UN brings voices of people suffering impact of global warming to World leaders

World leaders arriving at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen next week will be greeted with over100 real-life stories demonstrating the devastating impact global warming has on lives and livelihoods of people around the world.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today installed the UN Climate Wall - high-tech touch-screens broadcasting the sights and sounds of a changing climate - near the conference hall where the majority of the world's heads of State and Government will embark on high-level negotiations to reach an agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The urgency of a definitive and fair climate deal is the underlying theme of the strong messages posted on the UN Climate Wall by scientists, civil society representatives, political and business leaders, public figures, UN officials and ordinary people, UNEP said in a news release.

“Reaching an agreement in Copenhagen is a political and moral imperative,” said Satinder Bindra, UNEP Director of Communications and Public Information.

“The lives of millions have already been impacted by climate change. Millions more will suffer if we do not act now," stressed Mr. Bindra. “We wanted the voices of the most vulnerable to be heard as their fate, and the fate of the planet, lies in the balance.”

Built by technology leader Hewlett-Packard for the “Seal the Deal!” campaign, the UN Climate Wall is a translation of the campaign's promise to bring the voices of the people to world leaders at the landmark negotiations in Denmark.

Over 34,000 people have registered to take part in the Copenhagen conference, which will be attended by some 115 world leaders, including United States President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told reporters today that while there is strong political will for an agreed outcome in Copenhagen, there is now a need for good intentions to be replaced by solutions.

If the summit can deliver a set of political decisions that launch immediate action and formulate ambitious emissions targets with financial support for developing countries, “that is something we can very proudly walk away from Copenhagen with,” said Mr. de Boer at a joint press conference with conference President Connie Hedegaard.