Can we make a climate deal is not the right question. We must make it.

Gland, Switzerland – Every day of delay in taking action against rapidly progressing climate change would have severe consequences for us and future generations.

Delegates gathering for yet another round of climate talks in Barcelona next week should show their leaders back home that progress can be made and a safe and ambitious climate deal not only can but must be sealed.

Signals from some politicians suggesting the climate deal would not be sealed in Copenhagen but in an unforeseeable future are irresponsible and could trigger a domino effect where one country after another will try to give up and lower the level of ambition.

Leaders who will not take action will be responsible for climate chaos, the weakening of the authority of public institutions and finally loss of trust of their voters around the world who believe that these negotiations must have an ambitious and binding outcome.

“Asking whether we should strike an ambitious climate deal in Copenhagen now or later is comparable to debating whether to move out of the way of a fast and heavy lorry that is driving straight towards us immediately or wait and see what happens,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“If we don’t agree on an ambitious and binding treaty we will be remembered as the generation which spent billions on credit cards, spread environmental vandalism and did nothing to confront the most intractable problem of our times.”

“I am sure none of the leaders would want to be remembered this way.”

When delegates gather in Barcelona next week it will be a litmus test of whether their political leaders have given them a mandate to move towards a political deal in Copenhagen that has the potential to save the world from climate change.

A fast moving, open and ambitious progress on the political essentials of the deal at this meeting would send a strong signal back to the world that yes, a climate deal can be done.

“We call on the delegates to kill the rumors about delaying the deal. They must show that they can do it and show willingness to agree the political essentials.”

WWF also calls on leaders to get together ahead of Copenhagen and give new, honest and powerful political impetus to bring the talks forward. In the United States the domestic legislation process must be moved forward and the US and other major players need to live up to their roles and inspire the rest of the world with ambitious greenhouse gas cuts and generous financial commitments.

The debate whether the agreement should be legally binding is not helpful. We need a strong climate agreement, and Copenhagen has to set the direction by agreeing the necessary political substance.

“After all these months spent in talks and negotiations we cannot come out now and say that all this was just informal chat, can we?” Carstensen said.

“A lot of political momentum has been built up around Copenhagen, and the world expects leaders to show courage and cut the deal in Copenhagen. Any talk about delaying the deal is extremely dangerous because it takes pressure off the negotiations.

Stopping climate change can no longer be dependent on which political party you belong to, how many lobbyists you have waiting in front of your door and how many banks you need to bail out. We need a worldwide political climate coalition to prevent the worst.”