Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and will need increased aid to cope with the impact of climate change.”

Credits: Caritas

There is a clear scientific imperative to act on climate change, as its consequences will have a grave impact upon development. We have ten years to drastically curtail our production of greenhouse gases.

In 2007, a United Nations Human Development Report stated “Climate change is the defining human development issue of our generation… Climate change threatens to erode human freedoms and limit choice.” In November 2007, representatives of more than 180 nations met in Bali, Indonesia to advance the next phase of negotiations to create a post-Kyoto protocol.

In order to ensure that countries have enough time to implement the original Kyoto commitments by 2012 and to guarantee that there will be international standards post-Kyoto a new agreement must be negotiated at the United Nations Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in November 2009.

The negotiations will not only look at reducing emissions from economically developed nations but will consider what role emerging economies can play. In addition, participating nations will have the opportunity to debate adaptation measures and assistance. Caritas Internationalis with its wide international base is in a unique position to comment on these issues.

The years 2008 and 2009 provide a unique opportunity for development and environment agencies to urge their governments to commit to a fair, just and effective post-2012 agreement.