Choose your own ending

One thing is certain about the Copenhagen summit: it will be the largest international conference the world has ever seen. Around 15,000 people are expected to attend. For two weeks, the Bella Center in the Danish capital will be the hotspot of the world.

However, what makes the whole thing somewhat suspicious is that it's the first time 100 state and government heads will have attended a climate conference. This means that, when the negotiations reach their final phase, it will turn into a world summit. Forget G-8, forget the G-20 - the G-100 are planning to save the Earth.

Manipulated research data?

Unfortunately, shortly before the start of the conference, some confidential data belonging to climate researchers was leaked to the public and gave the impression that certain research results had been manipulated to dramatize the effects of climate change. This, of course, only encourages the so-called climate skeptics, some of whom deny that human activity is the cause of global warming. Such skeptics are, however, a minority.

Indeed, it may not be possible to accurately predict by how many centimeters sea levels will rise in the future - but is this really important? The differences between the various research models do not matter, because the overall trend is the same. And we should do something about this - not only for ourselves, but also for the sake of future generations.

Keeping the future in mind

But it's exactly the lack of consideration for the future that slows down current negotiations. There is a lot of talk about money, laws and budgets, while the real goal behind it all is to build a carbon-free future. After all, what is so bad about thinking over how to develop a more economical approach to using the world's limited resources? It will be too late when the last tree is cut down and the last drop of oil squeezed out of the Earth. But this is what will happen if we only think about ourselves and not about the good of our grandchildren.

Humans, especially those in industrialized countries, have turned the atmosphere into a garbage dump for the sake of their living standards. But there is not enough room up there for all the CO2 that we are emitting, so it is time to pay our dues. Carbon dioxide needs to have a price, just like other goods.

Without CO2, the Earth would be uninhabitable, since the gas is needed to store heat in our atmosphere. But too much of it causes the planet to warm up more than it should. And the consequences are mostly suffered by those who do not have the means to adapt, which is why the fight against climate change is also a fight for greater justice.

Why not a fair deal?

The role division is clear. Industrialized countries must pay for the damage they have caused. The fastest way to do this is with financial support and technology for less-developed nations. If these nations are to be prevented form making the same pollution-related mistakes that industrialized countries have made, then they need to receive some aid.

A deal must be struck in Copenhagen that gives each person on Earth the right to produce a certain amount of CO2, regardless of which country they live in. This system may be difficult for the wealthy ones among us to accept, but it is a problem that the world community has never faced before.

Once again, the question: what is so objectionable about closing a "green" deal in Copenhagen? What is so bad about using the chance that climate change gives us to develop a new, sustainable economic model? Fighting poverty and climate protection are the biggest challenges of this century. One of these challenges cannot be overcome without addressing the other.

Anything is possible

There are already signs giving reason for optimism: there's hope that at the end of these two weeks a solid agreement will be reached. US President Barack Obama's changed travel plans are one of these encouraging signs. He originally planned to only briefly appear at the start of the conference, but now he has decided to be present during the final stage. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also attending. Obama, Singh, and even China's Prime Minister Wen and other leaders are participating in Copenhagen, arriving with some promises instead of empty hands.

Until now, climate conferences have always been a matter for environment ministers, but in Copenhagen 100 state leaders are sitting at the table. If they do not strike a fair deal, then the conference will go down in history as the greatest political failure of all time.

Author: Henrik Boehme (ew)

Editor: Sean Sinico