III.Pillars of the system:
- Interactive system
- Tool to measure impacts on Kyoto Protocol
- Parliaments’ convention
Were are facing the worst scenario: GHG emissions have an increase of 70% between 1970 and 2004 alone, under the worst conditions: overlapped of efforts, fragmentation of resources, lack of information, inconsistencies on the use of tools, no access to internet for many LDC´s countries, etc. In addition a feeling that at national an international level were are not achieving results spread all over the world, submerged us in discourage and stagnation.
The need for a better and stronger response for the current climate change crisis through a change on mentality and hence on behavior is paramount.
As Al Gore have stressed: “… the outcome about which we wish to be optimistic is not going to be created by the belief alone, except to the extent that the belief brings about new behavior…”.
A change on habits and general culture on consumption, business and public policies is urgently needed.
The private sector is showing a clear resistant for changes despite efforts and pressure form national and international organizations. The failures of the last negotiations: COP15 Copenhagen and COP16 Cancun confirms this concerns, as well as the consideration of the extension, after 2012 of the Kyoto protocol in itself. This agreement seems to be the big hope, not only to comply with ambitious targets of GHG emissions reduction but also for the commitment that the countries members establish for the near future and the successful results through the implementation of their mechanisms (Clean Development Mechanism, Joint implementation and Emission Trading).
However, a crisis on the political will make the future of this agreement uncertain, especially from the pressure of US and Europe, despite dissent from developing countries, the most affected and at the some time more disempowered in times of international negotiations among actors representatives of big financial interests.
There has been a 2.4% increase of emissions in 2010, which follows a 7% drop in 2009, due to the economic recession and growth of renewable energy generation, according to the European Environmental Agency .
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU has a commitment to reduce emissions on average by 8% between 2008 and 2012.
How could we meet these targets within that shortage of time?
Despite the existence of big international structures, since 1997 public and private organizations and institutions have shown a clear incapacity to face Kyoto protocol challenges. Where effectiveness and union towards a common goal were essential, stagnation and lack of leadership and vision was the axis that leads this process, leaving an empty space that only could be fulfilled by a system where civil society and private-public sector could work beyond international negotiations.
We have illustrated this situation with the magnificent painting of Tarsila do Amaral: “Nude and cactus”, as big feet’s that represents the big roots of the international institutions with a small head that represents lack of vision and creativity.
Several experts and researchers focus the action in the following principle: “thinks global, act locally” , as a way no to rely on an international framework. Under an uncertain future and the pressure from big corporations on governments all over the world, the small but multiple efforts against global warming become a key point and should take the lead and go beyond big financial interests. That is the reason why this system highlight the importance of reaching those regions that do not have access to Internet, and have the expectation to give power to current “silent voices” from the civil society, under the supervision of Designated National Authorities (DNA´s) of each country.
An international global system on climate crisis could be the instrument that leads us towards a huge and worldwide response and would help those countries that suffer of lack of political will or lack of awareness of the seriousness of the impact of climate change due to limited access to information or tools to measure that impact. All of the above represents a very serious burden that results in a bias assessment of the situation.
This resource could also be helpful for policy makers at the moment to take decisions for allocation of budget in their political agendas. In times of financial crisis a correct assessment is crucial, especially taking in account the high-costs of environmental-friendly technologies.
A global interactive system on climate crisis will bring about a new approach without the influence and pressure from international organizations, although with the support of the UNFCCC´s structure; by the creation of an interactive friendly-use platform with easy access for a wide range of interest parts, including potential investors, public organizations, civil society, international community, etc.
We need a “big global map” where we could be able to track progress of each country, and see an accurate and comprehensive understanding of their challenges, needs, and progress that let us make parallels among the different regions and countries.
The data introduce in the system must come from a reliable and acknowledge local and international institutions, under the supervision and control of UNFCCC (on a first stage), but with a particular emphasis in the role that DNAs plays in this process.
The political implications of this part of the process are obvious, especially regarding decisions over who is legitimated or not to contribute to this platform, and we see DNA´s as the principal actor that may fulfill this gap. As a consequence, the capacity building of this organism and hence the commitment and management of priorities that each governments takes, would make the difference.
The constitution of this platform not necessary means the elimination of IPCC and UNFCC, but certainly one step forward towards a new structure where we do not have to face the limitations from international and bureaucratic institutions.
A good example to see the nature of this idea is the Carbon Disclosure project, official observer at the UNFCCC COP meetings with 10 partnerships around the world. This organization provides support to governments on their progress towards reporting related policy development, as well as strategy data and effective collection of GHG emissions. Their philosophy of work has the same essence as our idea: “… it is only through collaboration and collective action that we will achieve a low carbon economy…”
Another example of this kind of system is: weAdapt that is a knowledge platform on mitigation and adaptation that allows practitioners, researchers and policy makers to access to information and share experiences and lessons.
In the area of information and analysis tools we could also visit the web site http://cait.wri.org/ developed by the World Resources Institute that provides a comprehensive and comparable database of GHG data and other climate-relevant indicators. CAIT can be used to analyze a wide range of climate-related data questions and to help support future policy decisions made under the UNFCCC.
The harmonization of all this resources (knowledge- data -tools) is one of the main pillars and challenges that would led us to a clear and global picture of this uncertain future of a climate change platform.
III. Pillars of the system 1. Interactive global system
1. Interaction: public organizations, private investors and civil society.
2. Immediate access to the latest updates on tools and resources.
3. Fluid communication
4. Worldwide impact.
5. Concentration of information in one place.
6. Interactive platform
7. Track countries progress on their efforts against climate crisis.
8. Friendly-use platform.
1. Political influence from IPCCC and the own UNFCCC
2. Process of approval of this system in itself.
1. Independent from international negotiations.
2. Establish through the UNFCCC platform
3. Global and standardized information
4. Strength the role of the DNA of each country
5. Promote capacity building.
6. Parallels among different regions and countries.
7. Helps policymakers on their decisions.
8. Involvement of NGO´s.
1. LDC Countries with no access to Internet.
2. Lack of a common process for monitoring of progress
As the SWOT clearly shows, there are much more advantages to gain, making the weakness and threats points smaller.
Regarding the latest we could identify a big challenge, as the countries that probably need it the most would be more vulnerable facing this kind of revolutionary and advanced IT resource. The solution that primarily we suggest is the work with DNA´s of each country member of UNFCCC to have an official representative in charge of transferring the information by the traditional ways of communication: bulletins in paper, communications to organizations or any kind of traditional dissemination of the last updates of the forum. The authorities of the country member will be the one to facilitate the information and get the responsibility that interest sectors are well informed.
For the creation of this system we could identify to significant stages: the first one: that is the total clutch to UNFCCC infrastructure. The structure would include facilitators per region and language under the coordination of UNFCC, contributions of experts of IPCC and the responsibility and commitment of the different DNA´s.
On a second stage, the system will have the ownership of the international community that will make the system works “by their own”. The structure will continue the same: under the control and supervision of DNA´s, especially for the authenticity of the information and methods and tools post it in the forum, but without the coordination and structure of the UNFCCC.
2.Tool to measure impacts on Kyoto Protocol
1. Global map of progress on Kyoto Protocol.
2. Assessment tool.
1. Lack of political will.
1. Build capacity for development
2. Knowledge exchange
1. Reliability of the information.
2. Systematize data
4. Unify methods of measurement.
5. Countries with poor connectivity.
Currently we do not have any tool that measures impacts of Kyoto protocol In fact, countries members are not implementing any system to measure their own progress.
If we could get to an unique and systemic data based accessible to local institutions, making sure that by internet or traditional forms they get to an updated information, knowledge and tools, we would be in a better position to address future climate change challenges, especially for policymakers at the time of selecting the most appropriate financial and training resources. Due to recent financial crisis, political agendas have changed their priorities, therefore is of extreme importance to allocate budget in the correct instruments. This tool could also be very helpful for the preparation of future summits as a more accurate and balanced platform to work with.
However, there are many challenges that need to be addressed, among those are: the reliability of the information. The data that would be introduced in the system must come from reliable and acknowledge local and international institutions, under the framework of UNFCCC. The methodology use to measure this progress also need to be systematized in order to achieve worldwide uniformity of Kyoto protocol progress The decision of which organization is legitimated to measure those impacts and the methodology used for it, plays a key role and has strong political implications in the process.
The relevance of this proposal relies not only on technical aspects but also and especially on the political will to create instruments with a universal dimension in terms of approval and legitimation, where developing countries could have a full access to the last updates on methodologies, tools and information also for those countries with poor connectivity.
- Parliament s convention
A transversal axis along this work is: lack of political will, identified as the main element that block the possibility of a real change and slow down the creation of an interactive system. Under this climate change crisis scenarios, Parliaments are the main actors who have the responsibility to educate on a supranational culture, focus on new generations prepared to response and build through principles of sustainability.
The current debate about the continuity of Kyoto Protocol after 2012, -only international instrument that establishes a real commitment from developed countries-, exposure once again this break of political will and place developing countries in an uncertain and worrying position.
On addition, the failures negotiations of the last two world summits and the serious difficulties that governments are facing on GHG reduction targets, confirm this conclusion.
Only by a strong and direct involvement from policymakers under the framework of an international community structure this climate change crisis could be overcome. It is not until then that we could get to a successful work from practitioners. The current burden between policymakers and practitioners need to be addressed by fluid policy strategies and a real commitment from the political field under the support and also pressure of the international organizations.
The creation of a Parliaments convention parallel to the annual climate change summits would represent a big step on the struggle to reinforce and commit political will on policymakers. Actually the engagement of Parliaments could led us to a more concrete proposals helping on the process of shorten the distances between the latest and practitioners as well as work as a “good mediator” on the summits.
Each country would be in charge of the selection of Parliaments making sure that represents the entire national political spectrum and get the support of the Parliament and administrative governmental structures.
The popular will is “the voice” that moves the whole action of the Parliament; hence this organism represents the one that must take also the lead on pursuing the goal of the creation of an international action platform.
“…It´s the right time to wake up and put some real effort to mitigate climate change from the very grass root level to a parliamentary level.”
Under the new challenges that we are about to face after 2012: the extension -or not- of Kyoto protocol and their mechanisms, and the notorious failure of international structures in encouraging new forms of sustainable living as well as a change on environmental-friendly technology and business habits. The fact that many countries are not well informed, due to an inadequate communication with the society or limited access to Internet, with the consequence loss of updates on tools and knowledge; make us conclude of the urgent need of a global interactive platform on climate crisis that could help countries and individuals on their struggle against global warming and against the slow-down of the political and business sector.
By sharing experiences, knowledge and tools from others we would be able to move one step forward and succeed on taking the lead without depend on international structures or unreliable administrations.
On this process DNA´s plays a key role and are meant to be active actors, who represents and facilitate this process.
On line with Goal 7 of Millennium Development Goals: “ensure environmental sustainability” and it´s Target 7a: “integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs; reverse loss of environmental resources.” This system pretend to integrate that principles through an active platform of actors that get legitimation and strength from DNA of each country, follow also the commitments accepted on Copenhagen: “taken actions to promote equitable regional and sub regional distribution of projects activities such as enhancing capacity building of DNA of each country….”
We give particularly emphasis to the engagement of policymakers and their role on reinforcing and strength political will of each country through an international platform that represents a supranational “popular voice.”
A global interactive system could be the best path to integrate principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs, and the best resource against the current situation of stagnation, lack of vision and leadership that have submerged the world and worsen the current climate crisis.
- http://www.iadb.org/es/temas/medio-ambiente/el-medio-ambiente-en-america-latina-y-el-caribe, 1663.html
- Juan López de Uralde, former General Manager Greenpeace Spain “The planet of the stupid’s”, Editions Planeta, Madrid 2010, first part, chapter IV, page 87.
 Juan López de Uralde, former General Manager Greenpeace Spain “The planet of the stupid’s”, Editions Planeta, Madrid 2010, first part, chapter IV, page 87.
 Rekib Ahmed, World Bank Institute “Parliament and Climate change”. August of 2011
 Rekib Ahmed “Role of Parliament in climate change 2011”, Introduction, pag. 5.