Young Girl who Silenced the World for 5 minutes

This video clip is of a 13 year old girl who spoke at the Rio Convention. What do you think about her ideas?

Obama in Copenhagen Speech/ Alliance for Climate Protection

Alliance for Climate Protection wrote on December 18, 2009:

Wow. It was a truly dynamic convening of thinkers, leaders and activists here in Copenhagen this past week. And today, President Obama addressed this historic occasion and the full conference with a call for international cooperation and action.

Affirming the global impact of a clean energy economy and the urgency of the climate crisis, President Obama recognized the progress made here at COP15 and reasserted America's pledge to forward the work of the conference agenda back home in the United States.

With the steps taken in Copenhagen over the course of the last two weeks, our work at the Alliance is more important than ever -- and the President needs to hear about your commitment to clean energy and climate protection now more than ever before.

What the President asked of the world today we must now ask of our own nation -- to put aside the politics of the day and embrace a spirit of cooperation and bold action. For the workers who need jobs, our families who want security, and for our children who deserve the prosperity, safety, and health that a clean energy future will bring through American leadership.

Watch the speech and send your message about clean energy and climate solutions to the President and your leaders.

The United States needs to make these goals a reality. As the President himself said, he can't do it alone:

"We are ready to get this done today but there has to be movement on all sides to recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk. Better for us to choose action over inaction; the future over the past. With courage and faith, I believe that we can meet our responsibilities to our people, and to the planet."

With all the momentum we have built this past year, and the steps forward at Copenhagen, we can proudly state that we have established a foundation for global progress to address the climate crisis. The United States can and should be the cornerstone of these efforts. But the President is relying on us to keep up the pressure to make sure this happens.

Watch the speech and let the President and your leaders know you support bold action today:

http://acp.climateprotect.org/bocop15

Thank you for being a part of this historic climate meeting at Copenhagen. It has been a rewarding experience this past week, and I'm looking forward to getting back to the U.S. and to our work together building a clean energy future for our country and our planet.

Thanks,

Maggie L. Fox
President and CEO
Alliance for Climate Protection

Environmental Defense Fund: Copenhagen

December 18th 2009:

Moments ago, President Obama reached an agreement with world leaders at the
climate conference in Copenhagen to limit global warming to no more
than 2 degrees Celsius and to require countries to list their national
actions and commitments to achieving emission reduction goals.

EDF President Fred Krupp issued the following statement in response:

"Today's agreement leaves the U.S. in control of its own destiny. We
have always known that the path to a clean energy economy goes through
Washington, D.C. As President Obama said today, strong action on
climate change is in America's national interest.

"It's the Senate's turn to speak next. Whether we move ahead with a
common-sense plan to create new manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and
reduce dependence on foreign oil is not up to other countries; it's up
to us. A year from now we can be further ahead or further behind, and
the Senate will make the difference.

"Today's agreement takes the first important steps toward true
transparency and accountability in an international climate agreement.
The sooner the U.S. speaks through Senate legislation, the sooner we
can set the terms of engagement for talks to come."

If it wasn't already clear, it is now: The 21st century will be a
clean energy century.

The question before us is what role will America play in
developing the technologies and clean energy solutions in the coming
decades?

It's up to us to urge our Senators to follow the leadership of
President Obama and seize this opportunity to cap our carbon
emissions, create millions of jobs and unleash our clean energy
future.

You can do two things right now to help:

1. Go to our Operation: Climate Vote hub page to find various ways to take action:
http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=lxHvrfVwb6FJu92ajgf98Q..

2. Make a Year-End donation to help give us the resources we'll need to continue the fight in Washington and get us over the goal line:
http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=bjwF5uzrik_kspz-EAXbfA..

Thanks for your activism and support,
Environmental Defense Fund



Environmental Defense Fund
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20009
1-800-684-3322

If you do not wish to receive these messages, change your subscription
options
http://support.edf.org/site/CO?i=bwKZKLo-b7_LJ0SHP3wXJchu5t9oS7Nb&cid=1301

http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=r96UDVVoxshLPu9v7yZAQw..

Beyond REDD: climate change research and action in tropical countries

If you are interested in understanding or doing something about climate change, the professors involved in this class may be a good place to start.

SPECIAL SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT SPRING 2010 - Beyond REDD:
possibilities for articulating climate change research and action in tropical
countries. (REDD+ Working Group—BOT 6935)
Researchers, academics and civil society members worldwide closely followed
COP-15 in Copenhagen in December with hopes for a legally binding agreement
for a concerted reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Although no such
agreement emerged, there appeared to be widespread acceptance of the
REDD+ concept (=reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
including enhancement of forest carbon stocks).
UF’s REDD-Working Group, which has been active since August 2008, will
continue this semester with an optional one credit seminar with the following
objectives:
a. Maintain a critical eye on the continuing discussions that are
expected to result in a legally binding instrument to reduce emissions.
b. Stay updated on and critically evaluate advances with initiatives
such as REDD readiness and other mitigation activities.
c. Identify and discuss those elements that need to be part of the
process of adaptation to climate change, with emphasis on tropical countries.
d. Understand the roles researchers can play in enhancing adaptation
to climate change as well as in reducing emissions.
We will read current literature on these issues and try to maintain the vibrant
dynamics of the REDD Working Group.
If you are interested in participating, meeting times are Fridays at 11:45 for
one hour, Carr Hall, Room 221.You can register for one credit under BOT 6935
(REDD+ Working Group), Section 9329, or just attend for free.

Global Warming: What's God Got to do with it?/ Religion and Climate Change

The Environmental Defense Fund sent me this email. Although our class will be discussing Religion and Nature themes more in depth during the Spiritual Ecology section, this week's readings do refer to the importance of different values in environmental behaviors. Lynn White Jr. specifically details how he feels Christianity has influenced Western ecological relationships and patterns. Yet, the following offer the alternatives to which White acknowledges at the end of his essay.

What do you think about religion and environmentalism?

Read January's Personal Nature column by Dominique Browning:

(http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=kLD9CcivywIJUDMZd-sHUg)
***********************************************


A number of religious leaders of Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist,
and other faiths have formed a growing movement to transform society
from their pulpits by emphasizing the connection between ecology and
religion.

Their sermons inspire, educate and mobilize people with topics
including climate change, renewable energy technologies and public
policy to cut greenhouse gases.

Find out more in this month's Personal Nature column, "Religion and
Climate Change," by author and writer Dominique Browning:
http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=1wF9uLdph-yz_tSOMJL3PQ..

This doesn't mean environmentalism is turning into a religion,
Browning explains, but that religion harnesses the power of love and
faith, both of which bind us to nature, other humans and the health of
our planet and inspire us to take action when these are in danger.

"The fact is," Browning writes, "in order to succeed in
significantly altering the global course of climate change, we are
going to have to harness all the power we have, whether it is the
power of the market, the power of technology, or the power of heart
and soul."

This month's Personal Nature column by Dominique Browning takes an inspiring and
thought-provoking look at the connection between religion and climate
change:
http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=LyzZaXw-BRmhcHPwyPlxJg

We hope you enjoy.

Thank you for your activism and support,
Environmental Defense Fund

P.S. You can support our work to fight climate change by making a
donation today:
http://support.edf.org/site/R?i=NCsKCVjHhrEL-x_zV1D-RA..


Environmental Defense Fund
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20009
1-800-684-3322