Thanks to The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC), one of our generous funders to COP21 that the three of us had the chance to attend the launching ceremony of Paris Declaration on Agriculture Diversification on the 7 December 2015 by UNMC special arrangement.
This declaration is spearheaded by the Malaysia-based CFFRC or Crops for the Future Research Centre. The government of Malaysia together with the University of Nottingham in Malaysia are the guarantors of CFFRC which was established in 2011 to provide research support to improve food and nutrition security, health and incomes of the poor, as well as the sustainable management of fragile ecosystems.
The ceremony started with a short presentation by Prof Sayed Azam-Ali, the CEO of CFFRC. During his opening speech, he reminded or more precisely, enlightened (since many of us has no idea on this) the audiences on our current situation of global agriculture. The whole world is mainly dependent on 4 major crops- maize, wheat, rice and soybean to feed 7 billion people. Problems that accompanied by this monoculture does not only cover food insecurity, but also extend to social problems such as malnutrition and poverty.
Prof Sayed Azam-Ali, CEO of CFFRC giving his opening speech
Since the world relies heavily on a few crop-producing countries, any extreme weather brought by climate change will lead to massive production shock. Food shortage in this sense will further lead to malnutrition especially among the people in the poorer countries. Many of the farmers and people working in the agriculture production will be directly and indirectly affected due to poor crops yield. This will affect their livelihood and poverty will befall them.
That is where agriculture diversification steps in. More variety means less reliance on a single major crop and this will reduce the effect of both poverty and malnutrition has any of the crops is severely impacted by climate change. Besides, this is able to promote the underutilized crops which might be more resilient to climate change.
I have always known that climate change affects agriculture much as climatic conditions are very influential on the growth of crops. Perhaps as a city kid, the problems of agriculture all felt too distant to me. Unlike my parents, I have never grown up with the view of fruit estates or golden paddy field but I believe I am not alone, majority of the younger generation in my country are the same. Food is always abundant and easily available in the city and even most of the rural villages, but that does not mean it will stay the same way forever.
Think about it- where does all my daily food come from? We use money to buy it, but when there is food shortage, what is left for us to buy? I am a rice person, as further confirmed by my 2 weeks stay in Paris where I have been craving for rice for several times.
I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW AM I GONNA LIVE WITHOUT RICE, SERIOUSLY.
NO RICE = No Nasi Lemak, no Sushi etc. Well, you get what I meant; at least from an individual level and when I am a typical foodie Malaysian.
However, it also came to my concern that encouraging the need of diversifying agriculture might also lead to more forest being deforested for such purpose in Malaysia. But the idea of urban farming mentioned by Prof Sayed in our casual conversation sounds like a brilliant idea to solve this!
I personally like how urban farming could diminish the transportation hassle from production sites to selling place. Besides, it can provide opportunities for urban people to witness and experience how is it like to farm near to home; which somehow filled in the gap that I mentioned between myself with agriculture production. Most importantly, vertical farming in urban area can also solve the problem of limited land use. Through this method, there is high chances where we can minimize deforestation and diversify our crops.
So Hurray 😀 to this wonderful idea and keeps our finger crossed for the implementation !
Prior to COP21, we planned to conduct a Malaysian gathering or more like a makan (eating) session to gather Malaysians inside and outside COP. I was in charge of conducting and it seems to be so much harder than whichever gathering that I have done before.
Firstly, Malaysians in COP21 are very diverse. They are all both inside and outside COP; and very have different schedule. People from GEC, TWN, some other national delegations including negotiators are those who are inside COP. Whereas Wininie from JOAS, Quek Yew Aun and some other Malaysians who have no access to enter COP venue. Plus, all of them arrive Paris at different timing.
Secondly, it’s a hassle finding a venue. People inside COP are busy with own stuff and would prefer to stay in. But if the meeting place is inside COP, what about the others outside? Well partially it was just me being too perfectionist of wanting to include as many people as I can. I think it’s also important to let people inside COP to know what are the people doing outside COP and vice-versa. This might lead to more coordination and collaboration too!
Thirdly, it’s actually my fault not placing this as my priority to do which leads to late coordination from my side. I only started to coordinate at the end of first week.
Even with all the odds against me, I decided proceed, set a time and see how it goes. Sunitha from national delegation and Raj from GEC came, I thought it was better than nothing. It was pretty casual, networking and exchanging opinions. Most importantly, so nice to listen to the familiar Malaysian English :p
There was an unexpected round of “gathering” few days later. It was at the end of negotiations period where our negotiator- Dr Gary as well as Hilary from TWN who are apparently the busiest people in COP actually told us they r free and they offer to meet up with us (asked separately btw). LIKE WOAHHH. Am i dreaming listening to this. But yeah! Rare chance! So we asked Sunitha to tag along too and tadaaa our unexpected second round of Malaysian makan session kinilah terjadi. Woohoo! (With higher MYD attendance hurrayyy)
MYD members lunch session with fellow Malaysians in COP21- (3rd from the left: Dr. Gary Theseira, Malaysia national negotiator; 4th from left: Hilary Chiew from Third World Network (TWN); and 1st from right: Sunitha Bisan from Malaysia National Council of Women’s Organisations (NCWO).
Lesson learnt: this type of makan session can be done more than once, to fit this kind of situation of everyone is everywhere. And I think MYD is capable of organising this because of our pre engagement with fellow Malaysians. So we should continue organising such makan session and make it a MYD tradition in every COP. Fantastic 😀
P.s. you know, the adults are actually very happy to have our presence- the bubbly and happy youths around them especially when they are stressing out with the negotiations. Didn’t know that is actually the easiest thing we can contribute in COP which is just simply our presence.
Hilary Chiew, Climate Change Researcher,Third World Network
Hilary Chiew [4th from left] with MYD during COP21
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP21 ended last month, with 188 countries and other stake-holders negotiating the Paris Agreement to mitigate the worsening effects of climate change. Malaysia has approximately 14 years to meet its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent from its 2005 levels. Whether or not this is possible, given the level of government and private sector initiatives, remains to be seen. Today, we explore the policies implemented by Malaysia in achieving the pledge made in COP21, assessing the positive actions taken and the barriers the country will face along the process.
This is a report by Jason Lim and May Barani Lwin.
I have experienced several situations that made me rethink what is my role and why I want to attend COP21.
First time was during my third day in COP21- a random conversation with a Professor from USA. She asked me “what do I wanna achieved here in COP21?”
Second time was the conversation with Tun Jeanne at the beginning of COP21 second week. Her question was: “Why are you here in COP? What do you want to do in your life? What is your dream?”
To be honest, I do not have a firm answer on what was my goal here in COP21. It didn’t even came across my mind that I actually could enter COP (until the last minute offer of accreditation). Thus, I have no special expectation in COP21 before I come. To me, my very basic purpose since I decided to join MYD was to attend COP; experience it; share it to more people- let them know this issue needs more attention and of course, to meet like-minded people from different part of the world.
In fact, I was quite lost in the first week of COP because I somehow made the wrong choice to immerse myself in negotiations- which I don’t really understand and capable of tracking it; and it demotivated me a lot. Read how I struggled and move on from Week 1 here.
I was amazed by the choices above actually. I didn’t know that there are people just to come here to showcase their work of their government and organisation; or just to establish contacts rather than directly involved in the negotiations (from my perspective). There is a choice of OTHERS as well, what else can they do in COP? What about me? What is my answer for this?
Finally, this side event at the very near end of COP21 called “Mobilising Ambitious State and Non-State Climate Action in the Paris Agreement and Beyond” reminded me the same question again (View Presentation slides of the session). But this time, with results from the survey that I filled in above! Apparently INS was one of the presenter in this session and they presented their survey results from COP 17-19:
It actually didn’t came across my mind that the constituencies in COP are playing different roles or having different priorities- from influencing negotiations, to propose solutions or provide expertise; or even the very basic one to raise awareness. I am surprised that most of the weightage goes to provide expertise rather than influencing the agenda, which I think is another level of involving non-state actors in the negotiations- working together instead of working against the government. In addition, YOUNGO wasn’t part of their study constituency (I was like whyyyyyy didn’t I asked the presenter when I was there).
So I was in deep thought- does that mean youths are not useful in COP? Who are we in adults’ eyes? Are we just a bunch of kids making noise out there and have zero influence on the negotiations? What about myself? How am I useful in COP21 in this case?
I guess, youths might not be capable of directly influencing the negotiations by providing our expertise. But while filling in the survey form, it somehow helped me sort out what youth are actually doing here. I think our presence in COP is a form of representing the youth voice; our presence might enhance government’s accountability; also we are here to report about the conference to wider audiences.
Most importantly, I think we are here to learn, absorb and understand how the process work; and we might be those “experts” or negotiators one day later. One more thing I want to highlight was the option of “inform myself about climate change issues” in the survey- I kinda laughed when I saw this option because I thought people who come to COP are already experts in climate change. However, when I was doing this reflection on my goal here, I realised I have gotten a lot of new information and new insights on different issues in climate change because of COP (something that I wouldn’t learn back home, e.g. gender issue in climate change)
Thanks to all these unexpected hints that popped out throughout COP21 that somehow helped me sorted out my purpose in COP. It might sounds weird because I only get to know my purpose in COP21 when I am inside COP, but I view this more like how keep on reminding myself; reposition and reflect my own role in COP21 constantly. So, my personal goal in COP21- there you go:
To find out what are the amazing things Malaysians are doing in COP, and let the world know especially our very own Malaysian back home.
To understand how negotiation works
To explore what youth does or can do in this huge event- (this article answered and somehow achieved this goal!!!)
To discover how I can position myself in climate change
Update on post-COP after tonnes of reflection: I think I have achieved my goal in COP21, although not very satisfactory on the a) and b) part; but at least I know what I should do to make it better next time 😀
My previous article focuses on the bright side of Paris Agreement. I would like to reiterate that all points mentioned in both articles, are based on my personal reflection and thoughts. You may find that this read-through takes more time than you expect, especially if the information is dense or complex.
Technical corrections of Shall and Should
During the Paris Committee meeting on 12 December (the last day), the Secretariat announced that there are some technical corrections to the final draft text. Immediately after the announcement, the agreement was gavelled by Sir Laurent Fabius, President of COP21.
One of the technical corrections which I am most concern, is the replacement of the word ‘shall’ to ‘should’ in Article 4.4 (page 22).
“Developed country Parties should continue taking the lead by undertaking economy-wide absolute emission reduction targets…” (Article 4.4, Paris Agreement)
Replacement of one word may change the content of the whole text. Albeit Paris Agreement is an agreement with legally binding force, the word ‘should’ is just a “selective” principle while the word ‘shall’ is an obligation. In other words, developed country Parties have the right to choose to continue taking the lead, or not. The word ‘shall’ is to differentiate the responsibility of developed and developing countries based on Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) principle. Since the word ‘should’ is in use now, the responsibility for both developed and developing countries is at the same level.
Loss and Damage
Paragraph 52 in the decision part stated that “Agrees that Article 8 of the Agreement does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation”. (Article 8, is the agreement for Loss and Damage). This means developed countries will not hold liability for the damage they had caused, by centuries due to historic emission. Frankly speaking, the situation would be like: “Oops, we acknowledge your loss and we do feel sorry about it, unfortunately we are unable to compensate your loss.” Besides, the language in Article 8 is also weak due to the use of the word ‘should’ and ‘may’ in 8.3 and 8.4 respectively (page 26).
Uncertainty
There are uncertainties in the agreement. The agreement is perceived to be an achievement for Obama’s administration, or to the world. But, the presidential term for the United States President Barack Obama will end in Jan 2017, which also means his term will end in almost a year’s time. He will not be able to oversee the implementation of the agreement. Besides, United States may disagree with the agreement, if the President for the next term does not have the same interest as President Obama did. This “what if scenario” also applies to countries from all around the world. In a plain text, the success of the agreement depends on political stability as well. As for the finance, the issues on developed countries fulfilling their pledges of $100 billion annually, starting in 2020 are still unclear. What is missed in the agreement – there are no explicit targets in the text.
Conclusion
“The agreement is not perfect, but what is in life?” said by Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UNFCCC during her interview with CNN after the agreement is adopted.
Some people said the Paris Agreement is a flaw. Well, nothing is perfect in this world but nothing will happen if nothing is being done. As for me, Paris Agreement will be a turning point. We will see a shift from fossil fuel era to a more sustainable and renewable energy era in the near future.
Last but not least, the Paris Agreement is just a stack of paperwork full of unsound obligations, sound actions are required in order to achieve the objectives of the agreement. Domestic actions such as mitigation and adaptation need to be done to achieve the contribution listed in the INDC, without compromising the needs of the people and ecosystem and, inline with the objective of Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)(page 4)
I was at COP21 for both weeks. There are things that i like and dislike.
What I Like
Al Gore speech
I attended 2 events which the presentation was delivered by Al Gore. His events were always full house. One of his events “Impacts and Solutions to the Climate Crisis” was held at La Loire, which is the biggest plenary that can fit at least 1,200 audiences. Yet, the whole plenary was full and some of audience even need to sit on the floor. He is such an influential guy. His speech was like a magnet. It attracts everyone’s attention. While delivering his presentation, he also show us some video clips that show the devastating effect of climate change. One of the video clip really struck my heart and i almost cried. The video clip show an African guy was being interviewed about his likelihood when the drought is still persist. Halfway through the interview, that guy just break into tears. Together with the background music, it make the atmosphere so sentimental. Besides, I saw people taking out tissue as well. *if you know what I mean*
Relaxation room
“Are you kidding me?” was my first thought when i heard these 2 words. I believe you have the same feeling as me right now. The relaxation room indeed is a nice amenity. The room equipped with comfy sofa bed. The room is also very popular for people who want to take a short nap due to its peaceful and quiet atmosphere, except the fact that sometimes you may heard people snoring.
The relaxation room at COP21. Everyone was taking a short nap after a tired day. Photo from ClimDev – Africa
Because of it popularity, the room was always packed and it is very hard to find a seat during daytime. There is only once that the room is empty as that day is Sunday (6th December) and there is no event happening in COP21. To be frank, the sofa bed felt more comfortable than the bed in my apartment. I stayed in the room for the whole afternoon to write my article, not forgetting taking a short nap.
Green Zone
Green Zone aka Climate Generation Space is a huge space for debates, knowledge-sharing, discussions and conviviality. I like Green Zone because the atmosphere here are much lively and colorful as compared to Blue Zone. I thought I was at a huge adult version of kindergarten when I first step into the zone. Moreover, I heard quite a few times that the fish n chip here are delicious. Too bad I missed the opportunity to taste it.
A medium sized #COP21 sculpture
Drawing near Indigenous People Pavilion at Green Zone
Bilateral meeting
I attended 2 bilateral meeting organised by MYD. They are the UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) and Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC). After listening to both of the parties, I realised that I am not the only one who felt lost and frustrated during COP21. COP21 indeed is a huge circus with many events happen concurrently, which make us want to explore here and there and ended up getting lost. Well, getting lost is part of growing up isn’t it? By getting lost, one will know what is his main goal is about. I realised my area of interest is policy/negotiation tracking. I would like to learn more about policy and negotiation technique in the future.
Food is everywhere
In COP21, you hardly possible get hungry because you can find food anywhere. The only problem you need to worry is whether you have sufficient money or not. The food i like the most is the pastry because it is cheap and filling. Among all pastry, chocolate pain au lait is my favourite.
Choc pain au lait – my favourite pastry
Charging station
There are 3 different charging methods in COP21. One is the charging lockers, second is a charging “tree” station and the third is the bicycle charging station. I have tried all. I discovered the charging lockers on my first day at COP21. As the name described, one can charge his electronic devices in the designated box and locked it. The key will be kept by the owner until he take back his devices. Having said that, the lockers were always occupied started from the end of 1st week, even early in the morning. *suspicious*
The charging “tree” station is using plug n charge method and there are plenty of plugs available in a “tree”. Not many people were using this because the devices will be exposed to public and there is a risk of getting stolen.
Bicycle charging station is the coolest innovation among all. State of art is simple. You cycle, you get electricity. Thus, this will not be a good choice for lazy people.
Bicycle charging station
What i “meh”
Closed events
Some of the negotiation process like ADP spin-off group meetings are still closed. In other words, people like me who is a yellow badge holder (observer) was not allowed to participate. I have felt a bit frustrated because I am unable to get first hand information or get to know what is going on during the negotiation process. In order to achieve maximum transparency and accountability, participation from civil society is a must.
Time consuming to walk from Blue Zone to Green Zone
Due to stringent security measures, we are required to walk for at least 15 mins to reach one of the zones albeit they are just next to each other. The most irritating part is we need to go through security check per entry. In other words, a return trip will require 2 security checks. All electronic devices need to be taken out and put in one box, winter coat or windbreaker need to be in one box and bags need to be in one box too. #hectic
Cold water
The water from all water dispensers in COP21 are cold. Hot water is not available publicly and i need to ask from the waiter in food stalls. Sometime, i was not allowed to do so unless i buy a drink from them. #cunning In my opinion, hot water dispensers should be provided as well so that i can brew MILO – my favourite drink since childhood.
