Today the British Government is launching the 100 Voices 100 Days campaign inviting American perspectives on why the world needs urgent action on climate change. People from all over the United States can contribute short video messages to an online project that will highlight the urgency of tackling global warming.

Beginning tomorrow, the British Government will post one 100 second video message every day for the next 100 days until the UN Climate Conference in Denmark on December 7th. The video messages will be available at http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/100voices.

In his message launching the 100 Voices 100 Days campaign, Ed Miliband the UK's Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change said:

"In just 100 days, the world will convene in Copenhagen, Denmark to try to forge a global agreement to tackle climate change. The clock is ticking to reach a deal which is ambitious, fair and effective for the sake of future generations, and for people all over the world.

"The US can play a big part in this debate, because we know that US leadership is vital to convince countries to work together, and because the US is the world's largest economy. Decisions taken in the US can drive global change for the better. The views of American citizens will be crucial; why governments should act, what steps they should take, and what considerations matter to American businesses and employers, to American environmental champions, and to the American public.

"I hope that Americans from every corner of the country contribute to 100 Voices 100 Days, and that this online project stimulates a debate that goes far beyond the meetings at Copenhagen in December, because only by alerting ourselves fully to the risks of inaction will we be ambitious enough to take the action that the world needs."

Science has shown catastrophic change will damage the world in the form of water and food shortages and extreme weather events. In the U.S, the North Atlantic and Gulf Coasts face increased risk of erosion and flooding that could threaten populations and property according to the 2009 US Global Change Research Program. Moreover, climate change is predicted to carry a price tag of billions of dollars for a number of US states according to the University of Maryland's Centre for Integrative Climate Research (CIER).

The UK is arguing strongly for a global agreement to be struck at Copenhagen involving all countries, small or large, wealthy or still developing, that puts the world on a track to a low-carbon, high-growth future.

Add your voice to those of the academics, policy experts, government officials, students, businesses and others who have already contributed videos on the urgency of tackling climate change. Follow these easy steps:

• Film yourself or a friend or colleague discussing the issue of climate change and what action you want the world to take at Copenhagen. Make sure this video is 100 seconds or less. We welcome your creativity!
• Upload your video to YouTube
• Submit your video (using embed code) at: http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/100voices
• You'll receive a message from us when your video is used on the site

For more information on the UK's action on climate change visit: http://www.actoncopenhagen.gov.uk

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