December 14, 2009: 350.org President Nasheed Release

Download a .doc copy of a press release.

For a copy of President Nasheed's remarks as prepared, please click here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2009    

Contact: Jamie Henn, jamie@350.org +45 52 68 47 65

Maldives President Nasheed Rallies Support for 350 ppm in Major Copenhagen Speech

A Movement Takes Action As Key 350ppm Target is Removed from Draft Climate Treaty

COPENHAGEN – Today, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives will speak to a packed crowd of over 1,000 people at the Klimaforum in downtown Copenhagen to rally support for the 350ppm climate target.

“I have three words to say to the doubters and deniers,” read President Nasheed’s prepared remarks. “Three words with which to win this battle. Just three words are all I need. You may already have heard them. Three - Five - Oh.”

Many scientists, climate experts and over 90 progressive national governments are now saying that 350 parts per million is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, stated earlier this year, “What is happening, and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target.”

“President Nasheed’s principled call for a 350 ppm world has resonated around the planet,” said 350.org founder Bill McKibben, who will speak with Nasheed this evening. “It's one of the few times that a country this small has emerged as a global leader on any issue, and it's due both to President Nasheed's understanding of the science, and to his understanding that courage can bring others onboard. He's given his life to organizing his country against oppression, and now to helping organize the world in the greatest fight it's ever faced.”

McKibben continued, “The 350 number means survival for the Maldives, and many other nations--literal survival. We spent much of the last fifty years raising new flags at the UN; unless we move very swiftly and dramatically we'll spend the next fifty years lowering those flags, as countries start to flicker out.”

The 350 ppm target has become a rallying cry for a global movement since 350.org organized what CNN referred to as  “most widespread day of action in the planet’s history” this October. Over the past weekend, citizens took to the streets again,  with thousands of vigils spelling out the numbers in lights. Yesterday churches the world over rang their bells 350 times.

Despite the growing support for a 350ppm target, all references to a parts per million stabilization goal were removed from the draft shared-vision text that was released last week.

350.org is looking to mobilize the base of citizen, scientific, and government support it has built over previous months to get the target back into the treaty. “It has the support of the top scientists in the climate world. So to have it removed, silently, without explanation, and without public debate from the text under negotiation here is a shame and a travesty,” McKibben said. “Pretending that the 350 limit doesn't exist won't actually fool physics.”

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For additional information:

Visit 350.org/media for press releases, hi-res photos and video, and general information.

Bill McKibben and President Nasheed’s speechs will be streamed live at 350.org/livemedia.

A copy of President Nasheed’s prepared speech is available from Jamie Henn, jamie@350.org, .

President Nasheed will be available for interviews with select media directly following the speech. Please contact Jamie Henn at +45 52 68 47 65.

350.org is an international climate campaign working for a real deal that meets the latest science. According to many scientists, climate experts and progressive national governments, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere must be reduced from its current level of 389 ppm to 350 ppm in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. For more information about 350.org and to connect with spokespeople around the world, please visit: http://www.350.org