Nobel Women's Initiative

Speaking on behalf of the civil society Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai urged over 100 world leaders to fight climate change now at the UN Climate Change Summit.

We are here first and foremost as inhabitants of this planet. Before being leaders you are someone's mother, father, sister or brother.  We appeal to you, our leaders, to personally go to Copenhagen, and for the almost seven billion people on Eearth, seal a fair deal.  -Nobel Peace Laureate, Wangari Maathai.

Directly addressing the leaders, Wanagri Maathai stated that millions of people accross the world have made a Global Wake Up call to their leaders, and it is time to act now and act differently. Given the 15 negotiating days that are left before the UN Conference in December, the Nobel Laureate reinforced the responsibility and power that world leaders have in slowing the pace of climate change through concrete agreements.

To read Wangari Maathai's full speech, click here.

Learn More

Maathai Urges World Leaders to Act on Climate Change, allAfrica.com,  23 September 2009

Wangari Maathai calls for leadership on climate change, United Nations Radio, 22 September 2009.

UN climate talks proceed in New York; Obama speaks of US efforts, Free Speech Radio News, 22 September 2009.