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Decisive, deliberate, and dynamic action needed at Copenhagen

The Wildlife Trusts to present PM with pledge

The Wildlife Trusts will send a direct message to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, urging him to deliver a positive and far-reaching agreement at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in December.

The message, in the form of a large postcard signed by all 47 Wildlife Trusts, will be delivered by a representative of the leading conservation organisation.

The postcard reads:

Please secure a positive and far-reaching climate change agreement in Copenhagen – we, and our wildlife, depend upon it.

Our 47 Wildlife Trusts around the UK, have a combined membership of nearly 800,000. We all care deeply about the future of our natural environment, on land and at sea, especially in a changing climate.

The impact of climate change on people and the natural environment – upon which we all depend – is predicted to be dramatic. We need to take a positive step towards a legal agreement to reduce greenhouse gases by 40% by 2020. The Conference must recognise the role of natural ecosystems, such as forests and peatlands, in storing carbon. This is vital for us all.

“We are putting far too much pressure on our planet which is already having devastating impacts on both people and the natural world that we depend on,”

said Brian Eversham, chief executive of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough.

“We know this is a global problem, but the UK Government is in a position to take a lead on this, and to show other nations what can be achieved.

“We would urge the Government to commit to a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. Decisive, deliberate, and dynamic action needs to be taken on this, before it’s too late for wildlife and for people.”

The Wildlife Trusts across the UK are raising awareness of the threat climate change poses to people and the natural environment, and working to help protect wildlife from the impacts of climate change. People can sometimes feel helpless in the face of such a huge challenge, but The Wildlife Trusts believe that by empowering communities and inspiring people to take action locally for their natural environment, they can help contribute to the global cause.

Gary Mantle is the Director of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and will travel to Copenhagen to deliver the postcard on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts. He said:

“For the sake of both wildlife and people, we need tough decisions to be taken at Copenhagen. In showing the strong leadership that will be needed, it is important that the UK Government knows that it has strong support from the public. We must not forget that any agreement at Copenhagen is just the start, it must be followed by urgent action. Time is running out.”

Editors' notes:

The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) www.wildlifetrusts.org

There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. We are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. With 791,000 members, we are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the full range of the UK’s habitats and species, whether they be in the countryside, in cities or at sea. 135,000 of our members belong to our junior branch, Wildlife Watch. We manage 2,256 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares; we stand up for wildlife; we inspire people about the natural world and we foster sustainable living.

Impacts of climate change on UK natural environment

Climate change will bring about more extreme weather events such as hot, dry summers, storms and floods. A 2 degree Celsius rise in temperature will shift the natural range of some species more than 150 miles to the north or nearly 1,000ft up hillsides. To help the natural environment survive these dramatic changes, Wildlife Trusts around the UK have an ambitious vision known as A Living Landscape. You can find out more about wildlife and climate change here: www.youtube.com/thewildlifetrusts.

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