ACT Alliance

Mattias Söderberg, Climate Change Advisor

We have just listened to Lykke Friis, Danish minister of climate and energy and also outgoing president of the negotiations. She explained the desired outcome from Cancún as Christmas where there should be Christmas gifts under the tree for everyone.

It is a nice thought, but Lykke Friis forgot that millions and millions of poor people in the world never receive Christmas gifts. And considering that part of the reason is linked to climate change and historic emissions from rich countries, it would be more than fair if some of the gifts under the tree are bigger than others.

For many poor people in the world the best Christmas gift would be rain, to give life in drought areas. Or less rain, to give the land in flooded regions a chance to recover. The problems arising due to climate change have to be dealt with, and that is why we need a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate change agreement now. That would be my wish for Christmas.