Photo credit: Aaron Walburg

CITRIS—the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society—has a leading role in a global research summit this June, one of several meetings where world leaders will begin to negotiate a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

The conference, June 18–19 in Copenhagen, will bring together top international scientists, industry representatives and government leaders to explore research priorities in climate and energy that can achieve a low carbon future without compromising human prosperity or global growth. CITRIS is organizing the meeting, known as the CITRIS Global Research Alliance for Climate and Energy, in partnership with the Copenhagen Climate Council and other agencies.

“We are honored to be asked by the Copenhagen Climate Council to work with them,” said CITRIS executive director Gary Baldwin, “to bring attention to the innovations required to reach global goals in curtailing greenhouse gas emissions.” One important objective of the June meeting, Baldwin added, is to provide a “navigation tool” for the next United Nations Climate Change Conference, scheduled for December 2009, also in Copenhagen.

The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997 by members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is considered the most ambitious agreement ever negotiated on environment and sustainable development.

For more, go to www.c-grace.org.