Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change comes to Hackney

From 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, delegates from 192 countries will meet to discuss and come to an agreement on:

• a new treaty to follow the Kyoto protocol which expires in 2012; 
• new targets for industrialised nations to reduce carbon emissions; 
• new targets for poorer nations to limit greenhouse gases; 

In preparation for that Ed Milliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change held a rally here in Hackney to discuss the impact that climate change is already having in the world. A live link to Kenya was arranged and Abdi spoke powerfully about how climate change is affecting the community there. He told us how the cycle of droughts used to last about 11 years but that this has been reducing. Now Kenya experiences droughts every 2 years. These are swiftly followed by floods and as a result, Kenya has lost up to 80% of their live stock, making it increasingly difficult for families to find food.

Kenya might seem like a long way away and what is happening there may seem to have no consequence for our lives but, Hackney is a very diverse community. The chances are that you will know someone who who is suffering as a direct result of this kind of environmental impact.

The messages were strong and clear. For those of us in the west reducing our carbon emissions is a lifestyle choice. But for people like Abdi in Kenya and other developing countries, it is a matter of life and death.

The plea was for all of us to reduce our carbon emissions.

You can read here what steps have taken to reduce emissions when Hackney Council signed up to the 10:10 campaign.