THE COPENHAGEN TOOLBOX: You can make a world of difference for our world.

So you’ve heard that the UN Climate Summit starts today (Dec 7th) in Copenhagen. And you’ve watched last week as the Government’s proposed emission trading scheme (complete with watered down amendments) get rejected for the second time in the Senate.

If you’re anything like us, you’re wondering why individuals can make leaps and bounds to reduce their carbon footprints in their own lives but our government representatives really can’t seem to get their act together?

That has the potential to change. The UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen is the most important international arena where world leaders will have the chance to set the foundations of how we will face climate change as a united global community. In this political meeting, we need our leaders to agree on a new, strong, legally binding deal that will replace the Kyoto Protocol and boldly address the challenges caused by climate change.

The vocal minority of climate deniers and naysayers have got noisier in the past weeks. Now is the time for us to come together and make sure that our calls for immediate and ambitious action are louder than ever before and are heard across Australia and the world. Why? Because the scientific predictions of inaction are just plain scary. You and I know that the future of our planet and all humanity needs us to act now, no delay.

You can play an essential role as a UN Climate Tracker. We’ve put together a toolkit of actions on climate change that you can take during the 2 weeks of the UN Climate Summit. We’re not suggesting you need to head to Copenhagen or take up post outside of the PM’s office for 2 weeks, what we are suggesting is that you use the below tools to take 5mins of your own time each day to build the world you want to see.

As the famous American Anthropologist Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Enough from us, let’s go change our world!

What’s in the Copenhagen tool box?

1. Knowledge is Power: your one stop shop on all the Copenhagen Q and A’s and tips on how to st... during the talks.
2. Lobby the Australian negotiators. How? It's dead easy, comment on Phil's UN Climate Tracker blogs live from Copenhagen.
3. Farewell Kevin: Our PM Rudd is heading to the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, join us in giving him a send off he wont forget!
4. Talk to the media: tips and ideas about how to get your message out to the masses
5. Walk Against Warming: Be a part of Australia’s biggest day of community action on climate change, December 12 www.walkagainstwarming.org
6. Respond Rapidly: During the 2 weeks of the UN Climate Summit we will be asking Australians to provide extra pressure to either “spank or thank” the Australian government delegation depending on what they get up to. Join the UN Climate Trackers group to stay up to date with all the latest.
7. Social media: Facebook has hit 350million users (A Climate for Change included), Rudd has more than 800, 000 people following him on Twitter, you can’t deny the power of social media. Please re-tweet our blogs, post links to your facebook, comment on our you-tubes. We don’t have the big bucks to get our message out far and wide, but we do have people power.
8. And more!!! This toolbox is far from exhaustive. So please, add your own ideas to this list.

Don't forget to post on this blog or in the UN Climate Trackers group when you have taken action.