also stabilise energy costs. Investing in alternative energy and conservation is predicted to create more than 20 million new jobs in everything from wind farming to biofuels to weatherproofing. A healthy environment and a healthy economy – Hopenhagen can make it happen.

COP 15 is taking place now because in 2012 the Kyoto Protocol to prevent climate change runs out. COP 15 is the final chance for the world’s leaders to meet before the climate agreement needs to be renewed. What’s more, the protocol needs far more than a refresh. Since the conference in Kyoto, global carbon dioxide emissions have increased to a record 31.5 billion metric tons. That’s 40% above levels in 1990, the basis year for the treaty.

The delegates attending the conference are representatives of national governments. But more than 10,000 people from over 192 countries, including industry groups and nongovernmental organizations, will also be attending COP 15. Thousands more will be making their voices heard outside the conference walls.

“We need South African’s to act to ensure change happens. Hopenhagen is a people’s movement and a means to rally support and demand positive results from COP15. By activating Hopenhagen in our communities the movement will develop into something that leaders have to take note of,” concludes Hill.