UICN - Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature

Launching a new partnership for climate change: from Bamako to Barcelona

09 September 2008 | News story

IUCN is launching a new partnership with the DGCS (Italian cooperation), the Foundation of the Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Foundation Nicolas Hulot, ENDA and the Climate Action Network to facilitate North/South dialogues and to build capacities of developing countries to influence the negotiations on climate change. A series of regional seminars are organized, with one that already successful took place in Bamako, Mali in May 2008, and with other seminars scheduled in Asia and Latin America in 2009, leading to the crucial negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009.

October 7th, at the World Conservation Congress, Barcelona Spain

Press conference annoucing the launch of the partnership (Main press room, 10:15-11:00)

At a press conference, the Prince Albert II of Monaco (to be confirmed), Julia Marton Lefèvre, Director General of IUCN, Nicolas Hulot, Nicolas Hulot Foundation, Libasse Ba (ENDA Sénégal,  Environmental Development Action in the Third World), Morgane Créach (Climate Action Network France) will announce the launch of the new partnership.

Workshop: " From Barcelona to Copenhagen, can we reach an equitable post-2012 agreement on climate change ? Giving a voice to developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America"

The impacts of climate change are already seriously impacting on the environment and therefore societies that depend on natural resources, in particular the poorest and most vulnerable communities. In the face of such challenges, a collective conscience is growing for the need to integrate adaptation in development projects, in the management of ecosystems and in planning for increased access to energy services. In parallel, the political agenda of international negotiations on a post-2012 multilateral agreement is accelerating.The next two years will be crucial for deciding the future of the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. Developing countries have an important role to play in the dialogue towards an equitable post-2012 agreement. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) organized a capacity building workshop to address climate change in West and Central Africa, in partnership with Climate Action Network France (CAN), ENDA (Environmental Development Action in the Third World), the Nicolas Hulot Foundation (FNH), with the support of the Italian Cooperation (DGCS). 40 stakeholders from 15 African countries, representing governments, NGOs, and research institutes exchanged their views on climate change policy and practice.

The Barcelona workshop (see agenda attached "Post 2012 workshop") aims to present the recommendations developed by IUCN members and partners in Africa, to discuss them with representatives from Asia and Latin America and with the audience. Regional positions will then be presented at the UNFCCC COP 14 in Poznan in December 2008. A series of regional workshops in Latin America, Asia and Africa in 2009 will further develop these regional positions, which will also be presented at the UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen in December 2009.

For more information: http://www.ccee-bamako.org.

Contact:Elise Buckle