Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Saludos Chair de la 60th DPU/NGO Conference a evento en Lima.

Saludos de Richard Jordan ,
Chair de la 60th DPU/NGO Conference
durante la sesion de apertura en la Asamblea General de NNUU
el 5 de Septiembre del 2007
al evento en Lima-Peru
Richard Jordan, Chair, 60th DPI/NGO Conference
Opening Session: Introductory Remarks
5 September 2007

Madam President of the General Assembly, Madam Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Public Information, Excellencies, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, and everyone viewing on the internet,

On behalf of all the members of the Planning Committee, and please raise your hands Planning Committee so we can acknowledge you, allow me to welcome you to my hometown, New York City and to the 60th Annual Dpi/NGO Conference.

My name is Richard Jordan, and I grew up just across the East River in Flushing, New York, which hosted the UN General Assembly during the UN’s infancy.

2, 506 of you from 80 countries have registered for this conference. 400 of you are youth.

There are innumerable people to thank: our keynote speakers, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP and Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, our closing speaker; to private sector corporations such as BMW, Bayer and Nikon; to Mayors across Peru who will be having their own consultation around ours via internet, and many others. The celebratory Journal, “60 Years with the UN: The Journey Continues”, that you have was the work of three members of the Planning Committee, Sherrill Kazan, Jonina Sutton and Margo LaZaro.

Thanks to the UN Correspondents Association, to the 72 student journalists who are here, and to Mr. Gary Fowlie of the UN for his help.

Thanks to DPI staff, Mr. Akasaka, Mr. Raymond Sommereyns, Mr. Ramu Damodaran, Juan Carlos Brandt, Chief of the NGO Unit, and our colleagues from the Unit, Robin, Sol and Zen.

We have a great multigenerational film created by Jun Ren and Public Service Announcements created by the Art College of Design.

The Conference itself coincides with the 800th Anniversary of the birth of the Sufi poet, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi. It also marks the 35th Anniversary of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, the 20th Anniversary of the Brundtland Report, the 15th Anniversary of the Rio Summit, and the 5th Anniversary of Johannesburg.

This conference will help us to disseminate information by all manner of resources – in the future that there may be ways to do this via 3 dimensional technologies. Exciting prospects!

But think in the present – rural development for billions of people in the light of climate change is an unimaginable prospect. Cross-cutting issues of gender, education, human rights, health and migration need to be articulated. Small Island Developing States do not contribute to climate change but are only paid lip service in many negotiations.

We, collectively, need to pause for these three days and consider what are the reasons for our lack of progress. Then, all too soon, it will be 9 AM, the Monday morning after the conference – what will each of us do to help combat this very serious challenge to the entire human-earth community.

This conference will produce a declaration, the draft of which you will find in Conference Rooms 1 and 4. The declaration is on one side of the page, the process is on the reverse.

Our purpose in giving this to you is that by the end of this Conference, we expect that you will have a greater understanding of climate change and its impact. We expect that by that time, we can make a consensus declaration, not a sign-on statement, but a statement we can all agree with, no matter what our NGO’s area of interest and concern. We call it a draft since we want you to have the chance to suggest refinements.

As soon as possible, I urge you to read both the Declaration and the process. Suggestions of 25 words or less can be given either in writing on the cards you will find in the conference rooms, or by giving them in person to one of the members of the three-person drafting group, and I will ask them to stand, Bill Gellermann, Moki Koikoris and Larry Roeder.

The deadline is 6 PM Thursday September 6. We also envision collaboration over the next 12 months to create a report that will be given to the Secretary-General.

This is an experiment in encouraging broad mobilization for disseminating information by our NGO community.

On Friday, at the closing session, I will read the one-page Declaration and hopefully receive your agreement. On the back of that page on Friday will be practical recommendations to help you consider solutions to climate change, as well as room for you to start considering your own action plans.

Let me leave you with one closing image, from the great film “Battleship Potemkin.” If you have seen this movie, you recall the image of the baby carriage careening down the Odessa Steps. If we can draw the analogy, the UN is here to prevent the baby carriage from ever starting on its perilous journey in the first place.

But since the baby carriage of climate change has started its journey, all of us together need to work with the UN in the run-up to the Bali Conference on Climate Change this December to prevent a calamity.

But now, we are in recess until the workshops will be held starting at 1:15 PM.

Thank you and see you this afternoon.
Efectos del Cambio Climatico en el Peru
Sumario
En las costas , rios , represas , Amazonia .
Eventos anteriores
Pasividad peruana sobre los efectos climaticos

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Grabacion de los paneles
en Lima
Todos los programas del 10 al 13 de Sept. estan siendo grabados y
se colgaran en una pagina web.
Los videos podran ser bajados y vistos posteriormente visitando la pagina web
que posteriormente se anunciara.
Se agradecera comentarios y sugerencias a esta pagina.
(Ver al final de cada pagina del blog)
ORGANIZA : MUNICIPALIDAD DE Lima,
Consejo Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAM).
Colabora : Red Democratica
HORARIOS

CICLO DE CONFERENCIAS SOBRE CAMBIO CLIMATICO PERU
Hacia una Agenda Municipal para el Peru
Una perspectiva desde el Sur
(10-13 Sept.2007)
(Lunes a jueves)
WEBCASTING
DE LA 60 CONFERENCIA ANUAL DE NACIONES UNIDAS

(1) POR INTERNET
WEBCAST
DE 3:30 A 4:30 PM (Lima)
4:30 -5:30 PM (NY)
9:00PM-10:00PM(Lima)
10:00-11PM(NY)
En ambos portales, en simultaneo :
Canal 41 (UHF)
Radio Television Pacifico
DE 9:00-10:00 PM(Lima)
PROGRAMA
JUEVES 13
(Ultimo día)
TEMA
SEGURIDAD INTERNACIONAL Y El PROBLEMA DEL AGUA
Conducción General:
Sr. Jorge Márquez (Regidor Metropolitano de Lima)
Sr. Jorge Alvarez Lam (CONAM)
Comentarios:
Sr. Embj. Oswaldo de Rivero desde NY
Ex-Representante del Peru
ante las Naciones Unidas
EXPOSICIONES DE LOS
REPRESENTANTES DE :
SUNASS
SEDAPAL
DIGESA
CONAM
MIERCOLES 12
TEMA
¿CUALES SON LAS RESPONSABILIDADES SOBRE EL CAMBIO CLIMATICO EN EL PERÚ?

Conducción General:
Sr. Jorge Márquez (Regidor Metropolitano de Lima)
Sr. Jorge Alvarez Lam (CONAM)
Saludos desde NNUU del
Sr. Juan Carlos Brandt ,
Jefe de la Secccion de ONGS de NNUU
Richard Jordan ,
Chair de la Conferencia sobre Cambio Climatico

EXPOSICIONES DE
LOS REPRESENTANTES DE:
Maria Luisa del Rio
CONAM
Carmen Tazza Mari
MINISTERIO DE TRANSPORTES
Cesar Albarracin C.
MINISTERIO DE LA PRODUCCION

Ruth San Miguel
INRENA

MARTES 11
TEMA:
¿CUALES SON LAS EVIDENCIAS DEL CAMBIO CLIMATICO EN EL PERÚ?

Conducción General:
Sr. Jorge Márquez (Regidor Metropolitano de Lima)
Sr. Jorge Alvarez Lam(CONAM)
Sr. Ing. Castañeda Lossio
SALUDO DEL ALCALDE LIMA
SALUDO DEL PRESIDENTE DEL CONAM
(CONSEJO NACIONAL DEL AMBIENTE)

EXPOSICIONES
DE LOS REPRESENTANTES DE:
SENAMI
CONCYTEC
INRENA
Presentaciones de la 60va Conferencia Anual DPI/NGO de Naciones Unidas
Todos las presentaciones de los expositores durante la conferencia de NNUU
pueden ser encontradas en:
Conference Schedule
Conference Opening Session

Roundtables

Conference participants can attend four of the following seven multi-stakeholder roundtables, featuring representatives of the United Nations, governments, civil society and the private sector. Each roundtable will have a proactive moderator and four to six speakers, who will engage in a dialogue with each other and with the audience. The roundtables will address the following themes:
Para ingresar a leer las ponencias (en ingles) hay que hacer un click en
el link de la Mesa Redonda que interese (arriba mencioanda) y luego
al ingresar en la siguiente pagina , hacer otro click en el nombre del
expositor de la ponencia que se desea leer.

Monday, September 10, 2007

DPI-NGO
United Nations
CONFERENCE
DECLARATION

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS
AN NGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
(NY, Sept. 3-5 2007)
We, over 2500 participants representing over 500 Non-Governmental Organizations from more than 80 countries,
q recognizing that we share one planet and its environment, as well as a responsibility to protect future generations,
q recognizing the special vulnerabilities of the indigenous, poor, coastal and rural populations,
q having met at the 60th Annual UN Department of Public Information Conference for NGOs at UN Headquarters from 5-7 September, 2007, with representatives of Member States, UN agencies and programs, the scientific community, the private sector, media and civil society, and
q having reviewed the latest scientific evidence from a wide variety of experts as well as hearing about the experiences of indigenous peoples to better understand climate change, its threats and how NGOs can broaden the base for knowledge and action to reduce those threats;
make the following declaration:

1. We affirm that climate change is mainly anthropogenic and is one of the most serious
threats humanity and our environment have ever faced which if not addressed will
cause:
(a) catastrophic effects to Earth’s ecosystems, biodiversity and infrastructure;
(b) significantly reduced availability of food, water, energy and transport;
(c) massive migration of populations and the possible destruction of entire cultures and small island nations,
(d) significant damage to our economic, political, cultural, social and spiritual structures,
(e) increased local, national and international violence,
(f) significant psychological and emotional distress to individuals and communities
(g) irreversible harm to the lifestyles of indigenous peoples,
(h) increased spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, and
(i) negative impacts on human health and life expectancy.

2. We commit ourselves over the next 12 months to a Framework for Action that will
propose NGO solutions to these threats before they become irreversible:
(a) unify behind a common vision of collaboration – even if we disagree on tactics -- to develop and implement plans for adaptation and mitigation[1] taking into account the full range of consequences;
(b) act as vocal, active partners for change with the UN, governments at all levels, NGOs and other members of our global community;
(c) develop, implement and publicize individual and collaborative action plans for personal, economic and political change.

3. We commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s leadership in highlighting climate
change as a major priority. We urge government, industry, and UN leaders, in
partnership with the NGO community to emphasize proactive climate change priorities
for the greater good in preparation for the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali,
December, 2007, and subsequent negotiations.

4. We strongly recommend, for the sake of future generations, that government and industry leaders, the UN, other international organizations and the whole of civil society partner behind and implement concrete solutions, taking into account recommendations that emerge from the Framework for Action, and to promote capacity building to monitor compliance and report effective practices.

5. We also strongly recommend that:
(a) all governments and civil society foster an ethical, moral foundation for ongoing sustainable development in our interdependent world making the well-being of all of humankind our priority.
(b) all educational institutions and media organizations more effectively educate about the issue of climate change with special emphasis on youth,
(c) governmental authorities consider penalties for excessive consumption and pollution as a method of financing climate change improvements, as well as financial incentives to foster climate-friendly technologies so that fossil fuel and nuclear based technologies can be phased out.
(d) governments recognize that war is damaging to the climate.
(e) all governments ratify UN conventions on climate change.

6. Finally, in order to implement the Framework for Action – recognizing that our views on
challenges and opportunities will evolve as this process continues – we request that:
(a) the NGO/DPI Executive Committee and the Conference of NGOs in Consultative
Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) foster a plan as soon as possible to
implement the Framework as a tool for the NGO community to participate in an
open, practical and transparent collaborative approach based on networking;
(b) the Framework discussion culminate in an internet-based progress report to be
submitted to the Secretary-General in one year and that a long-term dialogue for
future action be fostered thereafter;
(c) the Framework process should network NGO’s that might not otherwise typically
collaborate by bridging the spectrum of NGO concerns interconnected by climate
change, such as sustainable development, agriculture, forestry, issues affecting
indigenous peoples, biodiversity, livestock and animal welfare, nuclear proliferation,
sustainable disarmament, and the end of war, justice, ethnic groups,
multigenerational issues, youth, gender equality, education, poverty, food and water
security, culture of peace, interfaith cooperation, national global security and
economic justice, as well as mental, spiritual and physical health.



DECLARATION PROCESS
CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS – AN NGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION

The Preparatory Committee of the 60th NGO/DPI Conference (September 5-7, 2007) invites all participants to concur by consensus on September 7th with the Declaration on the reverse of this sheet.

Substantive suggestions for improvement are also invited; but they must be received by 6pm on September 6th and should foster a consensus. Recommendation forms should be placed into the boxes in Conference Rooms 1 and 4, or given to the Drafting Committee members, Mr. Larry Roeder, Dr. William Gellermann and Ms. Moki Kokoris, who will often be in the UN Cafeteria near the windows overlooking the East River. Recommended suggestions MUST BE 25 words or less.

The Drafting Committee’s work is supervised by a Senior Review Committee made up of Sister Joan Kirby (outgoing Chairperson of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee), Jeffery Huffines (incoming Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee), and Richard Jordan (Chair of the 60th NGO/DPI Conference)

Members of the NGO/DPI and ECOSOC NGO communities deal with a spectrum of issues that might not normally involve collaboration; but networking will be crucial to dealing with Climate Change, especially as it challenges all of us. The purpose of the Declaration is to provide a framework for action and collaborative networking, a tool to enable us to work together on the threats of climate change, which is essential to serving all of our particular mandates.

The Declaration envisages that over the next 12 months, we will collaborate and report our efforts to the Secretary-General, while continuing our collaboration in coping with the threats. The process by which this is to be done will be facilitated by the NGO/DPI Executive Committee. The recommendations that come out of the process do not need to have full consensus support across the entire NGO community; but they do need to be developed in the spirit of collaboration with and among all NGOs.


[1] Adaptation implies making lifestyle adjustments. Mitigation implies alleviating the problem.
Una Perspectiva desde el Sur
In Memorian
de
Don Isaias Gomez Linares
WEBCASTING
CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO: UNA AGENDA MUNICIPAL
PARA EL PERU
Lugar :
Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima
Fecha : 10, 11, 12 y 13 de Septiembre 2007
Participantes : Alcaldes provinciales y Distritales y Público
en General

Objetivo General :
Conscientizar las autoridades locales sobre la necesidad de establecer una agenda ambiental municipal con enfoque vinculado a la gestión de riesgos y adaptación al Cambio Climático; teniendo, como base las disertaciones efectuadas sobre dicho tema en la 60 Conferencia Anual DPI/NGO de las Naciones Unidas.

Metodología:
1. Se proyectarán las intervenciones realizadas en la Conferencia Anual en Nueva York, las cuales serán trasmitidas a través del webcasting a las provincias del interior del país.
2. Se organizarán mesas de opinión de autoridades locales y especialistas inmediatamente después de espectar la Conferencia en Nueva York. desde las posibilidades de acción y de interés de los gobiernos locales.
3. En dichas trasmisiones los participantes en provincias podrán enviar preguntas a los comentaristas en el auditorio de la Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima las cuales serán absueltas en tiempo real a través del correo: cambioclimaticoperu@yahoo.com.

Temas de Trabajo
Cambio Climático: La Evidencia Científica.
La Economía y Política de Energía y Cambio Climático.
Desarrollo Sostenible, Responsabilidad y Normas Éticas.
Seguridad del Agua.

Resultados esperados

1. Iniciar las bases para construir una Agenda Ambiental Municipal, que incluya como uno de los ejes principales el Cambio Climático, a través de las siguientes líneas de acción:

(a) Vulnerabilidad, adaptación y mitigación, considerándose en ésta el fortalecimiento de capacidades para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad y de medidas de adaptación y mitigación a nivel de los gobiernos locales;

(b) Desastres naturales asociados al cambio climático, en la que se considera el establecimiento de sinergias entre las iniciativas en curso de cambio climático y la prevención de desastres

2. Plan de trabajo para las próximas actividades en el 2008, la organización, los participantes (roles y responsabilidades).

Organizadores
1. Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima
2. Consejo Nacional del Ambiente

Programa

Lunes 10 de septiembre del 2007
(Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)

Primera Mesa Redonda. “La economía, la política energética y el Cambio Climático”.
Saludo del Alcalde Metropolitano de Lima.
Saludo del Presidente de CONAM.
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)· Centro de Información de las Naciones Unidas CINU – Ines Scudellari· Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores – Embajador Sergio Kostritsky, Dirección General de Medio Ambiente.· Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas – Jorge Escurra Director General de Programación Multianual· MEM - Viceministro de Energía Pedro Gamio· Diario El Comercio.

Martes 11 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)
Segunda Mesa Redonda. “Evidencias científicas del Cambio Climático”.

Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:· SENAMHI - Wilar Gamarra Molina Presidente del SENAMHI· CONCYTEC - Juan Tarazona· INRENA – Marcos Zapata Instituto Nacional de Glaciología· IGP - Pablo Lagos.

Miércoles 12 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)
Tercera Mesa Redonda. “Desarrollo sustentable, responsabilidad y estándares éticos”.
Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
· CONAM – César Villacorta, Secretario Ejecutivo (e)· INRENA - Roberto Ángeles Lazo Jefe del INRENA· PRODUCE - Ing. Carmen Mora Dirección de Asuntos ambientales -)· MTC - Lic. Paola Naccarato Dirección General de Asuntos Socio Ambientales· MUNILIMA: Ruth San Miguel, Sub Gerente de Medio Ambiente.

Jueves 13 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)
Cuarta Mesa Redonda. “Seguridad del agua”.
Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)Saludo del Coordinador del evento y de los invitados.
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:· CONAM – César Cervantes, DICAREN· SEDAPAL (Gerencia de Producción – Rubén Emzian Sansuy)· DIGESA (Directora General – Sra. Fabiola Capurro Villarán)· SUNASS Presidente – Jose Salazar)

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Una perpectiva desde el Sur
In memorian de Don Isaias Gomez Linares
Panel Cambio Climatico :
Una agenda Municipal para el Peru
Organizado por
Municipalidad de Lima Y CONAM
con el apoyo de la Red Democratica

Webcast

Trasmision en Linea : (10-13 Sept.)

http://www.munlima.gob.pe/tv/
Saludos desde la Asamblea General de NNUU del Organizador del evento , Richard Jordan en NY al Panel en Lima.
Saludos de Juan Carlos Brandt , Jefe de la seccion de ONGS-DPI de NNUU en NY

Wednesday, September 5, 2007


Para participar VIA "on line" en la Conferencia de NNUU
sobre Cambio Climatico en NY.
(5-7 Sept. 2007)
(Miercoles-Viernes)

Puede :

1. Enviar un e-mail a : section1@un.org.
2. Entrando a la pagina web de UN WEBCAST , a la pagina Forum y desde alli enviar tus comentarios y/o preguntas . Lo puedes ver en la pagina web :http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/conference/Forum.htm
Preparacion de preguntas
Preparing live questions or comments for submission by email

Sessions generally include Q&A, conducted by the chair of the session, with questions or comments invited from the floor in writing, or from sites around the world by email.

When the chair of a session says that questions or comments may be submitted by email, participating sites around the world should immediately send their questions or comments with the goal of having them selected for reading and response during Q&A in the live session and live webcast by streaming video and permanent recording as part of the official archive of the session.

Questions or comments should be prepared in advance so they're ready to send immediately, and should maximize their attractiveness to be selected for reading and response during Q&A, so among other things they should be:
Very brief

Compelling, vivid, and memorable

Relevant, responsive, and constructive

This is an opportunity for people and organizations around the world, even if they can't be physically present in a meeting or event, to participate and to go on the permanent record, and they'd be well advised to make the most of it.

Information about the Conference is on the United Nations website at:
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/annual-conf.asp
and information about the plenary sessions, which are the ones to be webcast, is on the Conference website:
http://www.unngodpiconference.org/

Click on:
Conference Programme
All the sessions described there are plenary sessions and will be webcast
The 60th Annual DPI/NGO Conference website is specially designed to create a global forum for ensuring the widest possible exchange of views and experiences. It hosts live webcasts of all plenary sessions, which will be archived and available within the Webcast page.

Online participants can join the discussion by submitting questions to the speakers via the Forum page. The site also features conference programmes, special events, midday workshops, details of speakers, youth initiatives, as well as other resources for conference participants and the media. Hopefully, the website will cultivate a network of contacts to engage all. Please use it as a tool that gives you an opportunity to act.
CONFERENCE DECLARATION
CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS – AN NGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
United Nations, NY 2007
DECLARATION PROCESS

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS – AN NGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION

The Preparatory Committee of the 60th NGO/DPI Conference (September 5-7, 2007) invites all participants to concur by consensus on September 7th with the Declaration on the reverse of this sheet.

Substantive suggestions for improvement are also invited; but they must be received by 6pm on September 6th and should foster a consensus. Recommendation forms should be placed into the boxes in Conference Rooms 1 and 4, or given to the Drafting Committee members, Mr. Larry Roeder, Dr. William Gellermann and Ms. Moki Kokoris, who will often be in the UN Cafeteria near the windows overlooking the East River. Recommended suggestions MUST BE 25 words or less.

The Drafting Committee’s work is supervised by a Senior Review Committee made up of Sister Joan Kirby (outgoing Chairperson of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee), Jeffery Huffines (incoming Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee), and Richard Jordan (Chair of the 60th NGO/DPI Conference)

Members of the NGO/DPI and ECOSOC NGO communities deal with a spectrum of issues that might not normally involve collaboration; but networking will be crucial to dealing with Climate Change, especially as it challenges all of us. The purpose of the Declaration is to provide a framework for action and collaborative networking, a tool to enable us to work together on the threats of climate change, which is essential to serving all of our particular mandates.

The Declaration envisages that over the next 12 months, we will collaborate and report our efforts to the Secretary-General, while continuing our collaboration in coping with the threats. The process by which this is to be done will be facilitated by the NGO/DPI Executive Committee. The recommendations that come out of the process do not need to have full consensus support across the entire NGO community; but they do need to be developed in the spirit of collaboration with and among all NGOs.



CONFERENCE DECLARATION
CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS – AN NGO FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
1. We, over 2500 participants representing over 500 Non-Governmental Organizations from more than 80 countries,
having met at the 60th Annual UN Department of Public Information Conference for NGOs at UN Headquarters from 5-7 September, 2007, with representatives of Member States, UN agencies and programmes, the scientific community, the private sector, media and civil society, and
having reviewed the latest scientific evidence from a wide variety of experts to better understand climate change, its threats and how NGOs can broaden the base for knowledge and action to ameliorate those threats;
make the following Declaration.

2. We affirm that climate change is potentially the most serious threat humanity and our environment have ever faced, possibly causing:
catastrophic effects on our Earth’s eco-system and biodiversity;
significantly reduced availability of food, water, energy and transport;
massive migration of populations;
significant damage to our economic, political, cultural and social bases and
increased domestic and international violence.

3. To tackle these threats before they become irreversible, we commit ourselves over the next 12 months to:
unify behind a common vision of collaboration through a Framework for Action to develop and implement plans for adaptation and mitigation;
act as vocal, active partners for change with the UN, its Member States, NGOs and other members of our global community;
develop and implement individual and collective action plans.

We commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s leadership in highlighting climate change as a major priority. We urge government and UN leaders to emphasize proactive climate change priorities for the greater good in preparations for the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, December, 2007 and to partner with the NGO community.

For the sake of future generations, we urge government leaders, the UN and the whole of civil society to partner behind concrete solutions and to effectively implement them.
To that end – recognizing that our views on the challenges and opportunities needing response will evolve as this process continues – we recommend that:
the NGO/DPI Executive Committee and the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) collaborate to foster an implementation tool for the NGO community by facilitating the creation of an open, practical and transparent collaborative approach based on networking;

this process bridge the spectrum of issues of concern to the entire NGO community such as agriculture, indigenous peoples, biodiversity, livestock, nuclear proliferation, ethnic groups, multigenerational issues, poverty, food security, peacemaking, mental and physical health and sustainable development – thus networking NGOs that otherwise might not typically collaborate;
a progress report be submitted to the Secretary-General in one year and that a long-term conversation be fostered.

Monday, September 3, 2007

WEBCASTING
CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO: AGENDA MUNICIPAL

Lugar : Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima
Fecha : 10, 11, 12 y 13 de Septiembre 2007
Participantes : Alcaldes provinciales y Distritales y Público
en General

Objetivo General

Conscientizar las autoridades locales sobre la necesidad de establecer una agenda ambiental municipal con enfoque vinculado a la gestión de riesgos y adaptación al Cambio Climático; teniendo, como base las disertaciones efectuadas sobre dicho tema en la 60 Conferencia Anual DPI/NGO de las Naciones Unidas.

Metodología:

1. Se proyectarán las intervenciones realizadas en la Conferencia Anual en Nueva York, las cuales serán trasmitidas a través del webcasting a las provincias del interior del país.
2. Se organizarán mesas de opinión de autoridades locales y especialistas inmediatamente después de espectar la Conferencia en Nueva York. desde las posibilidades de acción y de interés de los gobiernos locales.
3. En dichas trasmisiones los participantes en provincias podrán enviar preguntas a los comentaristas en el auditorio de la Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima las cuales serán absueltas en tiempo real a través del correo: cambioclimaticoperu@yahoo.com.

Temas de Trabajo

Cambio Climático: La Evidencia Científica.
La Economía y Política de Energía y Cambio Climático
Desarrollo Sostenible, Responsabilidad y Normas Éticas.
Seguridad del Agua.

Resultados esperados

1. Iniciar las bases para construir una Agenda Ambiental Municipal, que incluya como uno de los ejes principales el Cambio Climático, a través de las siguientes líneas de acción:

(a) Vulnerabilidad, adaptación y mitigación, considerándose en ésta el fortalecimiento de capacidades para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad y de medidas de adaptación y mitigación a nivel de los gobiernos locales;
(b) Desastres naturales asociados al cambio climático, en la que se considera el establecimiento de sinergias entre las iniciativas en curso de cambio climático y la prevención de desastres

2. Plan de trabajo para las próximas actividades en el 2008, la organización, los participantes (roles y responsabilidades).

Organizadores

1. Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima
2. Consejo Nacional del Ambiente



Programa

Lunes 10 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)

Primera Mesa Redonda. “La economía, la política energética y el Cambio Climático”.
Saludo del Alcalde Metropolitano de Lima.
Saludo del Presidente de CONAM.
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
· Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)
· Centro de Información de las Naciones Unidas CINU – Ines Scudellari
· Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores – Embajador Sergio Kostritsky, Dirección General de Medio Ambiente.
· Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas – Jorge Escurra Director General de Programación Multianual
· MEM - Viceministro de Energía Pedro Gamio
· Diario El Comercio.

Martes 11 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)

Segunda Mesa Redonda. “Evidencias científicas del Cambio Climático”.

Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
· SENAMHI - Wilar Gamarra Molina Presidente del SENAMHI
· CONCYTEC - Juan Tarazona
· INRENA – Marcos Zapata Instituto Nacional de Glaciología
· IGP - Pablo Lagos


Miércoles 12 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)
Tercera Mesa Redonda. “Desarrollo sustentable, responsabilidad y estándares éticos”.

Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
· CONAM – César Villacorta, Secretario Ejecutivo (e)
· INRENA - Roberto Ángeles Lazo Jefe del INRENA
· PRODUCE - Ing. Carmen Mora Dirección de Asuntos ambientales -)
· MTC - Lic. Paola Naccarato Dirección General de Asuntos Socio Ambientales
· MUNILIMA: Ruth San Miguel, Sub Gerente de Medio Ambiente


Jueves 13 de septiembre del 2007 (Evento de 3:30pm a 6:30pm)
Cuarta Mesa Redonda. “Seguridad del agua”.

Coordina la mesa: Munic. de Lima (Regidor Sr. Jorge Márquez) y CONAM (Sr. Luis Geng)
Saludo del Coordinador del evento y de los invitados.
Expositores de la 60 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas desde Nueva York.
Comentaristas en Lima:
· CONAM – César Cervantes, DICAREN
· SEDAPAL (Gerencia de Producción – Rubén Emzian Sansuy)
· DIGESA (Directora General – Sra. Fabiola Capurro Villarán)
· SUNASS Presidente – Jose Salazar)
Panel Cambio Climatico
Lima,10-12 septiembre 2007
Proxima trasmision via video Internet sobre la Conferencia Cambio Climatico desde el local de Naciones Unidas , ubicado en Nueva York , conectada con Lima a ser retransmitida desde el Portal electronico de la Municipalidad de Lima, Peru . http://www.munlima.gob.pe/,
ud, se puede registrar para participar en la siguiente direccion :
La retransmision se realizara con la participacion de un Panel de especialistas en el Auditorio principal de la Municipaliad de Lima los dias 10 al 12 de septiembre del 2007 , contando con la presencia de especialistas y el Alcalde Lima. En ella se analizara las distintas propuestas y paneles que se presentaran en Nueva York vinculados a la Agenda municipal de Lima.

El Panel se encuentra dirigido a todos los alcaldes del Peru y publico en general a que se puedan conectar , a fin de participar de esta conferencia via Internet y analizar el tema , enviando sus preguntas telefonicamente o via e-mail al panel en Lima.

Las conclusiones y el video del Panel de Lima formaran parte del reporte final de la Conferencia de NNUU en Nueva York.

El evento es organizado por la Municipalidad de Lima y el Consejo Nacional del Ambiente (CONAM) Http://www.conam.gob.pe
y cuenta con el apoyo de los organizadores del evento en Nueva York. y la colaboracion de la Red Democratica.
Mayor informacion comunicarse con el Coordinador General Sr. Regidor Jorge Marquez
Immediate Release: September 2, 2007
The Light Millenniumhttp://www.lightmillennium.org
THE WILD CARDS IN CLIMATE CHANGE: WEATHER WARFARE, GEOENGINEERING AND ENMOD Department of Public Information, United Nations, Non-Governmental Organizations – 60th Annual Conference –
New York Midday Workshop - Conference Room#1
Date: September 5, 2007 Time: 1:15-2:45 PM

As part of the UN/DPI-NGO 60th Annual Conference’s Midday Workshop programs (September 5-7, 2007), Light Millennium is leading a program entitled, “The Wild Cards in Climate Change: Weather Warfare, Geoengineering and ENMOD” in the context of “Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All” on Wednesday, at the Conference Room#1 on September 5, 2007.

The co-sponsoring organizations are: Peace Action, Peace Caucus; The Turkish Cultural Center, NY; Campaign for the Earth; and The Ribbon International.The speakers on the program are:Professor Zafer AYVAZ, Ege University, Editor, Ecology (Ekoloji) Magazine, and President of the Environmental Research and Protection Agency, Turkey; Allan BUCKMANN, California State Fish and Game Department, Retired; Pauline CANTWELL, Peace Action, Convener of Peace;Caucus Rosalind PETERSON, President, Agriculture Defense Coalition.

The Midday Workshop will be moderated by Joanne Fleming VALIN, Campaign for the Earth, Canada. This workshop will discuss military weapons designed to intentionally modify the climate and weather, earth systems, and/or trigger seismic events as part of a strategic or tactical war.

Environmental warfare is almost always a violation of the 1978 UN Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD). Geoengineering projects, such as dumping iron filings in the oceans to stimulate plankton growth and sequester carbon or creating clouds with persistent jet contrails to increase the albedo (reflectivity) of the planet, could have far-reaching impacts on humans, animals, and plants. One wild card not factored into mainstream climate change analysis is the failure to address deliberate weather modification and weather control, including weather warfare. Superpower militaries have quietly made advances to control weather, perfecting ways to exploit the powerful energies for tactical advantages in war.

The same labs that brought us nuclear weapons have been working on these projects in secret.Professor Zafer Ayvaz will speak on what international law mechanisms exist to govern the conduct of nations during wartime. He will explore how these mechanisms can be applied to determine whether or not the military actions of a nation that result in environmental destruction are lawful. He will focus on adapting the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) to create a framework for civil compensation for environmental damage caused by war. Pauline Cantwell will speak on weather warfare and ENMOD. Since environmental warfare, however carried out, is almost always a violation the 1977 United Nations Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD), this conference should call for a review and strengthening.

Another wild card is the harmful effects of geoengineering projects being promoted as a solution to climate change.

Rosalind Peterson will speak on climate change associated with persistent jet contrails and the man-made clouds they produce, exploring how jet contrails exacerbate global warming and change our climate. Allan Buckmann will address the harmful effects of geoengineering programs on plant and animal life. He will speak on restoration of the ecosystem using accelerated organic processes. He will discuss the priorities of water restoration, soil restoration and plant protection and funding for such bioremediation projects.

The Light Millennium, as the sponsoring organization of the program to the UN/DPI during the Conference, associated with the DPI/UN on December 12, 2005, which is a 501 (c) (3) charitable public benefit organization whose mission is to provide an international platform for the free expression of ideas and experiences in order to foster a global connection among all people.

The organization is based in Queens, New York. For more information, see: http://www.lightmillennium.org.The Department of Public Information/ NGO section (UN DPI/NGO) seeks to reach people around the world to help them better understand the work and aims of the United Nations. Acting as a liaison between the United Nations and over 1,500 NGOs around the world, and other civil society organizations, it provides information services and oversees the annual conference of NGOs. See: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/index.asp. Or http://www.undpingoconference.org

The speeches of the program will be e-published in the Fall-2007 issue of the Light Millennium.

Contact: Bircan Unver
The Light MillenniumWeb site: http://www.lightmillennium.org
E-mail: bircanunver@lightmillennium.org /orcontact@lightmillennium.org
Or Pauline Cantwell Peace ActionWeb: http://www.peaceaction.org
E-mail: KCantw9473@aol.com"

The Light Millennium, is a 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt and Public Benefit Organization & Associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations effective on December 12, 2005.
http://www.lightmillennium.org - http://www.isikbinyili.org - http://www.turkishgreeksynergy.net -

Based in New York - On the Web since August 1999... ARE THE SOUL OF THIS GLOBAL PLATFORM. & WE ARE FOR THE GREATNESS IN HUMANITY."
Light Millennium TV Series (LMTV) at QPTV Web Site: http://www.lightmillennium.org/

E-mail: LMTV@lightmillennium.orgLight Millennium

TV proudly presents...

****UN/NGO Profiles # 8: Sir Joan KIRBY & Sherrill KAZAN****

On the Upcoming UN/DPI-NGO 60th Annual Conference:"CLIMATE CHANGE: HOW IT IMPACTS US ALL"http://www.undpingoconference.org/
Cablecasting schedule of the LMTV/UNNGO Profiles at QPTV - September 2007:****

UN-NGO Profile 8: Sir Joan KIRBY & Sherrill KAZAN
On Monday, September 3, 2007, Ch 356 8:30 pm.
On Sunday, September, 16, 2007, Ch #56, 7:30 pm
On Wednesday. September. 19, 2007, Ch. 56, 11:30 am.

**** UN-NGO Profiles 7: Juan Carlos BRANDT & Richard JORDAN
On Tuesday, Septe,ber 4, Ch#57 @ 9:30PM. (re-run)http://www.lightmillennium.org/unngo_profiles/brandt_jordan.html

(For the transcription of the UNNGO Profiles 7)

Light Millennium TV (LMTV) proudly presents UN/NGO Profiles 8: Sir JoanKIRBY & Sherrill KAZAN on the United Nations DPI/NGO 60th AnnualConference: "Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All".

In conjunction to the upcoming the UN/DPI-NGO Annual 60th Conference entitled, "CLIMATE CHANGE: HOW IT IMPACTS US ALL", at the United Nationson September 5-7, 2007.

A series of television profiles are scheduled aspart of the Light Millennium TV Series on Queens Public Television. The series, entitled "LMTV/UN-NGO Profiles," features key figures from the UNstaff and local members of NGOs working with the UN, discussing how climate change affects every individual and what citizens can do about theproblem.

The second of this season's series features the chair of the ExecutiveCommittee of the UN/DPI NGO and the representative of the Temple of Understanding to the United Nations, Sir Joan KIRBY, and Sherrill KAZAN, co-chair of the Events and Fundrasing Committee of the Annual 60th Conference, and representative of the World Council of the Peoples andthe Mexican Acedemia of the International Law to the United Nations.

The LMTV UN-NGO Profiles series was launched by the Light Millennium TV Series at Queens Public TV in July 2006. The producer of the series is Bircan ÜNVER and the host is Dr. Judy KURIANSKY.

The Light Millenniumassociated with the DPI/UN on December 12, 2005. If you have any queries about the Light Millennium TV/UNNGO Profiles, produced by Bircan Unverplease contact LMTV at LMTV@lightmillennium.org. Light Millennium TV Series (monthly "LMTV") has been airing on Queens Public TV (http://www.qptv.org/) since January 2000.

Based in New YorkCity, LMTV is under the umbrella of the Light Millennium organization, a501 (c) (3) charitable public benefit organization whose mission is toprovide an international platform for the free expression of ideas andexperiences in order to foster a global connection among all people.

For more information, see: http://www.lightmillennium.org/.
The Department of Public Information/ NGO section (UN DPI/NGO) seeks toreach people around the world to help them better understand the work andaims of the United Nations.

Acting as a liaison between the UnitedNations and over 1,500 NGOs around the world, and other civil society organizations, it provides information services and oversees the annualconference of NGOs.See: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/index.asp.Or http://www.undpingoconference.org/

Contact: Bircan UnverThe Light Millennium TV Series http://www.lightmillennium.org/
E-mail: LMTV@lightmillennium.org

Date: September 1, 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007


THEMATIC DEBATE
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
31 JULY / 1 AUGUST, 2007
"CLIMATE CHANGE AS A GLOBAL CHALLENGE"
(SECOND PART)
V. THE NEXT STEPS IN THE GLOBAL RESPONSE TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.

38. Around the world, discussions on climate change are moving with a
new sense of urgency and openness. Climate change has been included
in the agenda of several important international and regional meetings this
year, many of which have called for successful outcomes at the United
Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Bali in December 2007.
The Bali Conference will provide the world with an opportunity to further
engage in the multilateral climate change process under the auspices of
the UN and to collectively craft the next steps in the global response to
climate change.

39. To facilitate an exchange of views and to galvanize political will for
the Bali Conference, on 24 September 2007 the Secretary-General will
convene an informal high-level event in New York on the margins of the
General Assembly. The event will provide an opportunity to involve all
countries and other stakeholders in the multilateral process.

Annex A

THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK: THE UNITED NATIONS
FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE KYOTO
PROTOCOL

40. General Assembly resolution 45/212 launched negotiations that
resulted in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The convention was opened for signature on 4 June 1992 at
the Rio de Janeiro ‘Earth Summit’ the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development. Fifteen years later, the UNFCCC is at the
centre of the global response to climate change. The Convention
recognizes that man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases are altering the world’s climate. Its have established a
long-term objective to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate
system while allowing development to take place.

41. The provisions of the Convention were not sufficient so a substantial
extension to the Convention – the Kyoto Protocol – was adopted at the
third Conference of the Parties in December 1997. The Kyoto Protocol,
which entered into force on 16 February 2005, established legally binding
emission targets for industrialized countries. Since adoption, both
instruments have been further elaborated by decisions of Parties at their
annual meetings. These collective decisions now make up a detailed set
of rules for implementation of both the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.

A. Commitments under the UNFCCC

42. The UNFCCC sets an overall framework for international efforts to
tackle the challenge of climate change. All Parties must develop and
periodically submit special reports called national communications, which
must contain information on the greenhouse gas emissions of that Party
and describe the steps it has taken and plans to take to implement the
Convention. Each national communication is subject to an "in-depth"
review to provide a comprehensive, technical assessment of a Party's
implementation of its commitments.

43. The Convention also requires all Parties to put in place national
programmes and measures to control emissions and to adapt to the
impacts of climate change. Parties also agree to promote the development
and use of climate-friendly technologies; education and public awareness
of climate change and its impacts; sustainable management of forests and
other ecosystems that can remove greenhouse gases from the
atmosphere, and to cooperate with other Parties in these matters.

44. Industrialized countries, which are called Annex I Parties under the
Convention, have additional commitments. These Parties agreed to
undertake policies and measures with the specific aim of returning their
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. Annex I Parties must
also provide more frequent national communications and must separately
provide yearly inventories of their national greenhouse gas emissions,
which are subject to an annual technical review process.
45. They must also promote and facilitate the transfer of climate
friendly technologies to developing countries and to countries with
economies in transition, as well as provide new and additional financial
resources to help developing countries implement their commitments.
Such financial resources are to be provided through the Global
Environment Facility, which serves as the Convention’s financial
mechanism, and may also be provided through bilateral or other
multilateral channels.

B. Commitments under the Kyoto Protocol

46. The Kyoto Protocol shares the Convention’s ultimate objective to
stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at a level that
will prevent dangerous interference with the climate system. The Kyoto
Protocol builds upon and enhances many of the commitments already in
place under the Convention. Only Parties to the Convention can become
Parties to the Protocol. Although all Parties have agreed to further
advance the implementation of their existing commitments under the
Convention, only Annex I Parties took on new commitments under the
Protocol. Specifically, these Parties have agreed to binding emission
targets over the 2008 – 2012 timeframe.

47. To assist Annex I Parties in meeting these targets, and to promote
sustainable development in non-Annex I Parties, the Kyoto Protocol
adopted three innovative mechanisms, by which Annex I Parties may avail
themselves of low-cost emission reductions achieved elsewhere. To
support the implementation of these mechanisms, the Kyoto Protocol
strengthened the Convention’s reporting and review procedures and
created a system of electronic databases, called national registries, to
monitor transactions under the Kyoto mechanisms, and an international
transaction log to verify transactions of emissions credits, including their
issuance, transfer and acquisition between registries. It also established a
compliance system designed to strengthen the Protocol’s environmental
integrity, support the carbon market’s credibility and ensure transparency
of accounting by Parties. It is overseen by a committee, which has the
authority to determine and apply consequences for non-compliance.

C. Market Mechanisms and the Carbon Market

48. The Kyoto Protocol’s market mechanisms seek to lower the costs of
achieving emissions targets: the clean development mechanism, joint
implementation and emissions trading. The clean development
mechanism, or CDM, allows Annex I Parties to invest in projects in non-
Annex I Parties that reduce emissions, or that enhance sinks through
afforestation or reforestation. The Annex I Party can then use credits
generated by these projects toward meeting its emission target. Similarly,
through joint implementation (JI) Annex I Parties can receive credit for
investing in projects in other Annex I Parties. Finally, emission trading
allows Annex I Parties to trade credits or emission allowances among
themselves.

49. Among these mechanisms, the CDM stands out, as it provides a
vehicle to finance sustainable development projects that reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. It is overseen by an
Executive Board, operating under the authority of the CMP, that approves
methodologies for baselines and monitoring, registers projects and issues
credits. With over 1200 projects in the pipeline, the CDM has an overall
emission reduction potential of about 1.4 billion tonnes by 2012 (of which
590 million are already in the form of registered projects). The CDM is
gaining speed very rapidly, but the market needs long-term policy certainty
in demand beyond 2012 to continue to deliver.

50. Currently, CDM projects are not evenly distributed across geographic
regions. As a result, the Nairobi Framework was initiated by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank Group, the African
Development Bank, and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Nairobi Climate Change
Conference in 2006. It aims to help developing countries, especially those
in sub-Sahara Africa, to improve their level of participation in the CDM.

D. Financial architecture to address climate change

51. The contribution of countries to climate change and their capacity to
prevent and cope with its consequences vary significantly. The Convention
and the Protocol therefore call for financial assistance from countries with
more resources to those less endowed and more vulnerable. The Parties
to the Convention assigned operation of the financial mechanism to the
Global Environment Facility on an on-going basis, subject to review every
four years. The financial mechanism is accountable to the COP, which
decides on its climate change policies, programme priorities, and eligibility
criteria for funding. In addition, three special funds have been established:

(a) Special Climate Change Fund to finance projects relating to
capacity-building, adaptation, technology transfer, climate change
mitigation and economic diversification for countries highly
dependent on income from fossil fuels.

(b) Least Developed Countries Fund intended to support a special
work programme to assist the LDCs.

(c) Adaptation Fund, will finance practical adaptation projects and
programmes in developing countries and support capacity-building
activities. It will be funded from the adaptation levy on CDM projects.
Parties may contribute as well. It will become operational with the
entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol.

52. Different financing efforts need to be reconciled in a long-term legal
framework in order to provide security for carbon markets, investments and
long-term policy results. Existing financial structures and project-based
mechanisms need to complement each other so that available finances can
best be directed at both adaptation and mitigation. Governments will
consider existing and planned investment flows and finance schemes
relevant to the development of an effective international response to climate
change at Bali Conference in December 2007, with a particular focus on the
needs of developing countries.

E. Technology

53. Clean technologies are central to combating climate change and
many are already available. Cleaner technologies and energy efficiency
can provide win-win solutions, allowing economic growth and the fight
against climate change to proceed hand in hand. Given the continued
dominant role of fossil fuels in the global energy mix, energy efficiency,
cleaner fossil fuel and carbon capture and storage technologies are needed
to allow their continued use without jeopardising climate change objectives.

54. Encouragingly, according to UNEP and New Energy Finance (NEF),
sustainable energy investment has increased markedly over the past couple
of years, with wind, solar and biofuels attracting the highest levels of
investment. This reflects technology maturity, policy incentives and investor
appetite. Investor appetite suggests that existing technology is ready for
scale-up and that renewable energy can become a larger part of the energy
mix without waiting for further technology development yet investments in
climate-friendly technologies are still in their infancy.

55. To fully meet the mitigation challenge across the globe, the scale-up
needed requires greater cooperation between industrialised and developing
countries. Clear and predictable policy frameworks for private investors to
operate within and, innovative financing approaches that allow public funds
to attract private investment will also help.

56. The UNFCCC has facilitated a number of investment instruments and
opportunities targeted at technology transfer. The current technology
transfer framework provides opportunities to attract financing for climate
change technology transfer by identifying priority technology needs of
developing countries and working to create enabling environments for
technology transfer. It is also important to build capacity at the national
level to improve legal and regulatory framework, and to help project
developers at the sectoral level to demonstrate to private financiers that
proposed projects are financially attractive.

57. In addition, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) aims to play a
catalytic role in the development of markets related to climate change. It
allocates and disburses about USD 250 million per year in grants for climate
change projects. GEF funds have been used to stimulate innovative
financing mechanisms, such as risk mitigation schemes, loan guarantee
programs and micro-finance.

58. The CDM also provides a number of opportunities for attracting
finance for climate change projects by offering a legal framework and a
marketplace for Parties that are required to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The CDM makes it easier to attract financing for climate change
projects, through sales of carbon emissions reductions. As such, the carbon
market has an important role to play in bridging the technology and
investment challenge, while addressing climate change concerns.

59. The interest of development finance institutions also indicates that
there is an opportunity for climate change technology transfer in emerging
markets. An important aspect of their activities is that they attract private
financiers to climate change projects.

F. Deforestation
60. Reducing deforestation plays an increasing role in carbon mitigation,
as well as in other sectors such as stemming biodiversity loss.

61. The UNFCCC acknowledges the need to protect forests as part of
efforts to combat climate change. Under the Kyoto Protocol, emissions from
deforestation in developed countries are taken into account as part of
national commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. Tropical deforestation,
however, was excluded from the Kyoto Protocol due to controversies
surrounding sovereignty, uncertainty and implications for efforts to reduce
fossil fuel emissions. Discussions on reducing emissions from deforestation
in developing countries are underway within the UNFCCC process, at the
initiative of developing countries.

H. Calendar of meetings

• Fourth workshop under the Dialogue on long-term cooperative action to
address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention and
the resumed fourth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further
Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG)
Vienna, Austria
27 - 31 August 2007

• Thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) and the third
session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties
to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 3)
Bali, Indonesia
3 - 14 December 2007

• Sessions of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies
Bonn, Germany
2–13 June 2008

• Fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) and the fourth
session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties
to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 4)
Poznan, Poland
1–12 December 2008

• Sessions of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies
Bonn, Germany
1–12 June 2009

• Fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) and the fifth
session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties
to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 5)
Copenhagen, Denmark
30 November to 11 December 2009

THEMATIC DEBATE
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS,
NEW YORK
31 JULY / 1 AUGUST, 2007

"CLIMATE CHANGE AS A GLOBAL CHALLENGE"

This document provides an overview of some of the key issues to be
considered during the General Assembly’s Thematic Debate on climate
change, including:

the latest scientific assessments;
the two components of the response - adaptation and mitigation;
the role of the private sector; and,
possible next steps in the multilateral process.
An annex describes the existing commitments, financial architecture and
progress to date of the institutional response to climate change under the
auspices of the United Nations.

OVERVIEW

1. The average global temperature rose by 0.74°C during last century.
This is the largest and fastest warming trend in the history of the Earth that
scientists have been able to discern. Current projections show that trend
will continue and will accelerate. The best estimate indicates that the Earth
could warm by 3°C during the 21st Century. Scientists are now certain that
most of the change is due to human activities that emit greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases, of which CO2 is the most important, trap heat in the
Earth’s atmosphere, leading to the overall rise of global temperatures,
which are liable to disrupt natural climate patterns. Eleven of the last 12
years rank among the 12 warmest in the last 150 years. The warming trend
has already affected all continents and oceans.

2. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
reports issued this year dispelled many uncertainties. Climate change is
already having significant impacts in certain regions, particularly in
developing countries, and on most ecosystems. It will affect developing
countries’ ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
However, the reports also show that the problem can be addressed and
that affordable mitigation solutions exist. Economic assessments indicate
that the cost of inaction will exceed the cost of taking early action, probably
by several orders of magnitude. Dealing with climate change is an
economic necessity to avoid serious disruption to global and national
economic and social activity.

3. The challenge now is to develop a fairer and more effective global
response to address this global problem. Some of the worst scenarios
outlined by the IPCC can still be avoided by taking immediate action. This
requires concerted efforts by all countries, especially industrialised
countries and major emerging economies, to significantly reduce the
amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Since climate change is already
negatively affecting people in many areas, it is necessary to develop
methods that will allow people and communities to adapt to the realities
imposed by climate change. Developing countries will be the most affected
and are those with the most limited resources – a combination that will
require collective efforts to address.

4. 2007 is a critical year and the UN is working to bring countries
together to develop a global approach to address climate change. Many
initiatives are being launched and commitments undertaken by Member
States, groups of States, civil society and the private sector. These are
essential but not sufficient by themselves. The UN and its Framework
Convention on Climate Change offer the institutional framework within
which a global solution can be achieved (see Annex A).

I. THE CHANGING GLOBAL CLIMATE: ASSESSING THE SCIENCE
AND THE IMPACTS
IPCC latest assessments

average temperature rise of around 3°C expected this century.
during the last 100 years the earth has warmed by 0.74 °C, most
rapidly over the last 50 years; Arctic temperatures have
increased at almost twice this rate.
atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased
from a pre-industrial value of 278 parts-per million (ppm) to
379 ppm in 2005.

5. The "blanket" of greenhouse gases that occurs naturally in the
atmosphere serves the vital function of regulating the planet’s climate.
Since the start of the industrial revolution some 250 years ago, emissions
of greenhouse gases have been making this blanket thicker at an
unprecedented speed. This has caused the most dramatic change in the
atmosphere’s composition since at least 650,000 years ago. Unless
significant efforts are made to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, the
global climate will continue to warm rapidly over the coming decades and
beyond.

6. The IPCC – created in 1988 by the World Meteorological
Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme – provides
the most authoritative and comprehensive assessments of the state of
knowledge on climate change every five years. These assessments also
provide the basis for international policy-making on climate change. The
IPCC does not conduct new research, but makes policy-relevant
assessments of the existing worldwide literature on the scientific, technical
and socio-economic aspects of climate change, drawing on the work of
hundreds of experts from all regions of the world.

7. The latest IPCC assessment, released during 2007, shows that the
warming of the climate system is unequivocal and accelerating. This is
based on evidence of increases in global average air and ocean
temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global
average sea level.

8. Projections indicate faster warming is expected. If emissions
continue to rise at their current pace and are allowed to double from their
pre-industrial level, the world will face an average temperature rise of
around 3°C this century. To explain the magnitude of such seemingly
insignificant global temperature changes from a different perspective: the
difference between the present average global temperature and an ice age
is 5 °C.

9. Serious impacts are associated with these scenarios, including sealevel
rise, shifts in growing seasons, and an increasing frequency and
intensity of extreme weather events such as storms, floods and droughts.
Impacts of climate change will vary regionally, with the most significant
impacts expected in the Arctic, the Asian mega-deltas, Small Island
Developing States (SIDS) and sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change will
further constrain water resources, already stretched by growing demand
from agriculture, industry and cities. Rising temperatures will further
diminish the mountain snow pack and increase evaporation, thus altering
the seasonal availability of water.

10. Overall, developing countries are the most vulnerable to these risks.
In the most vulnerable communities, the impacts of climate change pose a
direct threat to people’s very survival. The devastating effects of extreme
events, temperature increases and sea level rise will worsen with
consequences for all of us, particularly the poor.

11. Wildlife and biological diversity – already threatened by habitat
destruction and other human-caused stresses – will face an increased risk
of extinction. The most vulnerable ecosystems include coral reefs, boreal
(sub-arctic) forests, mountain habitat and those dependent on a
Mediterranean climate. The oceans will also experience higher
temperatures, and as they absorb more carbon dioxide sea life will be
negatively affected due to increasing acidity. In all regions, the faster the
temperatures rise, the greater the risk of damage.

12. The climate does not immediately respond to reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions. Some greenhouse gases survive in the
atmosphere for years, decades or even centuries. As a result, climate
change will continue for hundreds of years after atmospheric
concentrations have stabilized. Significant reductions in global emissions of
greenhouse gases are required. However, decisions on the precise level at
which greenhouse gas concentrations should be stabilized to prevent
dangerous climate change have not been taken yet.

II. ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

13. Adaptation is a process through which societies make themselves
better able to cope with the risks associated with climate change. These
risks are real and already happening in many systems and sectors
essential for human livelihood, including water resources, food security and
health. Adaptation options are many and range from technological options
such as increased sea defenses or flood-proof houses on stilts, to behavior
change at the individual level, such as the sparing use of water, lower and
more efficient energy consumption. Other strategies include early warning
systems for extreme events, improved risk management, insurance options
and biodiversity conservation to reduce climate change impacts on people,
e.g. by conserving and restoring mangroves to protect people from storms.

14. Delay to adaptation, and that includes any delay in helping to finance
and support concerted, long-term adaptation in developing countries, will
mean increased costs and pose greater risks to humanity in the future.
Droughts or loss of glacial melt-water, for example, could trigger largescale
population movements and heightened competition over scarcer
resources such as water, food and energy. According to the Stern Review,
these effects may exacerbate existing political tensions and could drive
greater global instability.

15. The IPCC suggest that future vulnerability depends not only on
climate change but also on development pathways. Sustainable
development can reduce vulnerability. To be successful, adaptation should
be mainstreamed in national and international sustainable development
priorities and sectoral programs. Climate change can policies can also
promote activities with multiple benefits to catalyze progress in achieving
sustainable development goals, while contributing to adaptation objectives.

16. Effective national adaptation strategies may include:
Measures to enhance the scientific basis for decision making;
methods and tools for the assessment of adaptation;
education, training and public awareness on adaptation, including for
young people;
promoting individual and institutional capacity-building;
technology development and transfer;
promotion of local coping strategies; and,
legislation and regulatory frameworks, which promote adaptivefriendly
action.

17. Many countries are starting to take concrete action to adapt to future
climate changes. This needs to be expanded and integrated into national
and sectoral plans to ensure that sustainable development and adaptation
are progress together. The UNFCCC fosters adaptation by committing all
Parties to formulate, implement, publish and update adaptation measures,
as well as to cooperate on adaptation. A variety of support mechanisms
for adaptation implementation in developing countries are supported;
including, the provision of funding, insurance and technology transfer, as
well as scientific and technical assistance.

18. National Adaptation Programmes of Action are an option for Least
Developed Countries and provide a rigorous assessment of urgent
adaptation needs. They aim to expand the coping range of communities.
In addition, the ‘Nairobi’ work programme on impacts, vulnerability and
adaptation to climate change assists all countries in understanding and
assessing impacts, vulnerability and adaptation. It enables informed
decision-making on practical adaptation actions and measures and
provides a structured framework for cooperation. The UN System, its
specialised agencies and other international organisations also mainstream
adaptation into their relevant work programmes.

19. Adaptation must be implemented through a holistic approach
incorporating both local (bottom-up) and national (top-down) levels. The
role of the UNFCCC is to catalyze adaptation efforts through this integrated
and cross-cutting set of actions, which take into consideration current
climate variability and future climate change. These actions should be
linked to national and sectoral policies and objectives, as well as
environmental objectives of other Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
Bilateral, multilateral and regional collaboration must be included both in
terms of assessment and implementation of adaptation measures.
20. It is critical that adaptation be brought forward on policy agendas.
Parties to the UNFCCC have already highlighted the major challenges and
the most important elements that might be part of an enhanced multilateral
response to climate change when the first commitment period under the
Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Sustained sufficient funding for the
implementation of large-scale adaptation initiatives is of key importance.
Without sufficient and targeted funding, adaptation runs the risk of not
being effectively addressed. Short-term emergency relief, or "reactive"
funding, is costly and unsupportive of sustainable development approaches
over the long term.

21. Adaptation does not obviate the need for mitigating greenhouse gas
emissions. Both adaptation and mitigation strategies are necessary and
complementary.

III. REDUCING THE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE

22. At present total annual emissions of greenhouse gases are rising.
Over the last three decades, emissions increased by an average of 1.6 per
cent per year with CO2 emissions from fossil fuels use growing at 1.9 per
cent per year. In the absence of further policy action, these emission
trends are expected to continue. The IPCC observed that for the period
1970 - 2004, the largest growth in greenhouse gas emissions has come
from energy supply and consumption, and road transport. At the same
time, access to energy is crucial for achieving the MDGs, and is one of the
over-riding concerns of developing countries, since economic growth
demands increased or more efficient energy supply and consumption.

23. According to the reference scenario of the International Energy
Agency (IEA), global energy demand will grow by 60 per cent by 2030. In
the period up to 2030, the energy supply infrastructure world-wide will
require a total investment of USD20 trillion, with about half of that in
developing countries. The way in which these energy needs are met will
determine whether climate change will remain manageable. Both national
and international climate policies and actions are needed to "green" energy
supply and economic growth. It is also, of paramount importance that the
growth of emissions is decoupled from economic growth. Mitigation efforts
over the next two to three decades will determine to a large extent the
long-term mean global temperature increase and the corresponding
climate change impacts that are avoided.

24. According to the IPCC, there is significant potential for mitigation,
including increasing the use of clean technologies and improving end-use
efficiency. There are significant economic potential for all sectors involved
in mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades.
This potential is sufficient to offset the projected growth of global emissions
or even to reduce emissions below current levels. The IPCC suggest that
the macro-economic effects of mitigation towards stabilization (between
445 and 710 ppm of CO2e) in 2030 vary from a small increase in global
GDP to a 3 per cent decrease, depending of the stringency of the
stabilization target. The Stern Review suggests that the annual cost of
emissions reductions leading to stabilization at 550 ppm CO2e is likely to be
around 1 percent of GDP by 2050.

25. Some of the available mitigation options are in fact "no regrets"
opportunities that can yield multiple societal and environmental benefits.
At the same time, concerns of developing country oil exporting nations,
which center on the negative impacts that mitigation measures in
developed countries may have on their economies, need to be taken into
account.

26. The wide deployment of climate-friendly technologies is key to
meeting the mitigation challenge. Existing clean technologies need to be
rapidly picked up by the private sector and deployed widely, including
through technological cooperation between industrialised and developing
countries. Addressing climate change will, however, require continuous
improvement through innovation and the development of new technologies.

27. Governments can play a major role motivating the private sector to
invest in innovative technologies by providing incentives that are clear,
predictable, long term and robust. Governments are successfully using a
wide range of policies and measures that address climate change,
including regulations and standards, taxes and charges, tradable permits,
voluntary agreements, subsidies, financial incentives, research and
development programs, and information instruments.

28. Effective mitigation requires a diversified portfolio of policies to
address all major sectors. Some of the cheapest options for reducing
emissions involve electricity savings in buildings, fuel savings in vehicles
and increased soil carbon content in agriculture. Policies to promote a shift
to less carbon-intensive energy sources are particularly effective.
Governments can promote a range of energy options, including the
encouragement of natural gas as well as mature renewable energy
technologies such as large hydro, biomass combustion and geothermal.
Carbon capture and storage technology is another option to isolate carbon
emissions from the atmosphere, and to store them, for example in
geological formation.

29. Approximately 30 per cent of the projected emissions in the
residential and commercial sectors – the highest rate amongst all sectors
studied by the IPCC – could be reduced by 2030 with a net economic
benefit. Improvements relating to transport, such as providing public
transport systems and their related infrastructure and promoting nonmotorised
transport can further reduce emissions. The greatest potential
for reducing industrial emissions is located in the energy-intensive steel,
cement, and pulp and paper industries. Options for reducing agricultural
emissions are cost competitive in achieving long-term climate objectives.

30. Current rates of deforestation contribute to more than 20% of humancaused
greenhouse gas emissions, making deforestation across the globe
a significant contributor to human-induced climate change. The UN’s Food
and Agriculture Organisation estimates that between 2000 and 2005, an
average of 12.9 million hectares of forests was lost annually, mostly in
South America, followed by Africa and Asia. Arresting today’s high levels
of deforestation, promoting sustainable forest management and planting or
promoting new forests could considerably reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.

31. Climate policies can also bring many win-win benefits that may not
factor into cost estimates – positive externalities. These include
technological innovation, tax reforms, increased employment, improved
energy security and health benefits from reduced pollution. Climate
policies offering significant co-benefits have the potential to reduce
greenhouse gases and provide substantial advantages for numerous
economic sectors and for varying development goals.

32. Mainstreaming climate change mitigation is an integral part of
sustainable development. The IPCCs findings confirm that sustainable
development can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce
vulnerability to climate change. Increasingly, strategies to address climate
change are being integrated into national planning and sustainable
development strategies. Many countries have already launched major
national strategies on climate change with a range of government policies
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry, agriculture, and
forestry, as well as ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy
goals.

33. Projected climate changes can exacerbate poverty and undermine
sustainable development, especially in least-developed countries. Global
mitigation efforts can enhance sustainable development prospects in part
by reducing the risk of adverse impacts of climate change. Effective
multilateral cooperation significantly reduces the global cost of addressing
climate change compared to the costs if each country was to act alone.
The emerging carbon market resulting from the Kyoto Protocol is an
illustration of how market incentives can be used to meet objectives set by
an international agreement.

IV. THE ROLE OF BUSINESS IN SHAPING SOLUTIONS

34. The role of business as a source of solutions on global climate
change is now universally recognized, and its interaction with the public
policy agenda is increasing. The business community can offer new
choices, innovate, apply knowledge and technology to problems and turn
them into opportunities. Key to establishing such a role has been the
growing number of corporations who have understood the vital importance
of corporate social responsibility, risk mitigation, and performance
dimensions associated with the sustainable production and use of energy.
Actions to address climate change can also provide a platform for new
economic growth, new jobs, new manufacturing and service industries, and
new roles for sectors such as agriculture and forestry.

35. Many of the world’s leading businesses are stepping up to the
problem of climate change because they understand its risks and
recognize the need to act to minimize those risks. They also see enormous
opportunities in the development of new, climate-friendly technologies that
will help economies advance and grow — without continuing to pose a
threat to the global climate. They also want to improve their competitive
position in the marketplace and to get a head start developing the
technologies and the strategies that will contribute to reducing emissions in
the years ahead.

36. There is a wide range of activities that businesses can undertake to
reduce their contribution to climate change. They can implement green
power programs and cogeneration projects; they can develop energysaving
processes and products, clean fuels, biomass energy, cleanburning
vehicle engines and much more. With assistance from
governments, they can play an important role in the climate effort through
partnerships. Both research partnerships and partnerships in the
development of climate policy, can help ensure a factual basis about what
can be achieved, how to achieve it and when.

37. At the international and national levels, governments need to provide
business with certainty of direction. The challenge is to continue to create
the frameworks and partnerships that will allow business to play its
essential role in protecting the climate. They need to know that climate
change is a priority, to understand the direction and the ultimate goal of
national and international climate policies. This will allow businesses to
invest with confidence in the necessary technologies and strategies.

(END FIRST PART)