Christian Aid campaigners today marked bonfire night by sending a clear message to world leaders attending climate change negations in Copenhagen next month – don’t blow it!

Dressed as Gordon Brown, Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy they posed outside the Houses of Parliament with a giant stick of dynamite symbolising the threat to planet if the international community does not commit to drastic reductions of CO2 emissions.

The charity, which is part of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, is urging members of the public to attend The Wave, the UK’s largest ever climate change demonstration taking place in London on Saturday 5 December, just before the crucial UN summit on climate change starts in Copenhagen.

Christian Aid is calling on leaders of developed nations such as the UK, US, Germany and France to push for a climate deal in Copenhagen which will benefit the world’s poorest countries and commit to a fund that will allow them to adapt to the growing challenge of climate change.

Sarah Spinney, Christian Aid’s climate campaign manager, said: G20 finance ministers meet in Scotland this weekend. One of the key topics of their discussions will be how much support, financial and otherwise, rich countries must give poorer countries to help them adapt to climate change, and develop in a carbon clean way.

In addition, UN climate change negotiators are meeting in Barcelona on Thursday and Friday this week in talks prior to Copenhagen. Our message is very simple. It’s vital world leaders do not blow the chance of a climate deal that is fair, ambitious and binding.

For more information on The Wave visit www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave

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For further information contact Karen Hedges on 020 7523 2404

Notes to editor

1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in nearly 50 countries. We act where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, helping people build the life they deserve.

2. Climate change is already depriving poor people in many developing countries of their livelihoods. Christian Aid believes that it must urgently be tackled, in order to help achieve a world free of poverty. Our new drive, Poverty Over, explains what we believe needs to be done – and can be done – to end global poverty. Details at www.christianaid.org.uk

3. Christian Aid is calling on Gordon Brown to press rich countries at the crucial UN climate change summit in Copenhagen in December to commit to at least 40 per cent reductions in carbon emissions by 2020. It also wants the UK government, along with other industrialised countries, to commit to providing more than 110 billion Euros a year to developing countries, along with technology transfers, to enable them to develop in a low carbon way and adapt to climate change. Together with faith-based development agencies in a number of other European countries, we have launched a climate justice campaign called Countdown to Copenhagen. www.christianaid.org.uk/copenhagen

4. Christian Aid is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, made up of more than 100 organisations with 11 million supporters.

5. Join ‘The Wave’ – expected to be the largest demonstration in support of climate justice the UK has ever seen. On Saturday December 5, just before the UN summit, an ecumenical service will be held in Central Hall, Westminster, by the Archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster. A carnival-style street procession through London organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition will then take place. Tens of thousands of climate justice campaigners are expected to participate. www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave

6) Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_