URI's Environmental Satellite endorsed the following recommendations which were submitted on behalf of Non-governmental Organizations at the Climate Change Conference (COP 16) in Cancun.
Climate Change: Summary and Recommendations to Governments, 2010 (i)
CoNGO (ii) Committee on Sustainable Development (New York)
The human-caused global-warming trend of climate change is scientifically established (iii). Human beings are not distinct from nature, but are part of nature, and are now affecting nature in an alarmingly negative way. Impacts from global warming are now being felt and will soon become far worse. All countries will be increasingly affected in a myriad of severe, adverse ways: economically, environmentally, militarily, politically, medically, and psychologically. Global stability is threatened. There is no safe haven.
Humane effective responses to global warming with an ethical and moral foundation require difficult equitable resolutions of conflicting national situations generated by different per-capita emissions (historical, current, and future), economic development, and energy requirements. Nevertheless the interests of all are intertwined. We need to become globally earth-centered, with respect for global human rights, reverence and compassion for living beings, with a light carbon footprint. We need dedicated, clear, decisive leadership and action to beneficially counter global warming by governments, NGOs, corporations, and individuals. There is no alternative. Let not future generations, impacted by global warming, say of us, "They knew but did not act".
Recommendations to Governments for Action on Climate Change (iv)
1. Recognize that unmitigated global warming will produce widespread conflicts over food, water and resources, with consequent population displacements and other devastating effects.
2. Adopt fair, ambitious, binding (FAB) and verifiable accords at COP16 (v) enhancing the “Copenhagen Accord” made at COP15, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to achieve sustainable safe cumulative levels, incorporating equitably differentiated responsibilities for developed and developing countries, and substantial penalties for excessive emissions.
3. Adopt the risk-management mitigation and adaptation strategies in the IPCC reports, with adequate increased funding for non-fossil fuel energy (solar, wind, geothermal, fusion, etc).
4. Adopt adequate, equitable, and binding financial and technical commitments by developed countries to developing countries for mitigation and adaptation, with effective and gender-sensitive distribution of aid, and joint cooperative responsibility. Priority goals are:
- Security (peace and avoiding armed conflicts, avoiding mass migrations),
- Social Justice and Environment Preservation (achieving Millennium Development Goals with food, water, and energy security; sustainable economic development; non-intensive agriculture; education on climate change and environment to inform and change behavior; public health; mental health; gender-balanced; support for small-scale farmers, women and children; rights of small-island and coastal peoples; sustainable forestry; conservation; humane treatment of animals, avoiding species extinction, maintaining biodiversity).
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(i) Over 100 NGOs signed an essentially identical version of this paper presented at COP15, including some Observe Organizations to COP15. Please email NGO support for this paper to: [email protected]
(ii) CoNGO: Conference of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Consultative Relationship with the U.N.
(iii) Ref: IPCC 2007reports: Science (Vol. 1); Impacts, Adaptation, Vulnerability (Vol. 2); Mitigation (Vol. 3)
(iv) Partly based on action plan in report, 60th DPI/NGO 2007 Conference on Climate Change by climatecaucus.net
(v) COP16 is the Cancun, Mexico Climate Conference, December 2010.
