*[Enwl-eng] [can-eecca] ECO - Saturday, June 22

[ENWL]

----

Fridays for the Rights of Future Generations

Young people were born into a world of climate change, pollution, loss of 
biodiversity and the realities of vast inequality. Generations before us 
knew we would have to face the consequences of climate change, yet we were 
excluded from the decision-making processes. Now, we must work together with 
all generations for intergenerational equity to get a legitimate seat at the 
table, demanding the protection of our future.

In the face of the climate crisis and its catastrophic consequences, we need 
to be united and demand to be heard. Cooperation between generations is the 
key to achieving a future where life can thrive and where the rights of all 
people on earth are equally respected.

We welcome and acknowledge the reports of the IPCC and IPBES, which shape 
our knowledge of the crisis. On the other hand, it forces us to wonder why 
this issue has been continually ignored by politicians who have failed to 
act on what we desperately need to do to mitigate the crisis. There is no 
choice but to act. Now.

This is why we put our lives on hold for the climate strikes. Our strikes 
are as necessary as the air we breathe - this is why we are willing to 
sacrifice precious days of school. We must do all that we can to rebuild our 
world for the benefit of generations now, and those to come.

We demand urgent and effective climate action and condemn any diversions 
from the path to climate justice. It is now time for young people to 
mobilize alongside the voices of indigenous peoples, women, marginalised 
groups and others whose voices are also not being heard. If not us, then 
who? If not now, then when? Our window of time to act is now closing and we 
will no longer allow our voices to be systematically ignored. It is 
fundamental that we are involved in deciding on the future of life as we 
know it.

Our fellow youth have been marching, striking, and raising awareness across 
the globe, as we did outside the conference venue yesterday, with the goal 
of ensuring intergenerational equity in the form of safety for us, our 
children and our future. Because all generations have an equal right to 
biodiversity, clean air, fresh water and safe and healthy environment, this 
is more than an environmental issue, it is an issue of justice.

We have the solutions: participation of the voices who are left with the 
burden of climate change, voices with infinite passion and drive, as well as 
voices with the numbers to push forward serious change. We might still have 
some time, but the clock is ticking. We will dedicate ourselves to the fight 
for climate justice and intergenerational equity. As long as there is hope, 
there is a chance, and hope dies last.
-----
People before profits. Our livelihoods depend on it.

Intergenerational equity is reflected within the preamble of the Paris 
Agreement, and as such, young people are allowed to participate within the 
UNFCCC negotiating space. But this participation and acknowledgement has and 
will continue to be silenced if the presence of big polluting businesses 
continues within the UN climate negotiating space.

The dominant presence of those most responsible for the climate crisis not 
only results in the suppression of the voices of youth, but also those of 
indigenous peoples, women, and other marginalised groups. To protect these 
groups and the integrity of the negotiations, young people believe that we 
desperately need a Conflicts of Interest policy.

The well-financed, well-organised, and deliberate attempts by these big 
polluters to interfere in the policy making processes are very prominent 
here at SB50 and in the UNFCCC. So much so, that it has created a space 
where the irrationality of having those who profit from the climate crisis, 
here at the UNFCCC, is no longer coming into question.

So far in the Arrangement of Intergovernmental Meetings (AIM negotiations), 
where this issue could be discussed, we’ve seen non-party stakeholder 
contributions being pushed to later sessions and witnessed the calls for a 
policy on conflicts of interest by Climate Justice Now, the Women & Gender 
constituency, the Indigenous Peoples Organisation and YOUNGO being met with 
complete disregard by parties.

It has never been more necessary for young people to stand up for ourselves, 
in solidarity with others, to demand that the protection of our earth be 
taken seriously. We have no vested interests here and most of us are losing 
money by being here. Our mandate is clear, and our aims are untainted. We 
will keep working until we create a space for genuine, ambitious climate 
policy that protects people, not polluters.

------
A Future Empowered? What ACE Needs from SB50

Education, training, public awareness, public access to information, public 
participation, and international cooperation - collectively the six elements 
of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) - form a crucial pillar for 
successful implementation of the Paris Agreement. ACE is vital for young 
people, who not only fought on behalf of Article 12, but also have a great 
need for empowerment in order to tackle the challenges of climate change.

The ACE negotiations at SB50 centre around the preparation of the Terms of 
Reference for the final review of the Doha Work Program (DWP) on Article 6 
of the Convention, which will conclude its mandate and be evaluated in 2020 
at SB52. Looming beyond this review is the question of what the framework 
will be for ACE action following the DWP.

Parties so far lack consensus on the scope of the final review of the DWP to 
consider possibilities for this post-2020 framework. It is a cause of 
significant concern for many, including young people, that some Parties seem 
reluctant to address this topic. This reluctance takes place under the guise 
of not wanting to prejudge future decisions under the process. Yet, there is 
no question that we must have a new ACE framework to succeed the DWP, and 
this should constitute a framework that is even more robust.

Therefore, Parties would do well to include a forward-looking perspective 
into the final review of Doha itself, rather than delaying this to a 
subsequent consideration for the sake of taking just one painstakingly small 
procedural step at a time.

Young people are demanding urgent action on climate change. In the context 
of ACE, this means making the most of the Doha review in order to quickly 
advance toward a new and enhanced ACE framework. By showing reluctance in 
this effort, Parties send a discouraging signal; whereas a strong, 
future-oriented outcome on ACE from SB50 will demonstrate that the cries of 
the youth are not only heard, but inspiring ambitious action.
------
 Climate Action: Recommended by Your Future Doctors

Each year, according to the WHO, air pollution results in 7 million 
premature deaths. Burning fossil fuels is one of the main sources of air 
pollution and poses an existential threat to our health. This is only one 
aspect of the many ways that climate change negatively impacts human health. 
Climate change also contributes to increased heat strokes and deaths due to 
extreme weather events. These effects put the viability of all of our health 
systems at greater risk every day. We must not forget that the ultimate 
objective of this convention is to protect people and the planet against the 
adverse effects of climate change on health and welfare.

As future medical professionals, we diagnose climate change as a medical 
emergency, and it must be treated that way. When someone arrives in the 
emergency room suffering from a life-threatening condition, you expect 
healthcare workers to act. Fortunately, there is a treatment available for 
this medical emergency: strong climate action. This includes, but is not 
limited to, phasing-out fossil fuels and the use of sustainable 
infrastructure strategies.

Addressing the root causes of climate change comes with substantial health 
benefits. These benefits are so significant that for some policies, they can 
entirely offset the costs of adaptation and mitigation. Such is the case for 
smart urban planning and transport schemes.

Nevertheless, we see a disappointing lack of progress in the most important 
modalities currently being negotiated. As future medical professionals, 
every day we will be trusted to work according to science and evidence-based 
guidelines. Choosing not to acknowledge the latest science violates our 
professions’ ethos and should violate yours as well.

The outcomes of these negotiations will impact core determinants of health – 
clean air, safe water, and shelter. We, therefore, urge all parties to work 
with the latest science, welcome the IPCC 1.5° report, and implement all 
necessary measures to stay below 1.5 degrees.
------
Care About our Heritage? Fund the WIM.

Diversity makes the United Nations great. This diversity represents people 
from across the globe fighting together for something better, but this 
beautiful diversity is under threat from climate change. Each day, crucial 
parts of our culture are being washed away by storms and rising seas, as 
people are displaced from their homes.

As young campaigners, sitting in the mandated review of the Warsaw 
International Mechanism (WIM) on Loss and Damage (L&D) has left us scared. 
Lack of action on this issue will categorically destroy the core of that 
diverse cultural heritage.

We need delegations to start taking Loss and Damage seriously. We urgently 
need finance for countries to rebuild after disaster(s) and displacement. 
Undermining real efforts to evaluate and progress on the WIM in these 
sessions supports the escalating climate crisis, and perpetuates cycles of 
under-development, inequity and poverty.  Young people in climate-vulnerable 
nations are the least responsible, but face a lifetime of consequences for 
the carbon-intensive lifestyles that adults in the Global North continue to 
lead. We must break this cycle. States must correct this profound injustice.

SB50 must be the start of a new era where nations in the Global North and 
big polluters recognize their historical responsibility, and protect the 
most vulnerable and marginalized.

We also need this space to acknowledge the intangible cultural heritage at 
stake. The joy, sadness, and bonding that happens in your home, on your 
street, or in your school represent an intangible heritage, a heritage 
everyone has a right to. Without increased ambition, our generation will 
experience this loss on an unimaginable scale. The preoccupation with 
economic L&D, while vital, allows developed countries to obscure the 
unquantifiable severity of developing nations’ losses. Promoting solutions 
like insurance, which keep wealth concentrated in the Global North, could 
never mend what is broken. How do you insure an identity?

We need justice in the form of reparations, a Loss and Damages Fund and a 
serious exploration of non-economic losses. We will not stand for rich 
nations delaying, ignoring and obscuring the reality any longer.

We are the global generation and we stand together. We learn, share, 
campaign, teach, win and lose together. Here, as you people, on the streets, 
as youth strikers, and every single time we stand up and demand better. We 
do so together. It is time that national leaders take a leaf out of our 
book: Lead with love and justice, over greed and denial.
------
Not So ‘Common’ Common Time Frames

If you are looking for common tabular formats (CTF) in this article, you are 
reading the wrong piece. This CTF refers to the common time frames for the 
implementation of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). We knows 
that when it comes to common time frames, most people think it is common 
sense to have a five-year time frame. Why? Well, the NDCs are communicated 
every five years and the global stocktake takes place every five years. 
Nevertheless, the negotiations on common time frames (and other areas) don’t 
always follow common sense.

We have followed the two negotiations on CTF at the Bonn session and, just 
as at COP24 in Katowice, not much progress has been made. At COP 24, Parties 
agreed that common time frames will apply to NDCs to be implemented from 
2031 onward. However, it doesn’t really address when the NDC shall be 
communicated. 2025 or 2030? Well, the general consensus in the room is that 
NDCs communicated in 2025 should be implemented from 2031 onwards.

The other crucial question on CTF’s is, when will Parties finally make a 
decision on this important item? Some Parties have floated the idea of 
finalizing this important item by 2023, which is as late as you can get. We 
believe that Parties need to leave Bonn with a deadline, as to achieve 
consensus on the CTF as soon as possible. Just like vacations, some Parties 
like to plan their NDC a bit early, so anything beyond 2020 is far too late. 
The final decision text should also explicitly mention that the 
implementation period shall begin five years after the NDCs have been 
communicated.

Lastly, we want to remind you why a 5-year NDC implementation period is 
preferred:

  1.. It avoids locking in low levels of ambition. Assuming Parties choose 
to adopt 10 year NDC implementation periods, and given that the next round 
of NDCs will be tabled ahead of 2025, there is a risk of locking in low 
ambition for 15 years between 2025 and 2040.
  2.. It harnesses rapidly evolving real-world opportunities by allowing the 
Paris climate regime to better take into account the technological, 
political, and economic progress.
  3.. It incentivizes early action by avoiding delayed action on climate 
mitigation. Governments can always align their 5-year commitments with 
10-year aspirational targets.
  4.. It aligns better with the broader Paris climate regime since NDCs will 
be communicated every 5 years and the global stocktake takes place every 5 
years.
  5.. It maintains political accountability, since most election cycles are 
4-6 years and fulfilling commitments made for periods well into the future 
will become someone else’s political liability. Having a 5-year 
implementation period will increase the sense of responsibility, urgency and 
accountability of incumbents.

Youth are demanding more ambitious action on climate change. A common time 
frame that matches the Paris ambition cycle is crucial to ensure that the 
Paris Agreement serves its purpose and provides youth with a sustainable 
future.
-------
Climate Justice Means Migrant Justice

By 2050, over 1 billion people will be forcibly displaced from their homes, 
according to the Institute of Environment and Human Security of the United 
Nations University. Climate change is, and will continue to destroy 
infrastructure, forcing millions from their towns and cities. Yet no one is 
talking about climate migration. My generation will be forced to migrate on 
an unseen scale, yet the generation who caused the crisis fail to put 
protections in place to ensure our human rights and livelihoods.

This is terrifying for those living in developing countries and small island 
developing states. The reality is that they will be hit the hardest, but it 
is precisely those most affected who lack the resources of rich nations to 
quickly respond and adapt.

When presented with ecosystem change, species have three potential options: 
they adapt, they move, or they die. Recognizing this, protecting climate 
migrants is of the utmost importance because when your home is gone, where 
do you go? For us, the answer is simple: countries with more space and 
resources must provide asylum and social integration. These are the same 
countries who have created the climate crisis, they have a historical debt 
to pay. But, this is a complex problem. Fascism is rising across developed 
nations.

In Latin America we are seeing waves of migration due to the ongoing 
conflict in Venezuela. In this case, there were no plans to address this 
issue and as a result, many governments closed their borders and installed 
migration policies that limit access for those needing asylum.

In the case of war, it is relatively easy to examine the historical context 
and identify which countries owe a debt and therefore should have a strong 
inclusive migration policy. When it comes to climate displacement policies, 
this is even easier. We know exactly which countries are the big polluters.

We must act now. Our generation is facing losses of an unimaginable scale. 
Our governments need to pursue and implement comprehensive and inclusive 
policies for those displaced by climate. If we keep ignoring their voices 
and blocking the issue in this space, we will see more conflict, loss of 
life and rise in anti-migrant rhetoric. We must urgently address the issue 
by adopting concrete policies, accessible structural bodies and mechanisms 
so that climate migrants can be protected. In other words, we need climate 
justice because climate justice means migrant justice. As it stands right 
now, those at risk will have nowhere to go and no one to protect them.


-- 

Andrés Fuentes


-- CAN-talk Listserv | CAN-talk at listi.jpberlin.de | 
https://listi.jpberlin.de/mailman/listinfo/can-talk | Emails received 
through CAN-talk are confidential and should not be circulated beyond CAN 
members unless otherwise stated. -- Subscribe to CAN's ECO Newsletter @ 
http://climatenetwork.org/eco-newsletters --





-- 

Best regards,
Tatiana Shauro
I support #FridaysForFuture. Lets Unite behind the science.



Communications Department
Regional Campaigns Communications Officer EECCA
(Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia)
Climate Action Network-International (CAN)
Skype: samaparodia
tshauro at climatenetwork.org
https://www.facebook.com/tatiana.shauro.3
www.climatenetwork.org
www.facebook.com/CANInternational
Twitter: @CANIntl
Subscribe to the ECO newsletter: http://climatenetwork.org/eco-newsletters



From: Tatiana Shauro
Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2019 9:50 PM
Subject: [can-eecca] ECO - Saturday, June 22

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.enwl.net.ru/pipermail/enwl-eng/attachments/20190623/382a1a33/attachment-0001.html>