These are very recent words spoken by the U.K. Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, who’s on a world-wind tour right now, speaking with different heads of state. He’s really worried the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December will not succeed in reaching a solution to Climate Change, unless industrialized nations agree to negotiate with developing ones.

 

 

In 2005, 141 countries ratified the Kyoto agreement: a pact that bound 37 industrial countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent by 2012. Keep in mind that number is relative to levels in 1990. The Kyoto accord also included developing countries like China and India. But because they’re considered developing nations, they were not expected to start cutting emissions like other countries until after 2012.

 

Not everyone is happy about this - industrialized nations want developing countries like China and India to agree to slow down and eventually cap their emissions at the same rate as industrialized countries.

 

What worries Miliband is this war of words is going to get in the way and distract us from what really matters: a unanimous agreement among nations that will cap green house emissions and reduce the speed at which our planet is warming up.

 

One of the big question marks hovering above the conference and needs to be answered in the next three months is what does Canada intend to do about Climate Change during Copenhagen?

 

 

KYOTOplus is an organization dedicated to getting Ottawa’s attention and putting Climate Change front and centre on the federal government’s radar. That’s why they’ve organized Pedal for the Planet – a movement that is drawing cyclists as far away as Canada’s two coastlines towards our nations capital. The countdown is on to when cyclists across the country converge on Ottawa.

 

The Sierra Club of Canada just delivered the latest update on KYOTOplus cyclists leaving Toronto and riding towards Ottawa – and things are looking good for a September 15th arrival date.

 

Which means you’ve got just a few days left to hop on your bike and head out. Ah, yes – of course, this could be a problem, depending on where you’re riding from in the country. Our friends in Whitehorse would need more than just a few days and a bicycle pump to make it on time.

 

No problem-o.

 

KYOTOplus has set it up so you can support the cyclists and their goal in two different ways.

 

Visit the KYOTOplus website and read-up. If you like what you see, sign your name on their petition to extend and strengthen the Kyoto Protocol this December in Copenhagen. They’ve even given you a choice of which Canadian conservation organization you can go through and support.

You can click here and figure out where the cyclists will land next. Be there to give them a wave, hand out some water, or even make a visit to Parliament on September 15th – that’s if you’re in the area of course.

 

 

The Big Wild is dedicated to supporting Canada’s role and action in finding a solution to Climate Change. Add your voice today and join the conversation!