Delegates from the University of Edinburgh have received warm praise from world leaders and negotiators following a presentation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

Students and graduates from the university’s MSc course in Carbon Management were invited to speak as part of Scotland Day at the summit, a fringe event organised by the Scottish government, the British Council and the university.

Course co-ordinator Dr Dave Reay said: “The delegates delivered an impassioned case for the need for urgent action on climate change and their enthusiastic presentation was warmly received by the audience. In short, they did the university proud."

The University of Edinburgh was awarded official observer status at the conference, which was intended to decide on an international agreement on climate change mitigation as the targets from the earlier Kyoto Protocol are due to expire after 2012.

However, many have been disappointed with the outcome of the conference, with no clear agreement having been reached.

The university delegates described the conference as an historic opportunity and stressed the need for a binding international agreement for effective financial mechanisms and the sharing of technologies for the reduction of carbon emissions.

The MSc programme is a unique, interdisciplinary course run as a collaboration between the School of Geosciences and the Business School, allowing students to learn about both climate science and the economics of climate change.

Discussing the COP-15 conference, Reay told The Journal: “Based on the feedback I've had from our students, it was a hugely valuable experience for all concerned.

“The political outcome was disappointing in many respects but that didn't prevent our delegates gaining a huge amount from the many events they attended and the contacts they made. They made an enormous impact on the politicians and business leaders who attended their presentations at Scotland Day at COP-15.

“We are busy this semester digesting the outcomes of COP-15 in class debates and looking forward to what will come from further negotiations in 2010.”

Adam Ramsay, former student president at the University of Edinburgh and campaigner with the group People & Planet, attended the Copenhagen conference and told The Journal: "We have very little time to cut carbon emissions to a safe level.

"In Copenhagen, western governments, under pressure from big business, didn't take enough responsiblity for the fact that we have caused this problem, while poor countries will suffer most."