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Vincent KlassenEconomic Counsellor Canadian EmbassyLeipziger Platz 1710117 Berlin  November 4 2009daniel@nest.im0179 661 76 44Dear Mr Vincent Klassen,We write to inform you that your nation has received a 'Fossil of the Day' award at the UN climate talks currentlyhappening in Barcelona, Spain. As young citizens, we are extremely concerned about the impact that climate changewill have on the future of both ourselves and of our global generation. We are therefore not only disappointed in, butalso appalled at the position that Canada has taken within the UN climate negotiations.The UNFCCC is the only forum that the world has in which the global solutions for climate change can be crediblynegotiated, and to have these negotiations weakened and undermined by Canada's actions is a threat not only to theinternational repoutation of your nation, but also to the survival of future generations of human civilisation."The Fossil of the Day"Award recognizes the achievements of those countries who 'do their best' to block or stall progress in the current UN climate change negotiations. The award has been chosen by representatives of 450 non-governmental-organizations in the Climate Action Network (CAN) at the United Nations' negotiations on climatechange yesterday in Barcelona, Spain.During the 10-day long UN climate summit last December in Poland, Canada won 10 'Fossil of the Day' awards,including prizes for blocking progress toward science-based targets and insisting that a reference to indigenous peoples'rights be removed in a deforestation text.Canada has been chosen for the award yesterday for a statement by your climate negotiators in Barcelona this morning,at an informal meeting on adaptation that they “would not envisage loss and damage [due to climate change impacts] being addressed as part of the objectives on adaptation”. They also failed to say where they think this crucial issueshould be addressed instead, raising the suspicion they would prefer it to fall off the table completely.There will be substantial damage from unavoidable impacts of climate change, against which adaptation is not, or nolonger, an option – such as sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion into groundwater aquifers or desertification. Millions of livelihoods in developing countries are threatened by such impacts.The Copenhagen agreement must recognise that such impacts exists, and must include resolute provisions to addressthese impacts. If not, it would mean that the extremely vulnerable people, namely those for which adaptation is nolonger an option - such as those in the low-lying island states - would be left out of the agreement. Their survival is notnegotiable.We recognize climate change as the greatest challenge to humankind in the 21st century and we therefore ask your government to remedy its past ills on climate change, and instead work in true 'unity' within the 'United' Nations,towards achieving an ambitious, fair and binding agreement in Copenhagen this December.If we as a globe fail to respond adequately and equitably to the global emergency of climate change, the consequences – now present, and worsening slowly but surely – are dire. However, young people around the world are ready to work – throughout their lifetimes – with you and with their respective governments, to stop and reverse climate change, and toensure climate equity and justice.Please respond to the address abo,
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