Durban talks

 

            
I am at Durban witnessing the UNFCCC COP17. Two days left for negotiations and things are getting hot here. Politics have begun in the negotiations. Battlelines are drawn, stances will get harder, and swords will be drawn out. My serious concern is about the wrong messaging that is coming out in the media. Indian negotiators are going great job and I am glad to see India bringing equity back on the agenda.

Well, I am holding two documents in my hand, one is the AWG LCA amalgamation text and another is the concept note of UNCSD Education Working Group called “Framing Policy Dialogues: A Well Prepared Society”.  The AWG LCA amalgamation text is basically the compilation of parties submission to AGW LCA Chair which on first look seems to have many loopholes but I need to closely review the documents.

At the UNCSD Education Working Group meeting, the members discussed the education part of the AWG LCA amalgamation text under the Agenda item 3.2.6 on economic and social consequences of response measures. The UNCSD Education Working Group is chaired by Dr. P J Puntenney believes that the part under education needs to be revised. The group is now trying to meet various countries’ negotiators and convince them to suggest the changes in the text. But right now, the major focus of all is the future of Kyoto Protocol and work on the LCA track, source of finance and mitigation commitments.

It is overwhelming to see youth wearing T-shirts saying “I love KP, true love needs commitment”. Kyoto Protocol is a very important instrument and there are high expectations raised by South African delegation that they won’t let KP being murdered at Durban. It is neither a secret nor a myth that South Africa is one of the vulnerable countries to be affected by climate change. But this also leads to a question of ethics. KP for me is a great instrument because it has principles such as common but differentiate responsibility and polluter pays. We must see climate change as an ethical problem because:

(a) it is a problem caused by some people in one part of the world that puts others and the natural resources on which they depend at great risk,

(b) the harms to these other people are not mere inconveniences but in some cases catastrophic losses of life or the ability to sustain life, and

Climate change raises civilization challenging ethical questions thus any proposed climate change regime must be examined through an ethical lens. We must also understand that climate change is a global challenge and everyone living in this world should contribute to safeguard the environment. No national government, even that of a super power, no group of countries, even the richest ones, can meet these challenges alone.

I would like to end by quoting few lines from Earth Charter Preamble for you to ponder over,

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future.

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise.

To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms

we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny.”

Genesis of environment education

Education is most common and most practical solution to protect earth from degradation. Raising awareness, increase knowledge and providing skills would help to combat the challenges of environment protection. Education is the process through which knowledge, values, attitudes and skills can be imparted to children and youth and motivate them to take actions towards protection of environment.


"Education & Youth Empowerment" group of Indian Youth Climate Network aims to provide youth with

•  ability to be informed youth
•  provide knowledge and skill to protect environment
•  to empower youth to take part in global governance
•  influence decision making process through participation

Genesis of environment education

The world first Intergovernmental Conference on Environment Education (ICEE) was organized by UNESCO and UNEP in October 1977, known as Tbilisi Conference. The objectives identified in Tbilisi Declaration were raising awareness, providing knowledge, motivating with set of values and attitudes, skills for solving environment problems and participation. Later in 1992, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio, popularly known as the Earth Summit resulted into documentation of Agenda 21 and three conventions. Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 deals with "Promoting Education, Public Awareness and Training". The programme areas identified are reorienting education towards sustainable development, increase public awareness and promoting training. In December 2002, at the 57th meeting of United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). ESD addresses three pillars of sustainable development i.e. Society, Environment and Economics with culture as underlying dimension. One can notice the change in the language of the text from Tbilisi declaration which talks about environment education with awareness, knowledge, values, skills and participation as key words to integrating society, environment and economics for ESD. People, development, livelihood and environment were taken as deeply interlinked issues and combined approach was needed to safeguard the environment. UNCSD also has Education Caucus which works towards promoting ESD in collaboration with other UN agencies and NGO's.

The Earth Summit Agreement (Rio 1992) lead to three legally binding Conventions aimed at preventing global climate change, protecting diversity of biological species & combating desertification. All the convention has education as an important component.

• Article 6 of UNFCCC on education for Climate Change
• Article 13 of UNCBD on education for conservation of biodiversity
• Article 19 of UNCCD on education to combat desertification and mitigate effects of drought

Chair of SBI with Article 6 star given by Youth

Youth has played an important role in leading to a decision on Article 6 at Cancun, UNFCCC COP 16. Article 6 of the UNFCCC was at a dormant stage until COP 8 held in New Delhi, India in 2002 where New Delhi Work Programme Decision 11/CP.8 (NDWP) was formulated leading to a five year work programme on Article 6 with country driven approach. This decision has encouraged programmatic response by NGO's, designated national focal points for Article 6 activities, increase availability and dissemination of information on climate change and prepare assessment of needs but there was no special funding mechanism for the same. The New Delhi Work Programme was amended in 2007 (aNDWP) at COP 13 and intermediate review of aNDWP was held in COP 16 in 2010. Before the intermediate review by the parties at COP 16 at Cancun, the youth have gathered the energy towards this pending review to make sure the decision is finalized at Cancun. Kari Anne Isaksen (members of YOUNGO, youth consistency under UNFCCC) had made an important intervention at intersession at Bonn under Contact Group of Article 6 at SBI plenary. This youth intervention has influenced the decision at Cancun on Article 6. Youth inputs were incorporated in the final decision text. This decision is a victory of youth in UNFCCC process as this would enable youth to;

1. Have voice in your country's decisions on climate change.
2. Get support and recognition for youth-led education on climate change that takes place
outside of curriculum.
3. Work closer with government and other decision-making bodies to improve Climate Change
education in your country.
4. Increase and enhance the role of Official Youth Delegates at UNFCCC meetings.
5. Argue for increased funding or training for young people attending UNFCCC meetings.
6. Get some training in climate change communication and education.
7. Include women and girls in national climate change strategies.
8. Get support from the Secretariat to catalyse action on education.

The challenges ahead for the youth is to make the governments accountable for implementing Article 6 decision of Cancun Agreement, having a national focal point appointed with whom the youth of nation can interact and work together towards climate education.

The youth sincerely hope that the decision on Article 6 of UNFCCC would be implemented soon and our future will not be [bracketed].