Global Greens Statement: Greens call for ambitious, fair, legally binding climate agreement

Governments at COP20, in Lima Peru, have to demonstrate that they have the will to reach an ambitious, fair and legally binding agreement in Paris in December 2015, according to the Global Greens. The 20th meeting of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP20) takes place in Lima from 1-12 December 2014.

Globally, there is growing momentum for climate action:

• Greens joined hundreds of thousands of people round the world at September's People's Climate Marches demonstrating growing global pressure for action.
• Europe, the US and China have all announced emission reduction plans that are a welcome beginning, although far below the level of ambition that is needed to protect the world from even more dangerous climate change.
• Contributions are being made to the Green Climate Fund, although also at a far lower level than what is needed to help developing countries deal with climate change.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt through more frequent extreme weather events while 2014 is heading to be the warmest year on record and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is warning of 'severe, pervasive and irreversible' impacts on people and ecosystems if pollution continues to increase.

The Global Greens are looking to Lima for solid progress towards setting legally binding targets in line with the science for reducing greenhouse gas pollution, generous contributions to the Green Climate Fund and protection for the world's forests.

While governments negotiate, Greens will also be campaigning with civil society groups for fossil fuels to be rapidly phased out and for all the world's citizens to have access to clean energy.

Global Greens Statement, December 2014