At the same time and place as the much anticipated UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen Denmark this December will be an alternative conference.

While the UN conference will be open to governments, international governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and the press, the people’s alternative will be open to a much broader spectrum of the world’s citizens.

It is expected that a major climate deal replacing the Kyoto Protocol will be decided upon by the world’s governments at the UN conference. This decision will be made according to policy set in high levels of government and will deal with: emission targets; “nationally appropriate” mitigation actions; and finance and technology for the developing world. All of this is fantastic and necessary.

Alternatively, the People’s Climate Summit will focus on cultural changes to provide solutions, using an open space in which the world’s people, movements and organizations can communicate.

The Klimaforum website, available in Danish and English, explains that decisions made by governments are susceptible to the interests of corporate lobby groups, and that powerful nations can influence international decisions disproportionately. 

One goal of the people’s conference is to invite communities and grassroots groups from all over the world to develop a ‘declaration’ that will be finalized during the first four days of the climate forum. The declaration will be given to the political leaders at UN Copenhagen Conference to inspire a fair and just deal.

Groups and individuals from all over the world will be able to register workshops and activities for December’s conference. A programme for the event will be drafted in late September.

Organizers hope that the People’s Climate Summit will be another step to build a planetary movement for climate justice. So far things look promising.