Canadian Youth Head to Copenhagen, Demand Government Action in UN Climate
Talks

OTTAWA , Dec. 3 /CNW/ - Young Canadians are calling on federal negotiators to show leadership and work towards a climate deal this December as world's leaders gather in Copenhagen for the United Nations climate negotiations from December 7-18.

The Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD), a collection of thirty-five young students, researchers and community activists from across the country will converge on the Danish capital to demand the Canadian government do its part to build and ratify a strong and progressive global climate agreement.

"The diverse team of youth we have assembled to participate in Copenhagen represents all regions of the country and are ready to hold the government's feet to the fire," said Amber Church , National Director of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. "In recent years Canada's reputation on climate action has been tarred thanks to an agenda that lacks in vision and ambition. We need leadership now, and we're traveling to Copenhagen to bring this message directly to our Environment Minister and his team of negotiators."

Young Canadians will join over one thousand international youth delegates to the UN climate talks, making up the largest youth delegation in the history of these negotiations.

"Our delegation will bring the voice of Canadian youth to the negotiations, engage in dialogue with politicians and civil society organizations, liaise with Canadian youth back home and participate in on-the-ground actions over the course of the two week conference," said Canadian Youth Delegation coordinator Maia Green .

The delegation will be sharing information and providing regular updates to the public through an online publication called the CYDaily - a collection of blogs and newsletters, podcasts, and video footage from Copenhagen that will be released daily.

This 2009 delegation to Copenhagen is the fourth national youth delegation to attend the annual UN climate conferences. This is the first year that the delegation has featured a Home Team of over 100 youth who will be working in Canada to demand action.

The delegation is organized by the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, a national coalition of environmental, labour, student, Indigenous and civil society organizations. The CYCC is the leading voice for youth on climate change in Canada .

For further information: on the Canadian Youth Delegation and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition and to access the CYDaily publication please visit www.cydcopenhagen.org and www.ourclimate.ca or contact: Courtney Quinn, Home Team Coordination, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, [phone]; Amber Church (in Copenhagen), Director, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, email: [email protected], ph: [phone]