The head of Devon Wildlife Trust has sent a direct message to Prime

Minister Gordon Brown, urging him to deliver a positive and

far-reaching agreement at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Summit next

week.

The message, in the form of a large postcard signed by all 47

Wildlife Trusts, will be delivered by a representative of the leading

conservation organisation.

The postcard reads:

Please secure a positive and far-reaching climate change agreement in Copenhagen – we, and our wildlife, depend upon it.

Our

47 Wildlife Trusts around the UK have a combined membership of nearly

800,000. We all care deeply about the future of our natural

environment, on land and at sea, especially in a changing climate.

The

impact of climate change on people and the natural environment – upon

which we all depend – is predicted to be dramatic. We need to take a

positive step towards a legal agreement to reduce greenhouse gases by

40% by 2020. The Conference must recognise the role of natural

ecosystems, such as forests and peatlands, in storing carbon. This is

vital for us all.

‘We are putting far too much pressure on our planet which is already

having devastating impacts on both people and the natural world that we

depend on,’

said Paul Gompertz, Director of Devon Wildlife Trust, which has 35,000 members.

‘We know this is a global problem, but the UK Government is in a

position to take a lead on this, and to show other nations what can be

achieved.’

‘We would urge the Government to commit to a 40% reduction in

greenhouse gases by 2020. Decisive, deliberate, and dynamic action

needs to be taken on this, before it’s too late for wildlife and for

people.’

The Wildlife Trusts across the UK are raising awareness of the

threat climate change poses to people and the natural environment, and

working to help protect wildlife from the impacts of climate change.

People can sometimes feel helpless in the face of such a huge

challenge, but The Wildlife Trusts believe that by empowering

communities and inspiring people to take action locally for their

natural environment, they can help contribute to the global cause. For

example, in Devon the charity is helping to re-create, re-connect and

restore rare Culm Grasslands in the north of the county to help protect

against future changes in climate, reducing runoff from fields and

helping to store carbon.