COP15 refers to the 15th Conference of Parties, the latest in a series of global conferences on climate change that trace their origins to the 1992 Earth summit in Rio. In 2009 Denmark played host, as hundreds of global representatives consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases seem inevitable.
The call to action
There are many issues these talks needed to address. We believe a deal to stop global deforestation is an essential outcome in order to reduce emissions and provide a safe future for forests around the world, and we want to see change for the better for the long-term benefit of the UK’s woods and trees.
Although the Woodland Trust doesn't campaign on an international stage, a simple test of the success of the Copenhagen Conference would have seen agreement on the key issues for the Trust as set out in our Copenhagen policy platform.
All of these asks needed to be included in this crucial agreement that was to have replaced the Kyoto Protocol.
The public voice
On Saturday 5 December 2009, tens of thousands of people from across the UK and from all walks of life flowed through the streets of London and Glasgow in a peaceful, family-friendly event to demonstrate their support for a safe climate future for all.
We met with Ed Miliband personally straight after the WAVE in London, formally presenting him with a signed copy of this letter from the Woodland Trust.