This is an open forum for all stakeholders and people of the world to discuss their sustainable futures. It is an initiative to involve the non-empowered and under-heard voices of the people from all parts of the world. It is the wisdom of the man, woman and child living the life towards sustainable futures. The forum will discuss sustainable production and consumption, climate change, poverty eradication to corporate social responsibility and all related subjects.
The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Yvo de Boer told a news conference at the World Business Summit on Climate Change, that the businesses calling for an ambitious climate deal were "not entirely representative. There are many companies that feel threatened by the prospect of badly designed climate policy. The challenge for political leaders in Copenhagen will be to craft a way forward which safeguards business interests to the extent possible and creates opportunities."
Around 700 business executives representing pro-green industries all over the world ended a two-day World Business Summit on Climate Change on Tuesday (26th May 2009) in Copenhagen with a demand that governments turn away from fossil fuels when they sign a new global climate pact later this year.
Erik Rasmussen, Founder of the Copenhagen Climate Council, explains: "Reducing the emissions that until now have been so linked to our economic growth and betterment will be an enormous, unprecedented global challenge but will also provide significant opportunities for sustainable growth, green jobs, development and innovation".
Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed the statement and said that "there's only one way forward and that is low-carbon growth, our world should no longer depend on fossil fuels".
In a six-point statement the participants called for tough targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions. 1. Agreement on a science-based greenhouse gas stabilization path with 2020 and 2050 emissions reduction targets that will achieve it; 2. Effective measurement, reporting and verification of emissions performance by business; 3. Incentives for a dramatic increase in financing low emissions technologies; 4. Deployment of existing low-emissions technologies and the development of new ones; 5. Funds to make communities more resilient and able to adapt to the effects of climate change, and 6. Means to finance forest protection.
for more details see: http://www.copenhagenclimatecouncil.com/
The upcoming UNFCCC COP15 in Copenhagen in December 2009 has once again sparked interest and action across the world on climate change. With just nine months to go, different governments, sectors and organizations are planning and implementing thousands of activities to demonstrate their views and demands for a climate secure world. While governments are gearing up for their negotiations, stakeholders are making their own preparations to influence these negotiations. In all these isolated efforts the people and the earth still requires common meeting ground to enable a collective agreement on a sustainable climate framework to evolve. It is well known that most of the United Nations international conferences keep civil society idling and disengaged from the main deliberations. While very few understand the UN processes, there also is the question of scientific knowledge and issues awareness by participating groups that is required for the required level of lobbying the negotiators, policy makers and the politicians.
A Global Forum or Peoples' Action on Climate Sustainability is proposed in the wake of the reality that the climate vs. development (poverty) impasse may further prevail in Copenhagen and lead to unsuccessful negotiations at the COP15. Currently it is very unclear as to what these Global Forums are going to be in Copenhagen, and a host of organisations and initiatives appears to be splitting the participants into different directions. If these different forums are not designed to unite all the wonderful initiatives, the establishment will further benefit in the it delaying tactics for a climate agreement. Therefore, it is proposed that we all join hands effectively and try to create a ‘Climate Sustainability Movement’ that starts in Copenhagen and works together, engaging in an open 'Climate Sustainability Global Forum' get the negotiators and global leaders committed to sustainable climate agenda.
We believe that its important to engage all those people coming to Copenhagen as meaningfully and effectively as possible to place pressure towards achieving an agreement not simply on climate mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer or financial commitments, but essentially to find "Agreement on Climate Sustainability'. Copenhagen will achieve much less than what the expectations are drawn through the entire circus, and have a danger of making the climate debate quite sour and disappointing. Hope can be provided if we all rally together as possible as we could to create a new movement towards Climate Sustainability. Thefore, the following action is proposed;
1.Climate Sustainability PLATFORM. An open platform for negotiators, policy makers and influencers from various countries to meet participating stakeholders and the public. The Platform will be launched for participants to place their various demands to be heard.
2.Climate Sustainability MANIFESTO. A manifesto by the Copenhagen Climate Exchange participants to be presented to the COP15, Global Forum, and other important constituencies for lobbying during the COP15 period and after. The Manifesto will become a living document for an evolving network of global climate sustainability advocates.
3.Climate Sustainability Dialogue. An open plenary with keynote presentations, panel discussion and a moderated dialogue with audience. Top level speakers and panelists will be invited to make motivational presentations.
4.Climate Sustainability CAMPUS. A series of training on climate change and sustainability issues offered specially for NGOs and stakeholder participants to enhance heir knowledge required to engage in climate negotiations and lobbying. A faculty of expert lecturers and resources persons will be invited to deliver these workshops.
5.Climate Sustainability Entrepreneur, for the SMEs of the world who are left out in the world business forum as well and will be a crucial player in ensuring climate sustainability.
Background One of the main recommendations to the 3rd International Expert Meeting on a 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (Marrakech Process) was to establish a broader global stakeholder dialogue on sustainable production and consumption with greater outreach towards all governments and stakeholders. The proposal is meant to create space for a substantive dialogue on sustainable production and consumption to frame the context of the Marrakech Process. The idea for a global stakeholder dialogue forum was initially made to Multi-stakeholder Panel by the NGO forum representative Mr. Uchita de Zoysa of the Centre for Environment and Development (proposer of this project) at this meeting organized by UNEP and UNDESA The proposal has been discussed since with key persons from global stakeholders working on Sustainable Consumption and Production and is now in the development stage with their consent, support and input. The proposal now is openly disseminated for greater dialogue and development.
Introduction SCP is the engine of sustainable development. It is not just another transversal or overarching theme; it is the very framework that will enable us to meet the consumptive needs--the MDGS, among others--of all within the ecological carrying capacity of the planet. SCP, however, requires a dialogue of all nations and of all people; discussions on SCP need to involve, and be taken up by, a much broader public in order to raise the profile of SCP at the national level, and develop widespread political support for effective action. For that, stakeholders need tools, resources and solid arguments to show that the world has more to gain than to lose by adopting sustainable production and consumption patterns. Good practices need to be shared, the barriers and obstacles to SCP need to be identified, and positive future scenarios of happy, fulfilling and ecologically sustainable lives and livelihoods that will serve as inspiration and guidance need to be developed jointly. The Marrakech Process is currently centred around regional and international meeting of experts on SCP, with the support of other mechanisms: Task Forces; Cooperation Dialogue; NGO and Business Forum, etc. Creating space within the Marrakech Process to allow for ongoing dialogue on SCP, how to mainstream it, how to deal with the costs of a massive transition towards a sustainable and sufficiency economy, etc., seems both timely and necessary. The discussions of this dialogue are not only important in of itself, but it can also inform and contribute to the development of the 10YFP.
The main aspects of the proposal are based on the following aspects; i. To create an open/participatory mechanism of the Marrakech Process to dialogue and promote the international SCP objectives (eg: ensuring wellbeing of all, promoting happiness, eradicating poverty, enabling sufficiency economies, promoting green consumption - eco innovation – green procurement and sustainable markets, etc.) ii. To induce the involvement of stakeholders into decision-making and into consultative structures of the Marrakech Process iii. To ensure that right to know and right to information and knowledge is established within the Marrakech process (e.g. going beyond a discussion of “experts” and involving nations) iv. To develop and provision effective, transparent and verifiable consumer information tools relating to sustainable consumption and production. v. To provide a forum for partnerships for a sustainable planet to evolve.
It is herewith proposed that the Global Stakeholder Forum on SCP Dialogue is conducted during international and regional meetings of the Marrakech process, UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) sessions, Marrakech Task Force conferences, Business & NGO Forums, etc. and in partnership with relevant stakeholder leaders and the United Nations Secretariat for the Marrakech process.
The main projects of the Global Stakeholder Forum on SCP Dialogue will be; 1. Reviewing and making comprehensive proposals to the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (UNEP/UNDESA Living document) and 2. Conducting comprehensive multi-stakeholder review of efforts, success and failure since the Rio Earth Summit to implement the Agenda 21 objectives and action commitments on production and consumption agreed to in 1992 by governments. 3. Conduct and report on the analysis of the primary national concerns and barriers (political, economic, cultural, etc.) within and among governments in and outside the Marrakech Process to (1) developing domestic policy frameworks to encourage the shift in production and consumption patterns, and (2) developing and instituting action plans to implement those policies. This should be started within a year after the Stockholm Conference.
contact person ; Mr. Uchita de Zoysa Executive Director - Centre for Environment & Development
253/10, Stanley Thilakaratne Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Global Sustainability Solutions is an evolving global partnership for sustainable solutions that integrates profit and non-profit organizations to bring out the collective strength to achieve a better and Sustainable World. It’s a multi-disciplinary partnership including business organizations, non-governmental organizations, research organizations, media agencies and other organizations that can strengthen the movement to create a better world.
The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Yvo de Boer told a news conference at the World Business Summit on Climate Change, that the businesses calling for an ambitious climate deal were "not entirely representative. There are many companies that feel threatened by the prospect of badly designed climate policy. The challenge for political leaders in Copenhagen will be to craft a way forward which safeguards business interests to the extent possible and creates opportunities."
