By David Cadman

As the international president of ICLE: Local Governments for Sustainability, I have been telling delegates from around the world how Vancouver continues to prove by example that economic progress is not mutually exclusive of our collective responsibility to stop climate change. Mayor Gregor Robertson is here with the same message and yesterday, we discussed the Carbon War Room collaboration announced earlier today.

At the end of the first week in Copenhagen, ICLEI, with over 1200 representatives of local governments, has met with 24 government chief negotiators to press for an ambitious treaty on climate change. We are here to push for carbon dioxide reductions of 30 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. We are also asking for specific language in an agreement that retains the legally-binding text for the 37 industrialized countries in the Kyoto protocol and for a $100 billion annual commitment from these same countries to help developing nations redress and adapt to the damage done by carbon emissions. ICLEI is also asking for support for the transfer of advanced technologies to help developing countries adapt and reduce future emissions.

As 66 percent of the world's population will live in cities by 2030, ICLEI is seeking specific language in the text that will oblige nations to sit down with cities and sub-national governments to work out a concerted common strategy to achieve carbon cuts. This will involve vastly improved building efficiency standards, funding improvements to public transit, and moving the huge subsidies for oil, gas, and coal, toward solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and other renewable sources of energy.

Unfortunately, it is becoming increasing clear that there will be no legally-binding treaty signed in Copenhagen and that there are governments actively trying to undermine the commitments made in the Kyoto protocol. There are real divisions between the group of 37 countries that create the majority of the world’s emissions and the rest of the planet that is suffering the consequences.

The NGO community is clear in pushing for a strong agreement but the corporate interests–as always–have more access to decision makers and are very much opposed to a meaningful agreement.

This weekend, ministers of the environment went into closed meetings and their negotiations will continue through today (December 15). Soon, about 100 heads of state will arrive and an insubstantial political statement will be spun into a great success story. The ministers know that the people they represent to want a meaningful agreement. So they have to put a good face on a bad outcome and will try to convince their electorates that they have accomplished something. It is doubtless they will announce a short term fund (2010-2012) with no commitment to the long term resources required to help developing countries that are most at risk of failing to adapt and prepare for the consequences of climate change.

There is active denial of responsibility for creating this crisis on the part of the wealthy countries and real reluctance on behalf of large emerging economies to curtail emissions for fear of constraining economic growth.

There is denial on all sides as the world's exposure to the risks of climate change grow with every hour. The real danger is that soon the feedback loops of massive methane releases, melting glaciers, and rising storm activity may put the planet at such risk that there will be no recourse.

Canada, at 34 percent above its Kyoto commitments, has been playing a very negative role at Copenhagen and has consistently received the “fossil of the day” award for impeding negotiations. The Yes Men even targeted Canada with their spoof. Everyone here is aware that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has indicated that he is planning to use this gathering to further impede progress towards a meaningful treaty, despite most Canadians’ wishes to the contrary. Mayor Robertson and I both noticed that at the opening plenary for heads of state, no one was sitting at Canada’s table.

It is clear to everyone that oil, gas, and coal interests are more important to Harper that either the Canadian or global public's long-term welfare. In 10, 20, or 30 years from now, our children and grandchildren will look back and ask how it was possible that despite so much scientific evidence, the short term interests of big oil, gas, and coal we allowed to put the entire planet at risk.

Vancouver is indeed on its way to becoming the greenest city in the world. In 2002, the COPE-led city council committed to not just meet, but surpass, Kyoto targets. And today we continue to work hard to achieve our goal with the Greenest City initiative.

However, as this is a global crisis, our local action must be replicated globally. It is my hope that the prize for greenest city will in fact be a hard fight, with thousands of communities around the world striving together to save our planet’s future.

David Cadman is the International President of ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability and a COPE city councillor for Vancouver. You can watch his day-five debrief from Copenhagen and many other videos here.