Copenhagen, Denmark was the perfect setting for the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference last week. From the city's green buildings and energy consumption to its citizens who use non-polluting bicycles to travel, Copenhagen is a great model for how a green city can actually work – even in winter.

I was astounded by how the actions and dedication of the city’s public could truly affect the greater good of the world. The last day I was at the conference it snowed and people were still bicycling to the conference centre for climate change meetings.

Like most non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who attended this week’s climate summit, Earth Day Network was there to observe what progress could emerge on a climate agreement from some 35,000 delegates. We were also there to connect with NGOs from around the world to collaborate and partner together on Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary campaign in 2010.

It is critical that steps on climate action move beyond Copenhagen on two fronts – first, the United States must pass a comprehensive climate law by Earth Day, April 22, 2010 and second, the agreement that comes out of Copenhagen must be accepted and fast-tracked across the globe. Earth Day Network hopes that by setting these goals and deadlines we can rally people willing to commit to taking action to help the environment.

It is increasingly clear that climate change continues to put our world in peril, from the melting Arctic to the rising tides affecting island states. By galvanising one billion people (the global number who observe April 22 each year) Earth Day 2010 will become an international statement on climate change.

On my way home from the conference, a worker at the airport heard me mention that I'd been in Copenhagen to try to save the world from climate change. He believed each and every one of us needed to save the world. Well said.

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