By: AmCham Denmark (Feb 02, 2010)

In December 2009, Copenhagen graciously hosted the 15th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the 15th Conference of the Parties — or COP 15.

COP15 brought together head of states, diplomats, journalists, lobbyists and NGOs all with expectations of a finalized post-Kyoto international agreement on climate change to take effect in 2013.

For over a year, the build-up to the meeting was full of optimism and hope, driven by expectations that the U.S. was, for the first time in a long time, going to be seen as a positive contributor. There was also increasing focus on emerging economies such as China and India.

The hope was that the climate conference in Copenhagen would result in a legally binding agreement on the global response to climate change. That didn’t happen. There’s no legally binding agreement. President Obama worked with other world leaders to create a document, now being called the Copenhagen Accord, and other countries, officially, will “take note” of it.

However, there are some good things in the document: developed nations will give $100 billion dollars to poor nations to help them weather the effects of climate change. Countries will work together to try to keep the world from warming more than two degrees Celsius. Money will go to countries that have historically profited from deforestation to help them preserve their forests. Countries will monitor their emissions.

Throughout COP15, AmCham Denmark worked behind the scenes to connect its member companies with key decision makers from Denmark and the U.S. Highlights from the two weeks include a roundtable meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, a reception with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a partnership on the “Bright Green" trade fair at Forum.

And what was the overall outcome? Though not a legally binding agreement, there are expectations that the road to success is better paved. There are great hopes that when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meets again in Mexico City for COP16 later in the year, the binding agreement sought in Copenhagen will be delivered.