By Martha Moss - 27th November 2009
Climate campaigner Steve Howard has said he expects the Copenhagen summit to be a "reasonable step forward" towards securing a global deal on tackling climate change.
Howard, the chief executive of the Climate Group, told delegates at the Assembly of European Regions' (AERs') general assembly that the conference presented a unique opportunity to "get back in step with the planet".
He said he was cautiously optimistic that world leaders would reach agreement in the Danish capital next month, but was not expecting to see a binding treaty immediately.
"In Copenhagen we will have a political agreement which will lead to a treaty over the next six to 12 months," said Howard.
"It will be a reasonable step forward, a platform we can build upon.
"The future is going to look very different. It will be better if we get this right."
He spoke of a "tremendous acceleration" in terms of national policy, with commitments made in Japan, China and Brazil. While he praised US president Barack Obama for his approach to climate change, he warned of difficulties in getting legislation through the House of Representatives.
For Howard, the world is in the midst of a change "bigger than the industrial revolution".
Calling on the industrialised world to lead the way, he said it was important to give developing countries "space to grow". "We have to move fastest, going towards zero carbon by 2050," he said.
Some 600 regional representatives, policymakers and energy experts gathered in Belfort for the AER conference, titled ''Energising Europe responsibly: Regional innovation and diversity for growth and jobs".
And Howard said change would "only happen with brave and bold political leadership and with regions driving innovation".
"We need good government policy and incentives, and business innovation and investment," he added.
Christophe Nuttall of the UNDP highlighted the major challenges to be confronted at the COP15, including the need to meet the 2020 targets on emissions reductions.
He said, "We have to look for new partners in local and regional players because they are the people who can provide leadership in this field.
"We have to strengthen local authorities and regions so that they can exert greater influence including on national governments.
"It's important that regions are mentioned in this as the people who will implement the policies."
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