What is the significance of 350?
350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide–measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 ppm–it’s the number humanity needs to get back below as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. The present level of CO2 in the atmosphere is at at 389 ppm.
What is COP15?
COP15 is the United Nations Climate Change Conference which will be held in Copenhagen in December 2009. In COP15, countries will come to an agreement about their carbon emissions. The point of all the 350 campaigning is to pressurize countries leading in CO2 emissions like the USA into ensuring that they pledge to reduce their carbon emissions in order for carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere to be lowered to 350ppm.
So what connects me sending you guys a photo, and COP15?
We need big things to come out of COP15. Big, definite agreements and figures that will lower the carbon concentration in the atmosphere to 350ppm. Maldivians, on the verge of having our country literally disappear from the face of the earth due to rising sea levels, need to do something to ensure that we are taking part in the decisions that will shape the future of our country. Postcards from the Frontline allows ALL Maldivians to have a chance to do this. This is where the photo comes in.
When you submit a photo to us, via the submission form it will go into the running to be chosen to be on the front of one of the 350 postcards. These, each one unique, will then be sent to influential leaders of the world, who will be there at COP15. They will have seen your postcard, and hopefully have gotten the message loud and clear. The negotiators who get postcards are the few people in the world who can save what’s on that photo.
So COP15 is in December. But what happens on 24 October? Why is that date important?
On 24 October, photos on the front of the chosen 350 postcards will be exhibited in Male’ before they will be sent to influential people. The point of the exhibition of Postcards from the Frontline is to be a part of the 350 movement that take place all around the world on the same day. 350.org will collect images of all these activities on the day, and deliver them to international media and world leaders.
Though the final climate meeting in Copenhagen doesn’t take place until December, governments will be finalising positions before the meeting takes place. With creative actions happening all over the globe, including Postcards from the Frontline, and photographs of those actions appearing online, in the media, and on politicians’ desks, 350.org will change what these negotiators think they can achieve right before they make the important decisions of the UN treaty. Right now most of them know the science of 350ppm, but they don’t think it is politically possible. On October 24, we, and everyone else involved with 350.org, are going to show them that not only is it possible, but it is what everyone all over the world is demanding they do.
Why are we doing this in the Maldives?
The Maldives is one of the first places on earth that will be wiped out due to rising sea levels if global warming increases at the predicted rate. The only way for it to survive will be if carbon emissions are reduced to 350ppm thereby keeping climate change in check. We Maldivians are at the frontline in the battle against global warming. Our country may be small, but we need to make our voices heard, and we need to make sure what we say makes an impact. Most importantly, it is up to us to show the world that we are losing our livelihoods, our existences, and our homes.
Why should I submit my photos?
You are Maldivian. Your life is already directly affected by global warming. You can show the negotiators at COP15 what YOU are losing because of the sea level rise. In one way it is a very personal appeal, between you and the receiver of the postcard. On the other hand, it can have some very big results: what you show them can affect the outcome of the Climate Change Conference.
You should do it because you care. You should do it because the world needs to know what climate change is doing to your home.
Who is getting these postcards?
The chosen postcards will be delivered to the some of the most influential people in the world. They include the leaders who will be negotiating in Copenhagen, other world leaders and policy makers as well as famous celebrities and other big names. Your appeal will show them a very intimate picture of a global issue. It will allow them to see a side to global climate change that they have not had a chance to see before.
What kind of photos should I submit?
The photos you submit can be anything that you think reflects your notion of what our country means to you. Don’t worry: we are not looking for those picture-perfect snapshots of the typical sandy beach or a sailboat – the kind that makes the usual postcard. Instead, your photos should show the things about our country that you hold dear. It maybe your loved ones ora special place at a special time or a moment of reflection captured, perhaps. When the whole collection is put together on October 24, it will show lots of different interpretations of one word: home. Keep this in mind when you send in your pictures and it will be fine.
What resolution should my photos be?
We recommend a photograph taken from a camera with 3 mega pixel or bigger resolution. The dimensions should be around 1536 x 2048 pixels. If you are unsure about the details, just call or email us, and we would be happy to help.
What will happen to my photos after I send them?
After you submit your photos, a panel of judges will select 350 photos that they think make the most impact. On 24 October, the selected photos will be shown at the exhibition along with the names of their intended recipients. The chosen 350 postcards will then be sent to 350 influential people around the world, and the messages in the postcards are whatwe hopewill make them amplify our plight to the world.
Can ANYONE submit photos?
Absolutely. If you are a Maldivian, you fit the requirement. We would highly recommend that everyone gets involved. It could be your photo that ends up in the hands of President Barack Obama, after all.
Will this work? Can we actually get world leaders and celebrities to listen to us?
Only if we are loud enough. The vital thing is for everyone to do their bit and get involved in the process, and make sure that we make an unforgettable impact on those who can affect our futures. We need to let go of all inhibitions, get rid of all the boundaries that bind us, and begin to tell the world and make sure it listens.
What if I want to volunteer for the programme?
By all means, contact us. We are always looking for genuine, interested people of all ages, and whatever it is that you wish to contribute, we will have a job for you. Your assistance will be very appreciated.
