mardi 23 juin 2009

Action on HFC Gases ‘Low Hanging Fruit’ Opportunity to Combat Climate Change Says UN Environment Chief

Nairobi, 22 June 2009—A scientific paper, highlighting the need to accelerate action over a group of gases known as Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) as part of the climate change agenda, was today welcomed by the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The findings, by an international team of researchers are published in the Proceeedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The scientists argue that HFC use could climb sharply in the coming years in products such as insulation foams, air conditioning units and refrigeration as replacements for ones being phased-out to protect the ozone layer.
Under a scenario where carbon dioxide emissions are pegged to 450 parts per million HFCs could equal nine Gigatonnes—equivalent to around 45 per cent of total C02 emissions-- by 2050 if their growth is unchecked.
Conversely, rapid action to freeze and to cut emissions annually alongside fostering readily available alternatives could see HFC emissions fall to under one Gigatonne by 2050.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: “Dramatically cutting carbon dioxide emissions from society’s inefficient energy use is the key to catalyzing a transition to a low, carbon, resource efficient Green Economy. It is also central to delivering a stabilization of the atmosphere as outlined by the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”.
“But there are other low hanging fruit in the climate change challenge and this new scientific paper spotlights one of them—HFCs. By some estimates, action to freeze and then reduce this group of gases could buy the world the equivalent of a decades-worth of C02 emissions,” he added.
The projected growth in production and consumption of HFCs is in part linked with the success of the UNEP-administered Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.
Since the late 1980s, this treaty has successfully phased-out 97 per cent of 100 chemicals that damage the protective shield that filters out harmful ultra violet rays to the Earth.
Over recent years, research has outlined that global efforts to protect the ozone layer has also delivered climate benefits as many of the chemicals that damage the ozone layer—such as chloroflurocarbons or CFCs-- also cause global warming.
In 2007 a scientific paper calculated the climate mitigation benefits of the ozone treaty as totalling an equivalent of 135 billion tonnes of C02 since 1990 or a delay in global warming of seven to 12 years.
In that same year countries meeting in Canada, under the Montreal Protocol, agreed to an accelerated freeze and phase-out of Hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs)—chemicals designed to replace the old, more ozone-damaging CFCs—in the main for the climate benefits.
The new paper indicates that unless there is action on HFCs, then countries and companies are likely to pick this group of gases to replace HCFCs in products such as air conditioning units, refrigeration and insulating foams.
Guus Velders of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the lead author, said in a statement: “Our team of scientists calculates that HFCs present a significant threat to the world’s efforts to stabilize climate emissions”.
“Because of the projected growth of these climate-warming chemicals, they could represent up to 45 per cent of the total global C02 emissions by 2050 under a scenario that stabilizes C02 emissions at 450 parts per million. Preventing strong growth in HFC use is an important climate mitigation option the world has now”.
Under a business as usual scenario, where C02 emissions are higher, HFCs could equate to between nine and 19 per cent of C02 emissions in 2050 causing a greenhouse effect equal to 6-13 years of global C02 pollution.
In 2008, governments requested the executive secretaries of the Montreal Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change—Marco Gonzalez and Yvo de Boer-- to cooperate more closely including on the issue of HFCs and that cooperation is on-going.
For More Information Please Contact Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson/Head of Media, on Tel: +254 733 632755 or E-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org

APRES IGY, GO BAPTISE UZARAME ET UMUGANDA A LA 5E EDITION DE KWITA IZINA AU RWANDA


La Gorilla Organization s’est vu honorée au 5e Kwita Izina « Gorilla Naming Ceremony » le 20 juin 2009 au Musanze/Rwanda (une célébration populaire et annuelle au Rwanda à l’occasion de l’attribution des noms aux bébés Gorilles nés dans l’intervalle d’un an) en nommant le bébé UZARAMA de la famille AKAGO par Mme Jillian Miller directrice de GO et UMUGANDA par Ian Redmond OBE un des Trustees de cette organisation.

En effet,il a plu aux officiels de l’ORTPN/RDB (Office Rwandais de Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux/Rwanda Developpement Board) sous la bonne et dynamique direction de Mme Rosette Rugamba de donner aux hauts cadres de la Gorilla Organization l’occasion encore une fois d’attribuer des noms aux bébés gorilles après la 4e édition de l’année 2008 qui a connu le baptême de IGITANGAZA à un autre nouveau né de cette époque là. Mme Jillian Miller Directrice Exécutive de l’organisation a donné le nom de « UZARAMA » signifiant ETERNEL au bébé de Amy AKAGO (gorille adoptif de GO) dans la grande fête hautement colorée à KINIGI 13 km du centre de Musanze/Ruhengeri devant le premier ministre du Rwanda son excellence Bernard Makuza représentant personnel du président de la République son excellence Paul Kagame.
L’attribution de ce nom au bébé UZARAMA est intervenue en 2e position de la cérémonie et ceci pour la valeur et la considération de la bonne collaboration entretenue entre Gorilla organization et la conservation dans la région des Virunga matérialisée par une franche attente entre gestionnaire du parc des Volcans et manager des programmes de GO sur terrain, programmes bases surtout sur l’intégration des populations dans la conservation de ce massif pour un avenir radieux de nos proches cousins.
Mme Jillian Miller avant de dévoiler le nom de son bebe au public a remercier l’ORTPN/RDB pour cette opportunité exceptionnelle lui offerte et a garanti l’appui de GO aux riverains de ce parc car grâce à leur amour envers cette précieuse nature, nous célébrons cette grande fête.
Ian Redmond OBE (ambassadeur de l’UN pour l’année du gorille 2009 et un des grands Trustees de GO) a dit avant d’appeler son bébé « UMUGANDA «»signifiant activité communautaire que le monde doit s’arrêter un moment pour reconsidérer le rôle que la nature nous offre et se mettre au centre de la réflexion pour comprendre quel rôle il joue dans la destruction actuelle. Ian a interpellé la communauté aux actions positives pour la sauvegarde de cet environnement soumis au changement climatique de part l’action négative de son exploitation par les humains et demandé aux riverains du parc des Volcans de considérer que c’est grâce à eux que ce grand événement mondial est célébré durant cette année dédiée aux gorilles. Ian Redmond a soutenu que grandiose cérémonie en faveur des gorilles comme Kwita Izina ne peut s’observer nulle part au monde que dans ce massif où il a vécu Durant des moments durs avec feu Dr Dian Fossey connu sous le pseudonyme de ‘Nyiramacibiri’ par les Rwandais. La conservation de ces primates doit être une priorité pour tous afin d’accompagner le développement a-t-il soutenu en remerciant le RDB/ORTPN pour cette organisation sans tache et inclusive.
Dans l’ensemble, 18 bébés ont reçus des noms de différentes célébrités régionales et autorités y compris des conservationnistes et jeunes du pays des milles collines.
Toutes les vedettes de la musique Rwandaise tant du Gospel que du monde dit profane ont fait danser la foule nombreuse rassemblée au site Kwita Izina de Kinigi.
Mme Rosette Rugamba directrice générale de l’ORTPN a remercié dans son mot la communauté locale et internationale pour son attention envers le Rwanda grâce à la présence des gorilles qui constituent aujourd’hui une source sure de production des devises et un canal propre de développement pour son pays. Elle a appelé les Rwandais à multiplier leurs efforts dans la gestion durable de leurs richesses qui placent le Rwanda au centre d’intérêt du monde. Pour le premier ministre Bernard Makuza, Le Rwanda reste fier des efforts de la conservation des primates du Virunga et s’est engagé à faire de la conservation une priorité pour garantir dans sa politique ; surtout que les oiseaux et autres espèces prolifèrent dans ce pays qui place l’intérêt des population au devant de toute chose.
La cérémonie de baptême des bébés gorilles dans la 5e édition de Kwita Izina du samedi 20 juin 2009 a été précédée par une fête à la tradition Rwandaise des communautés la soirée du vendredi où un partage de verre et du mais sous la tradition de ce milieu a regroupé plus d’un millier des visiteurs. Des exhibitions acrobatiques,des danses folkloriques,des cuissons ancestrales et autres poésies ont fait l’ensemble des couleurs de cette édition qui se répétera en juin 2010 avec l’accroissement du nombre de ces gorilles souhaitent tout amoureux de la conservation.

Tuver Wundi

jeudi 18 juin 2009

Frankfurt Declaration on Gorilla Conservation

Frankfurt Declaration on Gorilla Conservation
Advance version as of 16 June, 2009
Marking the “UN Year of the Gorilla 2009”, representatives of gorilla range states and donor
states, the UNEP/UNESCO Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP), other UN agencies,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, scientists, conservation experts and
the private sector met for a symposium on gorilla conservation at Zoo Frankfurt in Germany
on 9 and 10 June 2009.
Background
Gorillas are internationally classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN
Red List. All gorilla species are protected by law both nationally in the ten range states, as
well as internationally through listings of Gorilla gorilla and Gorilla beringei on Appendix I
of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Nevertheless, gorillas still face a high risk of extinction and global population numbers
continue to decline sharply. Wide-ranging measures to address the threats outlined below are
required to restore gorilla populations for future generations.
The forest ecosystems inhabited by gorillas provide services to the entire world, including
carbon sequestration and storage, estimated at several billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, as
well as generating rainfall both locally and globally. The long-term health of these forests
depends on viable populations of animals such as gorillas, inter alia, to disperse the seeds of
the next generation of trees.
The CMS Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats, which came into
force in June 2008, is the first legally binding international instrument exclusively targeting
gorillas and complements the work of the GRASP partnership. The action plans under the
Agreement provide a well-defined roadmap for gorilla conservation throughout the ten range
states. The Frankfurt Declaration aims to support this Agreement.
Threats and Challenges
There are three main threats to gorillas- poaching, disease, and loss of habitat. The indirect
threats contributing to these are climate change, exploitation of timber, fuel-wood and
minerals, harmful practices related to traditional medicine, , human conflict and subsequent
displacement, and the pet trade.
Illegal hunting and bushmeat trade
Impunity remains a problematic catalyst for encouraging the illegal exploitation of gorillas.
Without a considerable increase in political will and consequent government support for law
enforcement efforts, increases in the efficiency of the judiciary, and increased public
awareness, gorilla numbers are likely to continue to decline until their recovery is unlikely or
impossible. Hunting for bushmeat and the pet trade as well as for traditional medicine is
reaching proportions where large areas of forest are now devoid of wildlife.
2
Forestry, deforestation and energy
Forests are being cut down or degraded for a variety of reasons, including charcoal
production, firewood needs, timber extraction and agricultural expansion. The timber
industry creates a network of routes into previously remote areas greatly facilitating hunting
access and bushmeat transportation.
Loss of forest cover and changes in forest composition threaten gorilla conservation and
ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and the capacity of forests to contribute to
climate change mitigation and adaptation, reduce poverty, and support sustainable
livelihoods.
Mining
Mining industries, if not planned and regulated properly, are a growing threat to wildlife
conservation in general and in particular to gorillas across their range, leading to destruction
and degradation of habitats and increased poaching pressure.
For example, coltan and other natural resources are one means of understanding the dynamics
of civil war in Central Africa; profit is a main driver for all kinds of illegal activities and
warring factions. The relevance for international markets is high, as coltan and other raw
materials are used in cell-phones, computers and other high-tech equipment.
Armed conflict
Protected areas, including World Heritage Sites, can become centres of violence during times
of armed conflict. This results in the loss of life, displacement of local communities,
violations of human rights, and the loss of biodiversity, key species and ecosystem services.
Additionally, the loss of valuable natural heritage compromises future opportunities for local,
national and regional sustainable development.
Disease
The conservation of great apes is inextricably linked to ecosystem, human, wildlife and
livestock health. Diseases, including those of human origin, are one of the primary threats to
gorilla survival, yet there exist scant comprehensive health data on free-ranging gorilla
populations.
An emerging threat is the highly infectious Ebola virus, which can have up to 95% mortality
in gorillas and humans. A large proportion of Central African great apes were killed by Ebola
epidemics between 1994 and 2005, and this remains an ongoing threat. Their extremely low
reproductive rate means that it would take over a century for great ape populations to recover
from Ebola outbreaks even in the absence of poaching.
Ecotourism
Sustainable conservation-based tourism contributes to the ecologically sound management of
forests and provides livelihood opportunities to local communities. A number of stakeholders
can benefit from a successful gorilla tourism site, including conservation authorities, local
communities, private sector partners and even national economies. However, gorilla tourism
also has a number of potential negative impacts such as increased risk of diseases and
poaching, which should be minimised.
3
Conservation and poverty alleviation are complementary goals at many gorilla tourism sites;
the expectations of stakeholders and potential beneficiaries of gorilla tourism must be
balanced. The private sector’s and others’ profits must be viewed as an added value rather
than the driving force.
We, the participants of the Gorilla Symposium:
Law enforcement
1. Request range states to enforce laws in order to restore gorilla populations to a
favourable conservation status as a matter of urgency,
2. Call upon the international community, donor states and other gorilla stakeholders to
provide technical and financial support to range states in order to develop and enforce
these laws,
Gorilla hunting and capture
3. Urge range states to:
i. Enforce existing laws banning the taking and trading of gorillas, including strictly
regulating the wider bushmeat trade,
ii. Establish zones available for legal, sustainable use of wildlife over which local
communities have full ownership,
iii. Create a network of effectively managed protected areas,
iv. Develop and adhere to best practice guidelines on logging, mineral resource
extraction and agricultural production,
v. Raise awareness of the legal status and exploitation of gorillas and other wildlife and
take action in order to change public attitudes and consumer behaviour,
vi. Promote research projects and implement systematic monitoring programmes aimed
at evaluating the effectiveness of anti-poaching efforts and halting the illegal
bushmeat trade,
vii. Reduce bushmeat transportation options,
viii. Develop alternative protein sources.
4. Urge donor states, the international community including NGOs and the private sector to
assist range states in implementing the above-mentioned points through the provision of
financial and technical assistance,
5. Call upon states to combat illegal trade through the confiscation of illegally held live
gorillas and ensure their repatriation into sanctuaries in their country of origin in
cooperation with CITES,
6. Call upon the states of the European Union to assess the level of bushmeat imported into
the European Union from gorilla range states and to improve the enforcement of existing
legislation and regulations governing such imports,
7. Call for laws dealing with the disposal of bushmeat seized by the authorities to be
harmonised across countries, so that with the sole exception of preserved samples or
specimens needed for non-commercial scientific research or reference collections, all
great ape meat, or parts of great apes, or meat or parts of other fully protected species be
4
incinerated or otherwise destroyed, rather than being sold or given away, so that it is no
longer available for human or animal consumption,
Forestry, deforestation and energy
8. Recommend governments to develop and implement comprehensive, integrated land use
plans that address the needs of local people as well as the needs of gorillas, their habitat
and other wildlife,
9. Urge the regulation and provision of a region-wide, sustainable energy supply to local
people, which includes the use of fuel-efficient stoves and the exploration of alternative
energy opportunities,
10. Urge forestry companies to develop and implement adequate protection measures within
their forest management plans, in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
and IUCN guidelines, and in cooperation with all stakeholders,
11. Urge the international community to increase support to gorilla range states with
concrete and long-term solutions concerning the energy-related deforestation threats
affecting ever shrinking gorilla habitats,
12. Recommend the implementation of socially and environmentally sound lending practices
by institutions lending to forestry companies operating in gorilla habitat,
13. Further recommend the development of a differentiated forestry taxation system to
reward best practice and promote sustainable forestry and sustainable development,
14. Recommend that range state governments ensure forest taxes and other benefits are
effectively remitted to decentralised entities and local communities,
15. Urge the international donor community to assist range states in reducing destruction and
degradation of gorilla habitat through the provision of financial and technical assistance
to support the following areas of work:
i. Establishing national strategies for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and
Degradation (REDD),
ii. Undertaking early action on REDD,
iii. Establishing financial and governance mechanisms for REDD,
Mining
16. Emphasise the importance of transparent trade for all competitors and certified standards
along the commodity chain of mineral resources, including the possibility of the use of
mineral fingerprinting,
17. Encourage, in conformity with national legislation in gorilla range states, the
development of instruments and tools to ensure safe mineral exploitation, request range
states to enforce existing laws and further recommend the application of adequate land
use planning during any infrastructure development,
18. Recommend that no mineral exploitation activities be permitted in gorilla habitats and
associated buffer zones,
5
19. Remind mining companies and concession holders to develop alternative sources of
protein for local people dependent on mining in protected areas to feed their families,
20. Urge mining companies to adopt socially and environmentally responsible practices, and
to ensure their operations do not negatively impact gorillas or other biodiversity,
21. Recommend the regular update and implementation of adequate regulatory frameworks
for infrastructure and extractives development,
Armed conflict
22. Call upon the UN and the International Community to help bring about an end to the
conflicts in gorilla range states,
23. Call upon the international community to acknowledge that the illegal exploitation of
resources by identified actors within protected areas can contribute to the violation of
human rights,
24. Further call upon the international community to initiate a dialogue on whether the
widespread or systematic destruction of natural resources or key species of global
cultural or economic significance resulting in the forced displacement of local
communities and causing great suffering or serious injury to mental or physical health
should be considered as crimes against humanity,
25. Urge the United Nations to expand their peacekeeping mandates to include the
protection of biodiversity with special attention to highly endangered species and their
habitats, and include environmental advisors (eco-officers) within their missions,
26. Recommend enforcement of existing conventions to ensure adequate protection of
valuable natural resources during times of conflict (e.g. The Hague Convention 1954 and
The World Heritage Convention),
27. Further recommend that existing conventions be adapted to include the protection of
natural sites during times of armed conflict,
28. Remind humanitarian agencies and NGOs to implement and enforce existing
environmental guidelines and develop additional codes of conduct where necessary, in
order to minimise the negative impacts of their activities,
29. Express our appreciation for the commitment, bravery and sacrifice made by park
rangers and others working to save gorillas and their habitats during periods of armed
conflict,
Disease
30. Endorse the following measures as actions critical for protecting gorilla populations:
i. Enforcing strict rules concerning good hygiene practices for all people entering gorilla
habitat including, but not limited to, field workers and tourists,
ii. Expanding ecological surveillance and health monitoring throughout the gorilla range,
6
iii. Recommending public health and education programmes for human communities
sharing gorilla habitat to prevent disease transmission at the human–wildlife–
livestock interface,
iv. Promoting more extensive research on diseases relevant to gorilla health, including
building local capacity and improving local health infrastructure to ensure the rapid
identification of zoonotic diseases,
v. Pursuing timely yet safe and ethically reviewed prophylactic strategies and treatments
for the mitigation of gorilla health threats,
vi. Recommending the development of vaccination strategies to reduce the infection rates
of gorilla populations when critical for their survival and specifically, to support
feasibility studies to deliver anti-Ebola vaccines to the great apes, whether by darting
or via a passive medium (food baits),
vii. Urging authorising national bodies to issue, in a timely manner, CITES and other
permits for non-commercial scientific samples that address gorilla disease control,
containment, or diagnosis.
Ecotourism
30. Emphasise that conservation and poverty alleviation are complementary goals in any
gorilla tourism site,
31. Urge that gorilla tourism sites establish a fair revenue sharing system between
conservation / protected area management, local communities and private sector partners,
32. Encourage stakeholders, including donor states, to facilitate the transfer of skills and
experience from successful gorilla tourism projects to other sites where ecotourism is
being considered or implemented, and to share these findings within the wider
conservation community,
33. Recommend that IUCN best practice guidelines for great ape tourism be followed in the
assessment, planning and implementation of gorilla tourism at all existing and any
potential site to minimise negative and maximise positive impacts,
Monitoring & research
34. Encourage the collation of data on the spatial distribution of variables associated with
threats to gorillas, such as natural resource density, to inform stakeholders and create
awareness,
35. Encourage applied research focussed on practical management, planning and monitoring
issues affecting gorillas, their habitats, associated local stakeholder and development
matters, prioritising research that will benefit gorilla conservation,
Awareness raising
36. Invite stakeholders to mobilise, sensitise and involve rural communities living adjacent
to or inside wildlife conservation areas in order to improve awareness and local action to
conserve gorillas,
7
37. Emphasise that the conservation of gorillas in the wild must also be the primary goal at
zoological institutions who breed and study gorillas and display them to the public, and
request all zoological institutions to establish or strengthen links with projects to
conserve gorillas in the wild,
Land use planning
38. Urge the international donor community to assist range states in reducing the poaching
and consumption of gorillas and the destruction and degradation of their habitat, through
the provision of financial and technical assistance to support the following areas of work:
i. Establishment and effective and sustainable management of new and existing
protected areas,
ii. Establishment and sustainable management of CBNRM,
iii. Establishment of integrated national and landscape level land use planning processes.
Final Recommendations
39. Urge the international donor community to prioritise funding for projects benefiting
gorillas and their habitats,
40. Further urge the international donor community to increase funding which benefits the
conservation of biodiversity including gorillas within the context of poverty alleviation,
41. Highlight that efforts to support gorilla conservation should be coordinated and
harmonised at local, national and international levels, and should fully take into account
the complexity of the situation marked by conflicting use of resources,
42. Appeal to the international community to support these efforts, whether by financial, “inkind”
contributions, personnel, logistic or political means, by joining forces to save the
last strongholds of the gorilla.
Conclusion
In respect of the above recommendations, intentions and actions set out in the Frankfurt
Declaration, we, the participants of the Gorilla Symposium, pledge to do everything in our
power to ensure the long term survival of all species of gorilla, and encourage range states,
other states, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and individuals to
join us in this endeavour.
Frankfurt am Main, 10 June 2009

vendredi 12 juin 2009

First book focusing on adaptation to climate change in cities

A team from the International Institute for Environment and Development has edited the first book to address in detail the ways in which cities can adapt to climate change.
Adapting Cities to Climate Change contains contributions by 37 specialists from a variety of disciplines, several of whom served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
It has chapters on key climate-related health issues in Asian cities, the particular impacts for children, the increases in flooding in African cities and the links between urban poverty and vulnerability to climate change in Latin America.
It includes case studies of the risks faced by Dhaka, Mombasa, Cotonou, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai and describes one of the world’s first city-based adaptation plans – from Durban in South Africa.
"Climate change threatens the lives and homes of hundreds of millions of urban dwellers because of the heat waves, sea-level rise and water constraints it is bringing and from the floods and storms that it will exacerbate," says David Dodman, who co-edited the book with Jane Bicknell and David Satterthwaite.
"Most of the most vulnerable people live in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and have contributed very little to the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. There is an urgent need to begin adapting urban centres now so these risks can be reduced."
The book describes how the first priority for adapting cities to climate change is to remedy deficits in infrastructure and services. For most urban centres in these regions at least half of the population lacks piped water, sewers, drains, health care or emergency services.
The second priority is for city governments to work with their citizens and community organisations in identifying and reducing risk. Doing this in such partnerships cuts costs and greatly increases effectiveness.
"There are very large overlaps between good adaptation, poverty reduction and good city governance," says Satterthwaite. "But for this to happen, city governments have to work with those living in ‘slums’ and informal settlements, not against them. And national governments and international agencies have to support this but, at present, very few do so."
The book includes chapters discussing where adaptation can overlap with reducing greenhouse gas emissions (for Indian cities) and a critique of the very limited international funding available to support adaptation.
"With every new assessment of climate change being more alarming and urgent than the last, this is an incredibly timely book," says Ken Livingstone (Mayor of London 2000-2008). "It looks at what cities can do both to be part of the solution as well as being a practical guide for city governments on how to protect their populations from increasingly violent weather."
Adapting Cities to Climate Change was published by Earthscan. See - http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=10565IIED
For interviews or more information, please contact
David Dodman
Researcher
International Institute for Environment and Development
3 Endsleigh Street
London WC1H 0DD
Tel: 44 (0) 207 388 2117
Fax: 44 (0) 207 388 2826
Email: david.dodman@iied.org
www.iied.org
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mercredi 10 juin 2009

REGIONAL NETWORK FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATORS OF THE ALBERTINE RIFT

It's for me a pleasure to share this information whith you.
We are pleased to announce a new initiative in the Albertine Rift:
REGIONAL NETWORK FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATORS OF THE ALBERTINE RIFT (RNCEAR)
and RNCEAR workshop: Biodiversity conservation in the Albertine Rift Region 21-25 June 2009 at Makerere University, Uganda
This REGIONAL NETWORK FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATORS OF THE ALBERTINE RIFT is composed of conservation biology and environmental science educators and researchers at academic institutions in the Albertine Rift region and was created to strengthen the role of regional universities in the conservation of biodiversity in the AR. The Network is funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, USA. This initiative is a subset of the Conservation Biology Education Project (CBEP) in the Biology Department, Faculty of Science, National University of Rwanda.
The main mission of RNCEAR is to enhance conservation science education at universities in the Albertine Rift region, develop the voices of these scientists in the region, and strengthen links between regional universities and policy-makers & managers. An inception workshop was held at National University of Rwanda in 2008 with 5 countries and 14 academic institutions involved. The network is now funded for three years beginning January 2009 through December 2011 with a focus on the following activities:
- Establish an active forum for conservation scientists from universities and research institutions in the Albertine Rift to share resources, collaborate and stay connected and updated
- Promote innovative teaching, research opportunities, and training via the active forum, the list serve, and the workshops
- Host innovative teaching, research opportunities, and training via the active forum, list serve, and workshops
- Create opportunities and approaches for conservation scientists at universities and research institutes in the Albertine Rift to interact with governmental and non-governmental organizations, policy-makers, and decision makers (workshops, symposia, newsletters)
- Explore the feasibility of creating an on-line, peer-reviewed journal devoted to biodiversity research in the Albertine Rift, to increase publishing opportunities.
If you are interested in joining this Network, or would like more information, please contact RNCEAR Coordinator Apollinaire William at williappollo2005@gmail.com
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Beth A. Kaplin, Ph.D.
Technical Advisor, Conservation Biology Education Project
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, National University of Rwanda
Email: bkaplin@antioch.edu
The Regional Network for Conservation Educators of the Albertine Rift (RNCEAR), in conjunction with the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, Makerere University (MUIENR) and the National University of Rwanda (NUR) is organizing the second annual RNCEAR workshop on the theme: Biodiversity conservation in the Albertine Rift Region.
The workshop will be held 21-25 June 2009 at Makerere University, Uganda.
The objectives of the workshop are:
i) promoting collaborations in teaching and research between Conservation Educators and Practitioners in the Albertine Rift Countries, governmental and non-governmental organizations, policy-makers, and decision makers
ii) creating opportunities for networking and information sharing between conservation scientists at universities and research institutes in the Albertine Rift.
The workshop sub-themes are:
7828512. Climate change and biodiversity conservation
7828513. Research and Monitoring as a conservation tool in the Albertine Rift
7828514. Ethnobotany and value addition
7828515. The status of biodiversity resources within the Albertine Rift and implications for their conservation
7828516. Role of conservation educators and practitioners in attaining MDG 7 in the Albertine Rift : opportunities and challenges
You are invited to participate in this workshop. Deadline for abstracts has passed but you may attend, hear the presentations, and network with other participants. This workshop has been organized in line with the main mission of RNCEAR: ‘to enhance conservation science education at universities in the Albertine Rift region and to strengthen links with policy-makers and managers.” You are therefore invited to attend even if you will not make a presentation.
Please note that we have no more capacity to support delegates to the workshop and funds have been used to bring in those giving a presentation. We however, welcome all delegates who can support themselves wholly for the entire duration of the workshop.
Please contact Dr. John R.S. Tabuti the Chairperson, Organizing committee for this workshop
jrstabuti@yahoo.com Mobile: +256 (0) 772 960 880
------------------------------------------------
Please note my email address has changed: bkaplin@antioch.edu
My other email address (bkaplin@antiochne.edu) will no longer be effective.

Tuver Wundi

lundi 8 juin 2009

5 JUIN 2009,LA FETE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT SOUS LE SIGNE D’ARBRE A GOMA EST DE LA RDC


La journée Mondiale de l’Environnement célébrée le 5 juin de chaque année a vécu à Goma Est de la RDC en Province du Nord Kivu sous le signe de plantation d’arbres en vue de lutte contre le changement climatique qui s’abat sur la planète.
En effet, placée par les Nations Unies sous le thème : « Notre planète a besoin de Vous, Unissons-nous contre le Changement Climatique », cette 37e journée mondiale de l’Environnement a été une occasion pour les écologistes de sensibiliser davantage la communauté sur l’impact de la destruction du couvert floristique de chaque coin de la planète et appelé à une prise de décision par chacun pour réaliser un geste qui peut réparer les dégâts.
A Goma, les organisations internationales de conservation et protection de l’environnement en collaboration avec le gouvernement provincial du Nord Kivu ont réalisé une plantation d’arbres sur le versant Est du Mont Goma (Site touristique et stratégique de la ville, seule colline visible dans le centre de la ville et lieu où sont installés tous les émetteurs Radio et Télévision émettant dans la contrée y compris les antennes de communication). Cette plantation d’arbres placée dans la ligne du PNUE visant à atteindre un milliard d’arbres plantés Durant l’année 2009 a connu la participation des étudiants des diverses institutions supérieurs de la place notamment : L’Institut Supérieur du Tourisme, L’Université Ouverte/Cidep, L’Université de Goma, L’Institut Supérieur de développement rural des Grands Lacs, L’Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs, l’Institut Supérieur des techniques Appliquées et autres personnes sensibilisée par le programme de communication que dirige notre collègue Tuver Wundi au sein de l’Organisation « The Gorilla Organization » partenaire de l’ICCN ‘Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature’.
700 arbres au total ont été mis en terre et 1500 autres sont en attente d’être planté dans les concessions universitaires de Goma pendant la saison pluvieuse avec la participation des étudiants. Ces arbres pris dans l’une des pépinières que finance le WWF/PEVI ont ainsi donnés un nouvel aspect de reforestation de ce site qui passé des moments difficiles de part l’exploitation illégale du sol et la coupe de paille par les personnes malveillantes sous la complicités des militaires cherchant comment survivre par insuffisance de solde.
Apres la plantation d’arbres, la classe intellectuelle de la ville et les autorités locales ont assisté à une conférence débat dans l’après-midi, conférence animée respectivement par : Tuver Wundi sur le changement Climatique et ses conséquences dans la province du Nord Kivu, Mme Consolée de WWF sur les Foyers améliorés et l’usage des briquettes et Mr Slaay SALYA de l’organisation IEDA Relief sur Une vision éco-civique pour un environnement sain et protégé au Nord Kivu. Cette conférence tenue dans la salle polyvalente de la Croix-Rouge du Congo a permis à 450 participants de comprendre les soubassements du changement climatique et comment s’adapter à ce changement et adopter une conduite digne pour diminuer la pression sur l’environnement.
Les participants ont souhaités voir les USA et l’Australie adhérés au protocole de Kyoto car ces pays constituent des réels poumons de pollution atmosphérique qui dégrade la planète et accélère le changement qui est vécu partout actuellement.
Les habitants de la partie Nord de la province du nord Kivu autour du Mont Tshiaberimu/Parc National des Virunga ont également planté des arbres et sensibilisé sur la question brûlante de l’heure par les services sociaux de Gorilla Organization.
La série des conférences se poursuit durant tout le mois de juin, mois dédié à l’environnement au sein des programmes de communication de Gorilla Organization.

Tuver Wundi

Report Brings to the Surface the Growing Global Problem of Marine Litter

UNEP Head Calls for World-Wide Ban on Pointless Thin Film Plastic Bags
Washington DC/Nairobi, 8 June 2009 – From discarded fishing gear to plastic bags to cigarette butts, a growing tide of marine litter is harming oceans and beaches worldwide, says a new report.
The report, the first-ever attempt to take stock of the marine litter situation in the 12 major regional seas around the world, was launched on World Oceans Day by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Ocean Conservancy.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said:
“Marine litter is symptomatic of a wider malaise: namely the wasteful use and persistent poor management of natural resources. The plastic bags, bottles and other debris piling up in the oceans and seas could be dramatically reduced by improved waste reduction, waste management and recycling initiatives”.
“Some of the litter, like thin film single use plastic bags which choke marine life, should be banned or phased-out rapidly everywhere—there is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere. Other waste can be cut by boosting public awareness, and proposing an array of economic incentives and smart market mechanisms that tip the balance in favor of recycling, reducing or re-use rather than dumping into the sea,” he said.
The report’s findings indicate that despite several international, regional and national efforts to reverse marine pollution, alarming quantities of rubbish thrown out to sea continue to endanger people’s safety and health, entrap wildlife, damage nautical equipment and deface coastal areas around the world.
“This report is a reminder that carelessness and indifference is proving deadly for our oceans and its inhabitants,” says Philippe Cousteau, CEO of EarthEcho International and Ocean Conservancy board member. “Offered here are more than mere facts and figures. The time for action is now, and true change will require taking a bold and courageous stand. There are solutions that everyone, everywhere in the world, can adopt to make a positive difference for our water planet.”
Plastics and cigarettes top the “Top Ten” of marine debris
Plastic – especially plastic bags and PET bottles – is the most pervasive type of marine litter around the world, accounting for over 80 per cent of all rubbish collected in several of the regional seas assessed.
Plastic debris is accumulating in terrestrial and marine environments worldwide, slowly breaking down into tinier and tinier pieces that can be consumed by the smallest marine life at the base of the food web. Plastics collect toxic compounds that then can get into the bodies of organisms that eat the plastic. Global plastic production is now estimated at 225 million tons per year.
Plastics can be mistaken as food by numerous animals, including marine mammals, birds, fish and turtles. Sea turtles in particular may confuse floating plastic bags with jellyfish, one of their favorite treats.
A five-year survey of fulmars found in the North Sea region found that 95 percent of these seabirds contained plastic in their stomachs. Studies of the Northeast Atlantic plankton have found plastic in samples dating back to the 1960s, with a significant increase in abundance in time.
Smoking-related activities also receive top rankings when it comes to sources of marine litter. Cigarette filters, tobacco packets and cigar tips make up 40 per cent of all marine litter in the Mediterranean, while in Ecuador smoking-related rubbish accounted for over half of the total coastal litter ‘catch’ in 2005.
“The ocean is our life support system – it provides much of the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat and climate we need to survive – yet trash continues to threaten its health,” said Vikki Spruill President and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. “The impact of marine debris is clear and dramatic; dead and injured wildlife, littered beaches that discourage tourism and choked ocean ecosystems. Marine debris is one of the most widespread pollution threats facing our ocean and it is completely preventable.”
The two sides of tourism
The tourism and recreation sector has a significant impact on the state of seas and coastlines around the world:
• In some tourist areas of the Mediterranean, more than 75 per cent of the annual waste production is generated during the summer season.
• In Thailand, it is recognized that marine litter affects tourism – a high-value industry for the entire region.
• Shoreline activities account for 58 per cent of the marine litter in the Baltic Sea region, and almost half in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
• In Jordan, the major source of marine litter is recreational and leisure usage contributing up to 67 per cent of the total discharge, while shipping and port activities contribute around 30 per cent and the fishing industry three per cent only.
• Tourism is the third most important source of revenue in Egypt, while one-fifth of the country’s hotels are located along the Red Sea coast.
If well-managed, tourism can contribute to maintaining the pristine appearance of beaches and waters, as demonstrated by Seychelles and Mauritius which contribute almost nothing to the marine litter load in the Western Indian Ocean despite being popular tourism destinations.
However, ocean winds and currents may carry unwanted marine rubbish far from its point of origin. For instance, Seychelles have reported an accumulation of rubbish on the east coast of the Mahé Island during the southeast monsoon, while items dumped off the west Australian coast have been retrieved on the east coast of South Africa.
From source to sea
Land-based activities are the largest source of marine litter. In Australia, surveys near cities indicate up to 80 percent of marine litter originating from land-based sources, with sea-based sources in the lead in more remote areas.
The problem of marine litter is likely to be particularly severe in the East Asian Seas region –home to 1.8 billion people, 60 per cent of who live in coastal areas – which is experiencing simultaneous growth in both shipping activity and industrial and urban development.
Oil-based economics and an associated construction boom in the coastal areas of the Caspian Sea have made marine litter a new and emerging concern in the littoral states, particularly Iran and Azerbaijan.
In South Asia, the growing ship-breaking industry has become a major source of marine debris and heavy metal pollution to the adjoining coastal areas.
In Gujarat, India – one of the largest and busiest ship-breaking yards in the world – operations are carried out on a 10-kilometer stretch on the beaches of Alang, generating peeled-off paint chips, iron scrap and other types of non-degradable solid waste often making its way into the sea.
The Southeast Pacific has important ports and intense maritime traffic. In the five littoral countries, wastes from marine-based sources have been reported, but there is very little information regarding the origin and volume of these wastes. According to one estimate, the Colombian fishing fleet generates approximately 273 tons of marine litter each year.
The lack of adequate solid waste management facilities results in hazardous wastes entering the waters of the Western Indian Ocean, South Asian Seas and southern Black Sea, among others.
The cost of rubbish
Unsightly and unsafe, marine litter can cause serious economic losses through damaged boats, fishing gear, contamination of tourism and agriculture facilities. For example:
• The cost of cleaning the beaches in Bohuslän on the west coast of Sweden in just one year was at least 10 million SEK or $1,550,200.
• In the UK, Shetland fishermen had reported that 92 per cent of them had recurring problems with debris in nets, and it has been estimated that each boat could lose between $10,500 and $53,300 per year due to the presence of marine litter. The cost to the local industry could then be as high as $4,300,000.
• The municipality of Ventanillas in Peru has calculated that it would have to invest around US$400,000 a year in order to clean its coastline, while its annual budget for cleaning all public areas is only half that amount.
At the same time, flexible and economic incentives and deterrents need to be put in place to address the growing problem of marine litter.
At the moment, port authorities sometimes unwillingly discourage ships from bringing their galley waste back to shore – as seen in the East Asian Seas region where ships are charged on a fee-for-service (user pays) basis. Some vessel operators therefore opt to dispose of their garbage at sea – at no cost.
Adopting a ‘no special fee’ approach to port waste reception facilities, as pioneered in the Baltic Sea region, can substantially decrease the number of operational and illegal discharges and help prevent pollution from ships to the marine environment.
The level of fines for ocean dumping also needs to be reviewed to make them a sufficient deterrent. For example in the US the cruise ship Regal Princess was fined US$500,000 (about €336,600 or £268,719) in 1993 for dumping 20 bags of garbage in to the sea. Fines of this level would act as a genuine deterrent to dumping of marine litter.
Finally, income-generating opportunities linked to collecting and recycling marine litter can make a big difference in some of the world’s poorer regions. For instance, in East Africa small-scale projects that create jobs and reduce the levels of marine rubbish need to be further promoted.
Notes to Editors
The report Marine Litter: A Global Challenge is available online at: (to be added)
The 12 regional seas which were included in the report are: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, East Asian Seas, East African Seas, Mediterranean, Northeast Atlantic, Northwest Pacific, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, South Asian Seas, South Pacific, and Wider Caribbean.
For more information contact:
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson and Head of Media, on Tel: +254 20 7623084, Mobile: +254 733 632755, or when traveling: +41 795965737, or e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org
Or: Anne-France White, UNEP Associate Information Officer, on Tel: +254 (0)20 762 3088; Mobile in Kenya: +254 (0)728 600 494, or e-mail: anne-france.white@unep.org

samedi 6 juin 2009

A journalism Competition

Win a Trip to Cover the Copenhagen Climate Summit!

Journalists, enter your best reporting on climate change. Winning entries will be announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen (COP15).
Climate Change Media Partnership Fellowships
The Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) encourages all journalists in developing countries who report on climate change to apply for its 2009 Fellowship Programme. Forty journalists will be awarded fellowships which will give them skills training and access to world class experts to enhance their knowledge. They have until midnight UK time (BST) on World Environment Day, 5 June, to file their applications.
Earth Day 2009
Read Internews' Earth Day newsletter on geojournalism, the World Water Forum in Istanbul and a project tackling climate change in the Himalayan region and downstream countries.
Internews is a nonprofit international media development organization whose mission is to empower local media worldwide to provide people with the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard.
See more information on our programs in health journalism, environmental reporting, humanitarian media, women and much more.
June 5, 2009
Internews Launches Environmental Journalism Awards Competition
Celebrating World Environment Day
Watch the video, "Communication, Climate Change and the Earth Journalism Awards"
Internews launched the Earth Journalism Awards competition on World Environment Day today with a call to professional and citizen journalists around the world to enter their best reporting on climate change. Winners will be flown to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen this December, where they will cover these pivotal negotiations and be honoured at a high-profile awards ceremony.
“It is very important to deepen public understanding of climate change and the urgent need for an agreement in Copenhagen. The media has a vital role to play both in explaining what is required for the world to be able to make a dramatic shift towards a low carbon society and to be able to adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change. I welcome, therefore, the Earth Journalism Awards initiative,” said Yvo de Boer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (Full Story)
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Parlez en aux autres.
Tuver Wundi

jeudi 4 juin 2009

Good governance key to success of payments to tackle deforestation and climate change

Paying people to protect forests can be an effective way to tackle deforestation and climate change but only if there is good governance of natural resources, says a study funded by Norway ’s Government and published on 5 June by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).



It warns that such payments alone are not enough. They will be effective only if key economic, cultural, institutional and information conditions are met, and if payment schemes monitor impacts on poor communities to ensure equity and avoid social harm.



The results will be shared on 5 June at a meeting in Norway organised on behalf of the Norwegian Ministries of the Environment and of Foreign Affairs.



The report comes as government negotiators meet in Bonn to hammer out a global policy to address climate change. The deal will have forest conservation at its heart as deforestation and forest degradation accounts for about 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions.



The new study by researchers at IIED, the World Resources Institute and the Center for International Forestry Research looked at existing efforts to pay people in developing nations to protect ecosystems in return for the services — such as fresh water, wild foods and climate control — they provide.



It aimed to see if such payments could be used to help tackle climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, an approach known as REDD that is gaining international support under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.



“Effective and equitable governance will be the key to successful payment schemes,” says lead author Ivan Bond , a senior researcher at IIED. “Unfortunately, governance tends to be weakest in the very places where deforestation is greatest. Communities need clear land rights if they are to gain from payments that flow to their countries in return for forest protection.”



The Norwegian Government commissioned the study to inform the design and implementation of its Climate and Forest Initiative (N-CFI), which will provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year to instigate early action to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and to ensure that a mechanism to reduce these emissions become part of a new and more comprehensive climate regime.



The researchers reviewed 13 schemes that make payments for ecosystems services in Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America and concluded that performance-based payments can be part of REDD but only if important preconditions are met.



If they are not, the money would be better spent on improving forest governance, institutions and policies at local, regional and national levels. The authors note that where governance is weak, there are risks that elites will capture the flow of funds while poor local communities, with weak land tenure, will lose out.



“Schemes involving payments for ecosystem services have been criticised in the past, but we found little evidence that payments cause harm,” says Ivan Bond of IIED. “What is important in applying this approach to REDD projects is that payments alone are not enough. Other key conditions must be met.”



The report’s authors urge the Norwegian Government to pay close attention to the impacts the N-CFI’s pilot projects have on poor households.



“Massive levels of funding are set to flow into REDD schemes so it is important that money is not spent on projects that are ineffective at protecting forests or that end up harming the poor,” says Peter Hazlewood of the World Resources Institute. “As this is such a new area of policy it is essential to share knowledge about what works and what does not. The N-CFI can play a critical role in learning lessons from early project experience and facilitating South-South exchanges.”



The report also found that paying landowners to conserve forests is likely to be a cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but that costs are likely to be higher than those suggested by the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, in particular costs to meet capacity development needs.



The countries covered by the case studies are: Bolivia , Brazil , Ecuador , Indonesia , Mexico , Mozambique , Namibia , Tanzania , Vietnam and Zimbabwe .



To download the report, under embargo until 5 June, visit

http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/13555IIED.pdf



Contacts for interview are listed below….





NOTES TO EDITORS

Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg launched the N-CFI in December 2007 at the UN climate change negotiations in Bali, Indonesia with funding of up to NOK 3 billion (US$430 million) a year.



“Payments for ecosystem services can create incentives for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation,” says Norway ’s Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, in an introduction to the study.



”They are, however, not a universal panacea,” he adds. “A crucial issue is the overall national and forest governance framework. Under conditions of weak governance it is very difficult for payments for ecosystem services to be effective.”



Ivan Bond will present the report’s findings at a Workshop on Payment for Ecosystem Services on Friday 5 June at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Polhøgda, Lysaker ( Oslo ). This workshop on compensation and incentives for the maintenance of ecosystem services is organized by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) on behalf of the Norwegian Ministries of the Environment and of Foreign Affairs. Its aim is to highlight the most relevant experiences, preconditions and best practices with PES, and to provide operative suggestions for Norwegian involvement in such themes.



For a list of REDD-related side events taking place during the current UN climate change negotiations in Bonn , see- http://www.redd-monitor.org/2009/05/31/redd-side-events-at-bonn/





For interviews, contact:

IIED

Ivan Bond,

Senior Researcher

International Institute for Environment and Development

3 Endsleigh Street

Tel: 44 (0) 207 388 2117

Email: ivan.bond@iied.org



World Resources Institute

Peter Hazlewood

Director, Ecosystems and Development

People and Ecosystems Program

World Resources Institute

10 G Street NE, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20002

Tel: +1 (202) 729-7887

Email: phazlewood@wri.org



International Center for Tropical Forestry Research

Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff

Senior Scientist Climate change

Forest and Governance Program

Center for International Forestry Research

P.O. Box 0113 BOCBD

Bogor 16000

Indonesia

Tel: +62 (251) 8622 622

Email: s.wertz-kanounnikoff@cgiar.org



Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Jon Heikki Aas

Senior Adviser

Section for the Environment and Sustainable Development

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

Tel: +47 22 24 36 17

Fax: +47 22 24 95 80

www.mfa.no



Norwegian Ministry of the Environment

Leif John Fosse

Senior Adviser

Climate and Forest Initiative

Section on Climate and Energy

Ministry of the Environment, Norway

Tel. +47 22 24 59 13

Fax +47 22 24 95 63

http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/md/Selected-topics/klima/the-government-of-norways-international-/why-a-climate-and-forest-initiative.html?id=547202



To any other queries, contact:

Mike Shanahan

Press officer

International Institute for Environment and Development

3 Endsleigh Street

London WC1H 0DD

Tel: 44 (0) 207 388 2117

Fax: 44 (0) 207 388 2826

Email: mike.shanahan@iied.org

www.iied.org

mardi 2 juin 2009

A Press release about Climate Change

2 June 2009 – The international negotiations to agree a global response to climate change are now underway in a serious way. For the first time, we have a text that will form the basis of the final agreement to be negotiated by December 2009 when nations gather in Copenhagen, Denmark.

This draft negotiating text has some positive and negative features. As it is based on submissions by all countries, it is very thorough and covers all of the issues. But this also means that the text contains many contradictory statements.

The negotiations that are underway now in Bonn and which will conclude in Copenhagen must resolve all of these contradictions. Countries have very little time to reach a consensus on the final text. I see a number of problems with the current text.

First, there is no agreement yet about how legally binding what the final agreement will be. One proposal is that it will just be a “decision” that will not be legally binding. Another is that countries will agree a new and legally binding protocol. The final agreement must

Second, there is no solid agreement yet on targets by which rich countries will need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal range from practically nothing to a 40% reduction on 1990 levels by 2020. We urgently need a steep reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to limit the extent of warming and lessen the impacts of climate change.

Third, there is no agreement about what promises the developing nations — including large economies such as Brazil, China, India and South Africa — will need to make in terms of reducing their own emissions, and about how binding these promises would need to be.

Resolving all of these issues will entail hard negotiation and central to this is the final piece of the puzzle — money. This is the glue that will hold the final agreement together but so far it is the weakest part. The rich countries have so far made no serious pledges to provide the funding that will be essential to pay for reducing emissions, for adapting to climate change impacts, for transferring technologies to poorer nations, and for avoiding deforestation.

Until the rich countries make some serious pledges, the rest of the negotiations will suffer as it will be impossible to agree actions without knowing how they will be funded.

A major problem here is that countries take part in the UN climate change negotiations through their environment ministries, but it is the finance ministries that must decide how much money to spend tackling climate change.

We need finance ministers and heads of state, especially those in the industrialised countries, to face the reality of climate change and respond responsibly. European Union finance ministers are meeting this month and the US Treasury is putting together its budget.

The eyes of the world will be on the capitals of these and other wealthy nations, awaiting the signal that the rich world will finally accept its need to step up to the challenge and provide the large sums of money needed to address climate change.

In general, the current meeting in Bonn has had a good start. Everyone is moving in the right direction. The question is, whether they can move fast and far enough to pull us back from the brink of dangerous climate change.

Dr Saleemul Huq, International Institute for Environment and Development. 2 June 2009.

You can contact Saleem on +44 773 186 0103

For more information on the Bonn meeting, see - http://unfccc.int/2860.php

Best wishes

Mike

Mike Shanahan

Press officer

International Institute for Environment and Development

3 Endsleigh Street

London WC1H 0DD

Tel: 44 (0) 207 388 2117

Fax: 44 (0) 207 388 2826

Email: mike.shanahan@iied.org

www.iied.org