Theme: Paris Agreement – Challenges & Opportunities
Date: Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Time: 9am – 1pm (followed by lunch)
Venue: Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya (opposite Asia Jaya LRT Station)
Programme
Welcome by Engr Gurmit Singh, CETDEM Chairman & Forum Moderator
YB Dato Sri Dr Haji Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar, Minister of Natural Resources & Environment Malaysia’s perspective of the Paris Agreement
HE Mr Christophe Penot, French Ambassador to Malaysia – Perspectives on behalf of the French Presidency of COP21
Mr Adrian Yeo, Malaysian Youth Delegation #MYD – What do the Youth expect from the Paris Agreement?
Mr Anthony Tan, CETDEM Executive Director – NGO persepective of the Paris Agreement
Dear Parties of the International Civil Aviation Organization, dear Ministers,
We, the undersigned, representing 64 networks, organizations and concerned European Members of the European Parliament from 28 countries, call on you to show bold political leadership and do everything in your power to reach an ambitious, binding, environmentally robust agreement to address aviation emissions in order to contribute to fulfilling the Paris commitment to limit global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.
International aviation is a top ten global polluter. In 2014, the sector emitted more CO2 into the atmosphere than the combined emissions of the 129 lowest emitting countries, causing an estimated 4.9% of all global warming. Left unaddressed, aviation emissions are expected to grow by up to 300% by 2050, which will breach our global carbon budget and significantly undermine the Paris target.
ICAO’s next General Assembly in October is your best opportunity to make sure aviation does its fair share to tackle climate change, in line with the rest of the world’s efforts. ICAO has taken almost 20 years to get to this point and we cannot afford any further delay.
The global market-based mechanism (GMBM), designed to fulfill the ‘carbon neutral growth 2020’ goal, can only deliver real climate action if you adopt stringent and transparent rules as well as high environmental standards. Consequently, we, the undersigned organisations, call on you to:
Set ambitious targets: ICAO resolution must acknowledge the Paris agreement and recognise the need to pursue urgent efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. In this regard, the carbon neutral growth 2020 goal must be a binding first step, with provisions to increase ambition over time. In order to preserve the overall goal, any exemptions, e.g. for new entrants or poorer countries, in the GMBM should be compensated by greater emissions reductions by non-exempt participants.
Guarantee environmental integrity: it is of utmost importance that mitigation projects developed to compensate for aviation’s emissions actually deliver real, additional, permanent, verified reductions and fulfill strong environmental and social criteria. Consequently, credit quality criteria for purchasing offset credits should be mandatory for all operators and a negative list banning projects with known negative environmental or social impacts (e.g. large hydro, fossil fuel projects) should be established.
Avoid double counting: the resolution must include provisions for robust accounting and MRV to ensure that credits are not counted multiple times, while being transparent and consistent with efforts and actions taken under the UNFCCC.
Adopt transparent decision making: more transparency will bring more confidence in the measure. Negotiating documents should be made public and options for public participation should be provided.
The ICAO High Level Meeting held in Montreal from May 11 to May 13 will be an important moment for you to discuss the integrity and the ambition of the GMBM. We ask that you keep in mind our requests for a robust GMBM during the discussions.
Sincerely,
List of organisations supporting, by country:
International
Climates
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Transport & Environment
WWF
Australia
Friends of the Earth Australia
Austria
Nature Code
Bangladesh
Aid Organization
Center for Participatory Research and Development -CPRD-
Belgium
Carbon Market Watch
Burkina Faso
Association Faso Enviprotek -AFEP-BURKINA-
Burundi:
Center for Support to Local Initiatives Development and assistance to vulnerable persons -CIDEP BURUNDI-
ABEJEV
APROSANTE
Cameroon
Actions Citoyennes des Volontaires pour l’Emergence du Cameroun en 2035 –ACVEC-2035-
Association Camerounaise pour le Développement, l’Entraide Sociale et la Protection de l’Environnement –ACDESPE-
Cameroon League for Development
Cameroon Youth Initiative for Rural Development –CAMYIRD-
CAMERWASH
Cercle des chrétiens pour la promotion des louanges, l’adoration, le réveil, l’intercession, le témoignage, l’évangélisation et les actions humanitaires -Mission CLARITE
Environmental Protection and Development Association -EPDA-
Education for all Cameroon –EFACAM-
Fondation des Femmes Actives pour la Promotion de l’Education de la Femme et de l’Enfant –FAPEFE-
Global Forestry Conclave and Sustainable Development
Green Horizon
Universal Union for Consumer Protection and Civil Abuse –UNUCOPCA-
Women In Development
Canada
Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique –AQLPA-
Sierra Club Canada Foundation
Colombia
Mujeres del comun
Democratic Republic of Congo
Actions communautaires pour le développement intégral
Republic of the Congo
Association Congolaise pour le Développement Agricole –ACDA-
Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement
Germany
Bread for the World
Naturschutzbund Deutschland –NABU-
Ghana
Abibimman Foundation
Guatemala
Mesa Nacional de Cambio Climático
Hungary
Clean Air Action Group
India
Gujarat Forum on CDM
Manipur Nature Society
Malaysia
#PowerShiftMsia
México
Entornos educativos
Nepal
Global south initiative
The Netherlands
Hivos
Nigeria
Climate Change Network Nigeria
Development Research and Synergy Initiative
International Centre For Women Empowerment & Child Dev –ICWECD-
Poverty Alleviation for the Poor Initiative
Smiles Africa International
Poland
Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczne EKO-UNIA
Polish Climate Coalition
Portugal
Quercus – Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza
Switzerland
International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse –INPEA-
With the signing of the Paris Agreement on 22nd April 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters, we are also opening our application for Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD) to this year’s COP22, the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) @ Marrakesh, Morocco!
COP22 will be another historic COP to build up the momentum right after Paris Agreement, and we’re excited to meet a delegation of change makers who are dedicated to fighting for a just and stable climate.
Your application is due 11:59 pm 15th May 2016, Sunday (GMT8+). – Online Form Here
We will do our very best to make this program financially accessible to all delegates – and with that said, delegates are inevitably responsible for covering their travel, housing, and food expenses. The MYD, will work to secure grants, hold fundraisers, and help raise money to cover trip expenses. Delegates also typically undertake individual efforts to raise funds to cover their costs of attendance. Leading up to COP22 we’ll have members of the delegation, who are experienced in fundraising, support others through the process of personal fundraising.
If you have more questions or concerns about the financial aspect of COP22, please feel free to reach out to us (powershiftmsia@gmail.com).
The Paris Climate Change Agreement opens for signature on 22 April 2016 during a high-level ceremony convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, marking an important international push on the way to the agreement’s timely entry into force.
Guide to the Paris Agreement Signing Ceremony – Friday, 22 April 2016 – Click Here
Over 130 countries have confirmed to United Nations headquarters that they will attend the signing ceremony, including some 60 world leaders, amongst them President Francois Hollande of France
The event will also be attended by the President of COP21, France’s Segolene Royal, and the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Christiana Figueres.
All Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change are invited to sign the agreement, taking note of established international practice that full powers are required to sign.
A country’s signature on the agreement initiates the critical domestic process, on which depends its final entry into force.
This process takes many separate forms and can be rapid or lengthier, depending on each country’s domestic practices. The outcome may be countries’ instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
Following each national completion of this process, instruments are submitted to the Depositary under the UN Secretary-General in New York. It is only once such an instrument is deposited that a country can be said to have ratified the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement will enter into force on the 30th day after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 % of total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary. An information note on the entry into force of the Paris Agreement is available here.
To mark this special signing ceremony, a social media tree-planting campaign has also been launched. The campaign uses the hashtags #ParisAgreement and #Trees4Earth.
Add your name & support to the Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders
Individuals and Groups:Add your name, along with religious leaders and people of faith from around the world will be handed over by eminent religious leaders to the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark on 18th April 2016 at an official event in New York.
The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders (2016) outlines religious leaders and faith communities positive judgement of the adopted Paris Agreement and urges for its prompt signature and ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. It also insists that there is a significant increase in the current levels of ambition relating to emission reductions, financial flows, adaptation, loss and damage and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies – so as to keep temperatures within reach of 1.5C.
The Statement also serves to renew the strong commitment of the faith community to remain active in defining the moral responsibility to care for the Earth and encourages it own communities to reduce emissions and to divest and reinvest in renewables.
Six Key Points within the Interfaith Climate Change Statement:
Urge governments to rapidly sign, ratify and implement the Paris Agreement, and to increase pledges to reduce emissions in line with keeping the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels;
Insist on rapid emissions reduction and peaking by 2020, in order to keep the 1.5C goal within reach;
Strongly advocate for greater flows of finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage;
Urge the swift phase out of all fossil fuel subsidies and a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050;
Encourage faith communities to reduce emissions in their homes, workplaces and centres of worship and to support and stand in solidarity with communities already impacted by climate change; and
Call for fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment in renewables and low carbon solutions, including within our own communities, and/or by engaging companies on climate change.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited Heads of State and Government to come to New York on 22 April to sign the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement clinched last year. Under the agreement, 195 nations have agreed to combat climate change and to unleash actions and investment towards a low carbon, resilient and sustainable future.
The Paris Agreement can only be successful if everyone fully supports it and helps bring it to life – from national, regional and local leaders; from investors and businesses to citizens who desire to live in a safe and prosperous world, and who want to actively shape that world.
Ahead of the signing event, you can say what the agreement means for you and what you are going to do to support it in a short, maximum 30-second video you record on your smartphone, pad, notebook or desktop device and post to social media. You can record and post the video between now and 28 February. Keep in mind that the recording doesn’t have to be fancy – it just has to have a powerful and compelling message!
Some of the questions you can touch on in your message are:
How concerned are you about climate change?
What are your hopes and aspirations for a better future now that we have the Paris Agreement?
How do you think your country, city, firm or organization can contribute?
What are you personally ready to do now to make the Paris Agreement work?
Once you have recorded your video, please post it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, using the hashtags #MYD#ParisAgreement and #Means4Me. You can build sentences such as: The #ParisAgreement #Means4Me more secure jobs. Check out my video!” or “The #ParisAgreement #Means4Me: a safer world. See what I have to say” to use as short texts to post together with your video.
If you are posting to Instagram with a message, keep in mind that the maximum length is 15 seconds. And remember to include the right hashtags.
At the end of your video, can also ask someone you know to make a similar recording, or include that call in your text message (think ice bucket challenge!).
We’ll share the best ones via our social media channels and compile a collection of the best short videos in our Newsroom.
If you’d like to help promote the campaign, we have a full set of digital assets in English, French, Spanish and German you can share.
