Discussion > COP 23
Center for Biological Diversity sent 4 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
"At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive.
We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive."
As usual, search their website using the search word "climate", and 4,930 results are shown. Stuff like (the first few at random):
Climate Change Is Here Now; Climate Law Institute: Saving Life on Earth; Human Population Growth and Climate Change; Clearcutting and Climate Change; Enforcing National Assessment of Climate Change Effects; etc, etc, ad nauseam.
Delegates:
Ms. Anchun Jean Su, Associate Conservation Director / Attorney:
"Jean Su, Associate Conservation Director, Staff Attorney, works on a range of wildlife protection and climate change issues. Before joining the Center, Jean was a renewable energy project finance attorney with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, and worked in the climate change and international development fields with McKinsey & Company, the Clinton Climate Initiative, and CARE International in Madagascar. Jean earned her law degree from the University of California, Irvine, School of Law, a master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and her bachelor's degree from Princeton University."
Mr. John Fleming, Staff Scientist, Climate Law Institute:
"John Fleming, Staff Scientist, works with the Center's Climate Law Institute. He graduated with a bachelor's in Geosciences and a certificate in Environmental Studies from Princeton University and received a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Southern California. During his time at USC, John conducted research exploring the links between aspects of climate change and biological oxygen demand in marine waters off of the Los Angeles coast."
Mr. Howard Mesnikoff Crystal, Senior Attorney, Climate Law Institute:
"Howard Crystal, Senior Attorney, works on climate and energy issues with the Climate Law Institute. He has spent his career in private and public-interest practice litigating environmental and wildlife-protection, public-health, safe-energy and open-government cases. He received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center."
Ms. Rebecca Fuoco, Media Specialist, Climate Law Institute:
"Rebecca Fuoco, Media Specialist, helps produce and coordinate the media and communications strategy for the Center’s Climate Law Institute. Before joining us Rebecca worked as a communications consultant for nonprofit organizations and academic research centers in the environmental health and medical fields. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental and biological sciences from Cornell University and a master’s of public health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a Center for Health leadership fellow."
Mark Hodgson
Center for Carbon Removal (by the way, good luck with removing carbon from the planet), sent 3 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.centerforcarbonremoval.org/
"INNOVATE ON CLIMATE
Center for Carbon Removal bolsters action on climate change by cleaning up carbon from the air. To accomplish this, we drive innovation to build better carbon removal solutions."
"Reducing emissions isn't enough.
We need to clean up the carbon that's already in the air."
"About Us
Center for Carbon Removal is a non-partisan, non-profit organization working to clean up carbon pollution from the air. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies work to capture excess carbon in the atmosphere and store it in the earth (e.g. in ecosystems, soils, building materials, and underground geologic formations).
Our ambition is bold
Our mission is to accelerate the development of scalable, sustainable, economically-viable carbon removal solutions. Our goal is to halt—and then reverse—climate change by restoring atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to sustainable levels.
Our strategy sets us apart
A broad portfolio of potential carbon removal solutions urgently needs R&D, effective policies and regulations, and increased consumer and industry demand. We are building a technology-agnostic platform dedicated to supporting the carbon removal field. Our strategy is lean, iterative, and focused on industry and policy action.
We lead industry and policy collaborations to unlock the potential of carbon removal solutions
Our values drive all of our actions
Independence: Our only allegiance lies with preventing climate change, and we have no agenda to advance any specific carbon removal technology. This enables us to acknowledge the limitations of specific carbon removal approaches while still finding promising opportunities for innovations across a broad portfolio of solutions.
Sustainability and equity: Carbon removal solutions must be judged on their full social and environmental impact.
Feasibility: Effective carbon removal solutions must be technically, economically, and politically feasible. Rigorous, comprehensive, business-minded analysis underlies all our activities—we want to maximize our impact and ensure our recommendations are as pragmatic as possible.
Transparency and Inclusiveness: We strive to engage and include the voices of the broad community of stakeholders involved in open and rigorous debate on the most appropriate pathways for developing carbon removal solutions."
"Your donation helps develop innovative carbon removal solutions that fight climate change. Every dollar donated mobilizes scientific research, corporate action, and policy change."
Delegates:
Mr. Jason Funk, Center for Carbon Removal:
"Jason's experience ranges from analyzing the carbon dynamics of land use to developing domestic and international policies to serving as a spokesperson on climate impacts and mitigation opportunities in the land sector. Prior to joining CCR, Jason dedicated several years to science and policy work at the interface of land use and climate change. He received his doctorate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University, and earned his B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Science at the Ohio State University."
Mr. Noah Deich, Executive Director, Center for Carbon Removal:
"Noah co-founded Center for Carbon Removal with Giana Amador. Noah previously worked as a management consultant on clean energy and corporate sustainability projects for large companies across North America. Noah received his M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and his B.A. from the University of Virginia. Follow Noah on Twitter at @TheCarbonSink."
Ms. Miriam Swaffer, Center for Carbon Removal:
"I help purpose-driven organizations realize their big visions and get their messages out w/power, ease and joy"
"Associate Director Of Communications
The Center For Carbon Removal
January 2017 – Present (1 year 4 months)
Sets communications strategy and leads efforts to engage businesses and policymakers across the energy, agriculture, forestry, mining, manufacturing, transportation, defense, and international development fields in discussions about developing negative carbon emissions solutions."
Mark Hodgson
Center for Clean Air Policy sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://ccap.org/
"CCAP’s mission is to significantly advance cost-effective and pragmatic air quality and climate policy through analysis, dialogue and education to reach a broad range of policy-makers and stakeholders worldwide.
Our initiatives include:
Multi-stakeholder dialogues
Education and outreach
Qualitative and quantitative research
Technical analysis
Policy solutions and recommendations development"
Unfortunately they seem to confuse CO2 with pollution, as the extensive climate change section of their website makes clear.
Delegates:
Ms. Leila Surratt:
"Leila currently serves as a strategic advisor to CCAP. She previously served as interim-CEO and Chief Operating Officer where she was responsible for the overall management of CCAP’s programs including CCAP’s flagship Mitigation Action Implementation Network (MAIN) initiative. The MAIN initiative supports developing countries efforts to design and implement climate mitigation strategies and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) through regional dialogues in Latin America and Asia and on-the-ground technical and policy support to develop specific NAMA proposals. Leila also oversaw CCAP’s research and policy analysis related to NAMA policy development, with a particular focus on climate finance. Leila has co-authored several policy papers relating to NAMA finance, including The NAMA Opportunity, NAMA Case studies of Financial Instruments, and An Emerging Architecture for NAMA Finance.
Previously, she managed CCAP’s U.S. Climate Policy Initiative – a multi-stakeholder dialogue that focuses on developing pragmatic near-term and longer-term solutions for climate change in the U.S.
Leila brings with her a breadth of experience from both the government and private sectors. She has in-depth knowledge of air quality regulations and climate policy. She also has extensive experience with industry and stakeholder outreach. She previously worked at the U.S. EPA where she worked in the Administrator’s Office under Carol Browner and evaluated all major air quality regulations prior to promulgation. She coordinated the automobile subcommittee of the Common Sense Initiative, a multi-stakeholder group involving EPA, industry, states, and environmental groups. She worked in EPA’s regional office in Dallas, TX, where she worked closely with the state of Texas on emission trading program. While at EPA, she led a workshop in Ukraine on the economics of emissions trading. In addition to her extensive policy experience, Leila brings with her a range of private sector expertise. She previously worked at Bain and Company as a management consultant where she conducted in-depth financial and market analyses for Fortune 500 companies. She was also a product manager at McKessonHBOC where she led a cross functional team responsible for designing and implementing a new internet-based, software application. In that capacity, she was responsible for the business development, marketing campaign, and sales strategy related to the product."
Ms. Hannah Pitt, Senior Policy Analyst:
"Hannah Pitt is a Research Analyst in the Energy & Natural Resources team at Rhodium Group.
Hannah focuses on analyzing energy markets and policy, and on quantifying the impacts of climate change on human systems.
Before joining Rhodium, Hannah supported efforts to design and implement climate mitigation strategies in developing countries as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Clean Air Policy, a nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C. Previously, she conducted economic development research at the Yale University Economic Growth Center and the Institute for Financial Management and Research. Hannah has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Environmental Science from Northwestern University and an Master’s degree in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School."
Mark Hodgson
I'm going to have to get my skates on - there's already a COP 24 website:
http://cop24.gov.pl/
"COP24 is the informal name for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UNFCCC is a “Rio Convention”, one of three adopted at the “Rio Earth Summit” in 1992. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has near-universal membership. The countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme body of the UNFCCC Convention. It consists of the representatives of the Parties to the Convention. It holds its sessions every year. The COP takes decisions which are necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention and regularly reviews the implementation of these provisions.
In accordance with a decision of the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Convention (COP22) in Marrakesh in November 2016, the successive climate summit will be held in Poland. Poland was selected to host this event within the framework of the Eastern European Group (EEG).
Poland will hold the Presidency of the Climate Convention for the third time and Prof. Jan Szyszko, its Minister of the Environment, will take the position of the COP President for the second time.
COP24 will take place from 3-14 December 2018, in Katowice, Poland."
Mark Hodgson
Back at COP 23, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions sent 4 delegates. Their website is here:
https://www.c2es.org/
"Our mission is to advance strong policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. A key objective is a national market-based program to reduce emissions cost-effectively. We believe a sound climate strategy is essential to ensure a strong, sustainable economy.
Who we are
C2ES is the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, which was founded in 1998, and is widely recognized as an influential and pragmatic voice on climate issues. We are:
A Trusted Source – C2ES provides timely, impartial information and analysis on our pressing climate and energy challenges.
A Bridge-Builder – We bring city, state, and national policymakers together with businesses and other stakeholders to achieve common understanding and consensus solutions.
A Policy Innovator – We develop market-based solutions and other practical policy approaches that deliver real and lasting climate progress.
A Catalyst for Business Action – We work with Fortune 500 companies to strengthen business action and business support for effective climate policy.
C2ES’s strong contributions are recognized worldwide. We consistently rank among the world’s leading environmental policy think tanks in the University of Pennsylvania Global Go To Think Tank Index. C2ES also was named the 2016 top U.S. energy and environment think tank by Prospect magazine for our work on the Paris Agreement.
We invite you to learn more about our work, sign up for our newsletter, and join C2ES in our efforts to advance innovative climate solutions.
What We Do
Here are some of the ways we work with policymakers and diverse stakeholders to meet our climate and energy challenges:
Business Environmental Leadership Council
Our council – including top companies in the power, manufacturing, transportation, high-tech, oil and gas, finance, and other sectors – is the largest U.S.-based group of companies devoted solely to addressing climate change. C2ES works with these business leaders to better understand the policies and technologies that will help us reach our climate goals.
Solutions Forum
C2ES brings together business, state, and city leaders to develop practical climate solutions. Through public-private roundtables around the U.S., the C2ES Solutions Forum is fostering collaborative strategies to reduce emissions, expand clean energy, mobilize climate finance, strengthen climate resilience, and build a foundation for national efforts.
Partnering with Mayors
In partnership with The U.S. Conference of Mayors, C2ES is working to strengthen public-private climate cooperation in cities nationwide. The Alliance for a Sustainable Future helps mayors and business leaders work together to reduce carbon emissions, speed deployment of clean technologies, and promote sustainable development.
International Dialogue
C2ES brought together negotiators from two dozen countries to help lay the groundwork for the landmark Paris Agreement, and is now working with them to ensure it is effectively implemented. We’re also advancing global efforts to phase out HFCs, a highly potent class of greenhouse gases, and to reduce aviation emissions.
Market-Based Strategies
C2ES is working with cities, states, and businesses to explore cap-and-trade, carbon taxes and other market-based strategies for cost-effective emissions reduction, with the ultimate aim of a national market-based climate program.
Strengthening Resilience
C2ES has worked with some of the world’s largest companies to strengthen business resilience to extreme weather and other climate impacts. Building on that expertise, we’re now bringing businesses and cities together to assess and address climate risks.
Climate Leadership Awards and Conference
C2ES co-hosts the annual Climate Leadership Conference, where hundreds of sustainability, energy, and climate professionals from the public, private and non-profit sectors get the latest on policy and business solutions. The conference features the prestigious Climate Leadership Awards.
Carbon Capture Coalition
C2ES and the Great Plains Institute co-convene the Carbon Capture Coalition, a broad coalition of business, environmental, labor, and state representatives advancing technology to capture carbon emissions from factories and power plants for storage and commercial use.
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
We invite you to support our work."
Delegates:
Mr. Elliot Diringer, Executive Vice President:
"Elliot Diringer is Executive Vice President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). He manages day-to-day operations of C2ES and helps direct its research, policy, outreach and communications efforts. He previously served as Vice President for International Strategies at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, C2ES’s predecessor organization, and continues to direct international programs at C2ES.
Mr. Diringer has been deeply engaged in environmental issues and policy for nearly 30 years. From 1983 to 1997, he was a reporter and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, where he authored several award-winning environmental series and covered the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. From 1997 to 2000, he served as Director of Communications and Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, where he helped develop major policy initiatives, led White House press and communications strategy on the environment, and was a member of U.S. delegations to international climate change negotiations. He was later Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Press Secretary, serving as a principal spokesman for President Clinton.
Mr. Diringer holds a degree in environmental studies from Haverford College and was a Nieman fellow at Harvard University, where he studied environmental law and policy."
Ms. Jennifer Huang, International Fellow, International:
"Jennifer Huang is an International Fellow at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). Ms. Huang tracks and researches international climate policy, focusing on key issues in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, and helps facilitate dialogue among international policymakers and stakeholders.
Prior to joining C2ES, Ms. Huang worked as a Law Clerk at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and as a Legal Intern in the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) Implementation Strategy Unit at the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn, Germany.
Ms. Huang holds an L.L.M. degree in environmental law with a focus on climate change and a J.D. with certificates in international and environmental law from Pace Law School. She received an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in war and military studies from New York University."
Mr. Daniel Bodansky, Professor of Law, Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law, Arizona State University:
"Daniel Bodansky is a Foundation Professor of Law in the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. He is also the faculty co-director for the Center for Law and Global Affairs. In addition, he is an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Law, Science and Innovation, and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability's School of Sustainability at ASU.
Professor Bodansky is a leading authority on international environmental law generally, and global climate change law in particular. He teaches courses in public international law and sustainability, and is a key player in the college's Program on Law and Sustainability.
Prior to his arrival at ASU in 2010, Professor Bodansky was the associate dean for faculty development and Emily and Ernest Woodruff Chair in International Law at the University of Georgia School of Law. He was an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Law from 1989-1994, and a professor from 1994-2002, and has been an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University and George Washington University law schools.
Professor Bodansky served as the Climate Change Coordinator at the U.S. Department of State from 1999-2001, on a leave of absence from academia, and was an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of State from 1985-1989. He has consulted for the United Nations in the areas of climate change and tobacco control. Since 2001, Professor Bodansky has been a consultant and senior advisor on the “Beyond Kyoto” and “Pocantico Dialogue” projects at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change). He has served on the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law and the State Department's Advisory Committee on Public International Law, is the U.S.-nominated arbitrator under the Antarctic Environmental Protocol, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Society of International Law. Awards include an International Affairs Fellowship from the Council of Foreign Relations, a Pew Faculty Fellowship in International Affairs, and a Jean Monnet Fellowship from the European University Institute.
Professor Bodansky’s scholarship includes three books and dozens of articles and book chapters on international law, international environmental law and climate change policy. His book, "The Art and Craft of International Environmental Law," published by Harvard University Press, received the 2010 Harold and Margaret Sprout Award of the International Law Association, as the best book that year in the field of international environmental studies."
Mr. John Schmitz:
"John P. Schmitz is a Managing Director at the Prime Policy Group, a premier bipartisan government relations and consulting firm in Washington, D.C. He helps direct the firm’s newly created Prime Policy Transatlantic Group, which will extend the firm’s reach to Europe.
Mr. Schmitz was formerly a principal in Bingham Consulting and a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP. He represented U.S. and European companies in complex international transactions and regulatory matters, with a focus on antitrust, media and telecommunications, energy, and environmental issues. Mr. Schmitz has extensive experience with U.S. and German political regulatory concerns and has worked on numerous high-profile business and regulatory matters involving both American and German public policy and legal activities. His clients have included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, General Electric, Bayer AG, Bertelsmann AG, Bosch GmbH, Deutsche Welle, Gillette, Pfizer, Eli Lilly GmbH, NBC, Airbus Americas Inc., Deutsche Telekom AG, Lufthansa AG, and Ford Motor Co.
Prior to Bingham, Mr. Schmitz served as the managing partner of Schmitz Global Partners, LLP. In September 2009, together with former Ambassador C. Boyden Gray, he established Gray & Schmitz LLP (renamed Schmitz Global Partners LLP in 2011). In 1993, Mr. Schmitz joined Mayer Brown LLP as a partner to open its first German office in Berlin. From 1993 to 2009, he helped lead and develop a prominent and thriving German and European practice at Mayer Brown with offices established in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and Brussels. He was one of the first Americans to be admitted as a “Rechtsanwalt” to the Berlin Bar.
Mr. Schmitz served as White House Deputy Counsel to President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, working extensively on the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, regulatory reform, and issues related to German reunification. He accompanied President Bush on numerous trips to Germany where President Bush was honored as one of the “three fathers of freedom” along with Chancellor Kohl and President Gorbachev. In 2008, he helped PBS Houston with its historical documentary on the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification by organizing and helping with interviews of prominent German political, academic and business leaders. Mr. Schmitz also worked in the Reagan Administration as Deputy Counsel to Vice President Bush between 1987 and 1989.
Following his graduation from Stanford Law School, Mr. Schmitz was both law clerk to the Hon. Antonin Scalia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and Special Assistant to William Baxter, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to law school, he was legislative assistant to U.S. Representative Goodloe E. Byron and legislative aide to U.S. Congressman Charles W. Sandman, Jr.
In 1984, he was awarded a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship in Germany where he served at the Office of Bundestag Member Matthias Wissmann (Bonn) and the Office of General Counsel, Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart). After completing the fellowship, he returned to Wilmer Cutler Pickering as an associate before joining the Reagan Administration. He was also a research fellow at the California Institute of Technology Environmental Quality Lab in Pasadena, Calif., and a research assistant to Professors John Ferejohn and Morris Fiorina, Pasadena, Calif. and London, England, where he interviewed members of Parliament.
Mr. Schmitz earned his Juris Doctorate in 1981 from Stanford University where he was a member of the Stanford Law Review. He also received a Master of Science degree in Economics at the California Institute of Technology. He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and was admitted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He is fluent in German."
Mark Hodgson
Center for Climate Strategies, Inc sent a single delegate to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.climatestrategies.us/
"The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) is an expert, impartial, 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides government officials and stakeholders worldwide with the expertise and assistance needed to develop and implement solutions that meet immediate and long term economic, energy, environmental, health, resources, and resilience goals. Our work serves as the catalyst that enables collaborative actions at the national, state, provincial, and local levels that capitalize on climate change as a growth and development opportunity in all economic sectors and meet the unique needs of each country and region."
Delegate:
Mr. Thomas Peterson, President and CEO:
"Tom Peterson founded CCS in 2004 to help governments and stakeholders understand and formulate responses to climate change. Over the past decade this included developing and implementing a widely recognized template for comprehensive, multi objective, consensus based planning and analysis that led to the development of 22 US state plans, national scale up and integration of subnational climate action plans in the US, the Low Emissions Development System for the six Border States of Mexico, and the Low Carbon Development Planning and Analysis System for the Provinces of China.
He has designed and directed numerous subnational and national policy development and capacity building initiatives and assessments in the US and abroad. He has collaborated with many national and regional philanthropies, government agencies, and other funding institutions to mobilize capacity for subnational, stakeholder based approaches to policy and agreements on progressive actions on climate change.
His posts over the past 30 years include Senior Advisor to the White House Climate Change Task Force, LEGIS Fellow to the Office of US Senator Joe Lieberman, Economist with the US Environmental Protection Agency, and Vice President of DSL Capital Corporation. Mr. Peterson is an Adjunct Professor and Teaching Fellow at the Center for Advanced Governmental Studies/Global Security Center at Johns Hopkins University, as well as the Energy and Climate Center at Johns Hopkins University. He is known for his expertise and innovations on climate policy development; climate, energy and economic security integration; and stakeholder consensus building.
Mr. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in economics from the College of William and Mary, a Master of Environmental Management with a concentration in Natural Resource Economics and Policy from Duke University, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin with a concentration in Marketing and Product Development. He is a native and resident of Virginia."
How many of these people are there?
Mark Hodgson
Center for Environment and Sustainable Development Studies and Application sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.cenesta.org/en/
"The Centre for Sustainable Development (CENESTA) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable community- and culture-based development. Its main area of work is Iran and South-West Asia, with programmes and projects in other parts of the world. CENESTA experts have also engaged in extensive activities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and in the international area in general.
CENESTA is a member of IUCN– the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is a founding member of the ICCA Consortium—an international organization dedicated to conservation by indigenous peoples and traditional communities.
CENESTA works with a variety of partners, from local communities in Iran and other countries to local and national government agencies, universities, research organizations, as well as national and international NGOs. The UN bodies with which CENESTA and its experts have entertained collaboration include GEF/SGP, FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, IFAD, UNSO, and the UN Secretariat.
In addition, CENESTA is accredited to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and European Commission (EC).
CENESTA has a small core of staff and a large network of associates– ranging from indigenous peoples and community-based groups to women’s associations and technical experts who act on the basis of common concerns and specific capacities. CENESTA staff and associates work in the context of project contracts and/or on a voluntary basis, contributing time as well as financial and material resources for the goals of the organization."
[There's more]. They are based in Iran.
Delegates:
Ms. Nahideh Naghizadeh, Senior Expert & Social Facilitator, Human Geography & Rural Planning, Cenesta (Centre for Sustainable Development):
"Senior Expert in Development and Participatory Planning
Community Facilitator
Member of the board, Drynet
PhD candidate in Human Geography and Rural Planning"
Mr. Youssef Brahimi, Cenesta (Centre for Sustainable Development):
A low internet profile, but another member of Drynet:
http://dry-net.org/
Mark Hodgson
Center for International Climate and Environmental Research [CICERO] sent 5 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
https://www.cicero.oslo.no/en/
"CICERO is Norway’s foremost institute for interdisciplinary climate Research. We deliver new insight that help solve the climate challenge and strengthen international climate cooperation.
We help to solve the climate problem and strengthen international climate cooperation by predicting and responding to society’s climate challenges through research and dissemination of a high international standard. Our researchers collaborate with top researchers from around the world, and publish their work in recognized international journals, reports, books and periodicals.
CICERO has garnered particular attention for its research on the effects of manmade emissions on the climate, society’s response to climate change, and the formulation of international agreements. We have played an active role in the IPCC since 1992. In recent years we have also developed considerable expertise in climate financing.
CICERO has a national role in promoting knowledge about climate change and is internationally recognised as a driving force for innovative climate communication. We are in constant dialogue about the responses to climate change with public and private decision makers, government administration and civil society."
They might be at the alarmist end of climate opinion, but at least they are realistic about the likelihood of CO2 emissions to continue rising (and by implication, to me at least, the complete failure that is the Paris Agreement). For instance, their leading article at the moment is this:
"Why India’s CO2 emissions grew strongly in 2017
India’s CO2 emissions grew by an estimated 4.6% in 2017, despite a turbulent year for its economy.
Measured per person, India’s emissions are still very low – at only 1.8 tonnes of CO2 per capita – which is much lower than the world average of 4.2 tonnes. But those emissions have been growing steadily, with an average growth rate over the past decade of 6%.
With India being the world’s fourth largest emitter of CO2, it is important to understand what the country’s emissions are currently and where they might be headed. Given India’s early stage of economic development, low per-capita emissions and its large population, there is significant scope for its emissions to increase.
India’s pledge under the Paris Agreement is to reduce the carbon intensity (see below) of its economy by 33-35% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. Given projections of very strong economic growth over this period, emissions are expected to grow significantly.
Every year, the Global Carbon Project, of which CICERO is a key contributor, prepares a budget of sources and sinks of CO2 emissions. Alongside this budget is a projection of the current year’s global emissions, before the full year’s data is available. To build up this projection, we combine projections for several world regions. This year, India was added into the mix. The figure below shows the world’s top-four emitters, clearly showing the growing importance of India.
In a recent guest post for Carbon Brief, my colleagues and I discussed how and why our projected growth rate for China, made in Autumn 2017, was higher than the first official estimates released in February 2018. In this article, the focus turns to India."
etc etc.
Delegates:
Mr. Steffen Kallbekken:
"Research Director for the CICEP group and Director of CICEP Center for International Climate and Energy Policy
I have worked at CICERO since 2002. I was initially hired to program our first computable general equilibrium model, and started a PhD on the effectiveness and acceptability of environmental taxes two years later. After completing my PhD in 2008 I have managed research projects on environmental taxes, transport policy, behavioural interventions ("nudges"), and energy efficiency. I was Research Director of the Climate Policy unit in 2012 and 2013, and the Climate Economics Unit from 2014 to 2017. Since 2014 I have been Director of our FME-center CICEP Center for International Climate and Energy Policy, and much of my outreach and research has focused on the Paris Agreement.
My current research interests follow two main lines: The design of international climate agreements, with a particular focus on the role of short-lived climate pollutants, and the effectiveness and acceptability of climate policy instruments. Most of my research is based on use surveys, lab and field experiments.
Projects
Centre for International Climate and Energy Policy (CICEP)
CICEP is one of three centres for social science based research on environment-friendly energy established by the Research Council of Norway in 2011.
Politically Feasible Renewable Energy Development: The Role of Public Acceptance.
The over-arching task of this project is to study the political feasibility of the low carbon energy policy transition initiated by the EU. In order to adopt and implement efficient policies at the regional, national and local level, public acceptance for policy change will be crucial.
The role of short-lived climate forcers in the golbal climate regime
The primary objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the potential of mitigation of Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs) in the emerging global climate regime.
Klimavalg 2017
Energy efficiency labels: how to make them useful for consumers?
The CONSEED project will examine how important energy efficiency information is when consumers buy a new electric appliance, a car or a house.
Enabling the European Union
This project seeks to enable people of the European Union to go even greener - in transportation, heating and cooling, and electricity choices - by understanding the drivers of our energy choices."
Ms. Solveig Aamodt:
"Political scientist focusing on climate policy processes in large developing countries
My current research focuses on comparative analyses of climate policies in large developing countries, mainly Brazil and India. My main research interests include domestic and international climate and energy policies, with special focus on the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China). In upcoming projects the main focus will be on the relationship between the EU and the BASIC countries in international and domestic climate policy processes.
Projects
Centre for International Climate and Energy Policy (CICEP)
CICEP is one of three centres for social science based research on environment-friendly energy established by the Research Council of Norway in 2011.
India in a globalizing world
India's climate and energy policy strategy in a globalizing world: Changing global structures and international cooperation (INDGLOB)
The International Context for Norway's Transition to a Low Emissions Economy
How will shifts in international climate policy change the conditions for Norway's transition to a low emissions economy?"
Mr. Jan Sigurd Fuglestvedt:
"Appointed to the Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment's Climate Advisory Board
CICEROs Principal Investigator in research projects funded by the European Commission
Heavily involved in the UNFCCC-initiated process on modelling and assessment of contributions to climate change (MATCH) as co-chair of the Scientific Coordination Committee
Member of the current Impacts and Science Group (ISG) of the Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Member of the Expert Panel for the initiative “Global guidance on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators”, which aims to revise and update the frameworks of environmental impact indicators in Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). Initiated by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
Contributed to WMO/UNEP Ozone Assessment reports as Lead Author, Contributing Author and reviewer
Vice chair IPCC Working Group I
Projects
ACCRI CIC-MOD
The objective of the ACCRI CIC-MOD project is to investigate how aviation emissions in different regions affect the atmosphere and climate on regional and global scales.
The role of short-lived climate forcers in the golbal climate regime
The primary objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the potential of mitigation of Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs) in the emerging global climate regime.
Governing EU-Norwegian willingness to extract, combust and consume less carbon
The objective of this project is to identify how to best coordinate policies in the EU and Norway to maximise the overall effectiveness of their combined initiatives. A key challenge for unilateral policy initiatives in a global market place, even for a big coalition like the EU, is carbon leakage and competitiveness concerns.
Bio4Clim
Comparative climate impact assessment of the forest based bio-economies of Norway, Sweden and Finland
EVA - Earth system modelling of climate Variations in the Anthropocene
EVA will provide a cutting-edge version of the Norwegian Earth system model NorESM for global climate assessments (CMIP6, IPCC AR6) including prognostic climate experiments and analyses of key importance for the national and international community
Quantifying Climate Impacts of Future Forest Management Strategies in Norway
The international community has agreed that the increase in global temperature must be limited to 2°C above the pre-industrial levels. Meeting this ambitious goal requires a large-scale shift away from the fossil economy towards one based on renewable materials and energy like biomass."
Mr. Glen Philip Peters, Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO):
"Research on human drivers of global change, global carbon cycle, bioenergy, scenarios, sustainable consumption, international trade and climate policy, emission metrics, and too much more.
Twitter: @Peters_Glen
External website: Global Carbon Budget
Blog Posts
2018
Why India’s CO₂ emissions grew strongly in 2017 (by Robbie Andrew), 28/03/2018, Carbon Brief
Shell in a low carbon world, 28/03/2018, CICERO, Energi og Klima
Why did CO₂ emissions grow 1.4% in 2017?, 23/03/2018, CICERO
China’s CO₂ emissions grew less than expected in 2017, 8/03/2018, Carbon Brief
Making the carbon budget bigger, 25/01/2018, CICERO, Energi og klima
Have improvements in carbon intensity stopped?, 4/01/2018, CICERO, Energi og klima
2017
2017 in review, and 2018 outlook, 20/12/2017, CICERO
Oil & gas in a low carbon world, 8/12/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Global CO₂ emissions likely to rise in 2017, 17/11/2017, CICERO
Fossil fuel emissions hit record high after unexpected growth, 13/11/2017, The Conversation
How China has reduced the carbon footprint of developed countries, 8/11/2017, Carbon Brief, CICERO, Science Nordic
Industries role in global mitigation, 2/11/2017, CICERO
Who will deliver the negative emissions needed to avoid 2°C warming?, 30/10/2017, Carbon Brief
Have we discounted our future?, 26/10/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
The last drop to stay below 2°C, 26/10/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
A forecast of the energy transition to 2050, 19/10/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Can we really limit global warming to “well below” 2°C?, 1/10/2017, Science Nordic, CICERO
Did 1.5°C suddenly get easier?, 19/09/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima, Climate Home
Love it or hate it: Here's three reasons why we still need CCS, 14/09/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Can we decouple out of the climate crisis?, 25/08/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
The policy vision to keep below 2°C warming, 18/08/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Can we trust emission statistics?, 11/08/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Who is winning the emissions tug-of-war?, 22/06/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Projecting emissions one year ahead, 22/06/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
0.5°C makes a big difference for mitigation, 1/06/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Key indicators to track current progress and future ambition of the Paris Agreement, 11/05/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
What does “well below 2°C” mean?, 4/05/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Emissions growth slowdown: Can we now keep global warming under 2°C?, 20/04/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Does the carbon budget mean the end of fossil fuels?, 6/04/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
Have Chinese emissions peaked?, 30/03/2017, CICERO, Climate Home
Should policy aim to avoid 2°C or to exceed 2°C?, 30/03/2017, CICERO
Global Environmental Footprint, 23/03/2017, CICERO
Saving the world with bioenergy, or not? 17/03/2017, CICERO, Energi og klima
How much carbon dioxide can we emit? 16/03/2017, CICERO
A closer look at China’s stalled carbon emissions, 1/03/2017, Carbon Brief
We can still keep global warming below 2℃ – but the hard work is about to start, 30/01/2017, The Conversation
Projects
Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic (AACA)
Klimaendringer i Arktis skjer raskere enn forventet. Effektene blir enorme i løpet av de neste 20 årene, og samfunnet må tilpasse seg. Med AACA forsøker klimaforskere over hele verden å hjelpe arktiske interessenter og beslutningstakere til å forstå og takle utfordringen.
Centre for International Climate and Energy Policy (CICEP)
CICEP is one of three centres for social science based research on environment-friendly energy established by the Research Council of Norway in 2011.
Global Carbon Project
The Global Carbon Project was formed in 2001 to help the international science community to establish a common, mutually agreed knowledge base that supports policy debate and action to slow the rate of increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Governing EU-Norwegian willingness to extract, combust and consume less carbon
The objective of this project is to identify how to best coordinate policies in the EU and Norway to maximise the overall effectiveness of their combined initiatives. A key challenge for unilateral policy initiatives in a global market place, even for a big coalition like the EU, is carbon leakage and competitiveness concerns.
Transforming China onto a low carbon pathway
The overall objective of this project is to produce feasible projections for China’s transition to a low carbon economy, leading to a peak and decline in Chinese emissions and using alternative methods to characterise China’s potential mitigation challenge in the coming decade.
Bio4Clim
Comparative climate impact assessment of the forest based bio-economies of Norway, Sweden and Finland
Rapid Response for Energy and Climate Policy Analysis
The world today is moving fast and so are user needs. Research projects can take years to develop and get funded, but many research questions in climate policy are relevant on short time scales. We believe there is an opportunity to fill a research niche answering contemporary policy challenges through synthesis of current knowledge and through fusion of existing data and methods.
Global Impacts: How to estimate and use environmental footprints
The first part of this project will build on the large body of quantitative analyses to provide a synthesis of the methodological and analytical basis for environmental footprints. This first part will be short and focused, drawing on existing material. The second part of this project will describe the state-of-the-art in terms of the challenges and opportunities of consumption-based approaches to environmental policy. We will give particular attention to the policy implications (usefulness, utility, appropriateness, etc), and draw on the available economic and policy literature.
INNOVATE
Innovative climate policy instruments to reduce consumptionbased emissions to complement territorial emission reduction efforts (INNOVATE)
India in a globalizing world
India's climate and energy policy strategy in a globalizing world: Changing global structures and international cooperation (INDGLOB)
Sustainable Market Actors for Responsible Trade (SMART)
The Sustainable Market Actors for Responsible Trade project is an Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Union. CICERO contributes with research on hotspot analysis and dissemination and stakeholder engagement.
Governance of Bio-CCS
This project presents a state of art overview of governance issues (government support, incentive systems, and public acceptance) and possible solutions for biomass coupled to Carbon Capture and Storage, with a view to the broader set of negative emission technologies.
Quantifying Climate Impacts of Future Forest Management Strategies in Norway
The international community has agreed that the increase in global temperature must be limited to 2°C above the pre-industrial levels. Meeting this ambitious goal requires a large-scale shift away from the fossil economy towards one based on renewable materials and energy like biomass."
Ms. Jana Sillmann:
"I am a Geo-ecologist (MSc) and specialized in analyses of climate extremes in climate models (PhD, IMPRS ESM, Hamburg).
I study various factors that can drive changes in climate extremes, such as climate variability and anthropogenic factors (e.g., greenhouse gases and air pollution). I use interdisciplinary approaches and work on a better integration of natural and social sciences. Particularly, I am interested in relating physical aspects of climate extremes to socio-economic impacts and questions related to risk assessment and decision making.
Lead Author for IPCC AR6 WG1, Chapter 12 "Climate change information for regional impact and for risk assessment"
Member of the Scientific Committee for the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) Programme
Co-lead WCRP Grand Challenges on Climate Extremes (GC Extremes)
Contributing Author to IPCC AR5 WG1, Chapters 9 and 12 (IPCC 2013)
Invited expert to the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) (2010-2017)
Expert member of the WMO CCl Task Team on Tailored Climate Information (TT-TCI) (2014-2018)
Podcast with Nature Editor Michael White - Jana Sillmann and climate extremes
Selected past events:
IPCC Workshop on Regional Climate Projections and their Use in Impacts and Risk Analysis Studies" (São José dos Campos, Brazil, 2015), Report
Workshop on Understanding, Modeling and Predicting Climate Extremes (Oslo, October 5-7, 2015), Paper
Extreme Events and Environments -E3S Future Earth workshop (Berlin, 2016)
FutureEarth-PROVIA-IPCC Workshop on Risk and Solutions (Stockholm, 2016)
Session on "Climate extremes and their implications in impact modelling studies", AGU Fall meeting 2016, (San Francisco, USA, 2016)
Session on "Climate extremes, biosphere and society: impacts, remote sensing, and feedbacks (co-organized)", EGU (Vienna, 2017)
IPCC AR6 scoping meeting (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 2017)
Workshop on "Indicators for climate extremes and socio-economic impacts under different emission targets" (JRC Ispra, Italy, October 2017)
Upcoming events:
GEWEX Open Science Conference: Extremes and Water on the Edge, Canmore, AB, Canada
Session on “Climate Extremes, Ecosystems and Society” Conveners: Jana Sillmann, Markus Reichstein, Dáithí Stone (May 9th, morning)
WCRP side event on the Knowledge Action Network on Emergent Risks and Extreme Events (Risk KAN) (May 11th, afternoon)
IPCC Expert Meeting on Assessing Climate Information for Regions, Trieste, Italy (May 16-18, 2018)
Selected recent publications:
Sillmann, J., S. Russo, S. Sippel and K. Alnes, 2018: From Hazard to Risk, BAMS, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0327.1. PDF download
Schaller, N., J. Sillmann, J. Anstey, E.M. Fischer, C.M. Grams and S. Russo, 2018: Influence of blocking on Northern European and Western Russian heatwaves in large climate model ensembles. Environ. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/aaba55. PDF download
Sillmann, J., T. Thorarinsdottir, N. Keenlyside, N. Schaller et al. (2017) “Understanding, modeling and predicting weather and climate extremes: Challenges and opportunities”, Weather and Climate Extremes, 18, 65-74, doi: 10.1016/j.wace.2017.10.003. PDF download
Two most cited publications:
Sillmann, J., V. V. Kharin, X. Zhang, F. W. Zwiers and D. Bronaugh, 2013: Climate extremes indices in the CMIP5 multi-model ensemble. Part 1: Model evaluation in the present climate. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 1716-1733, doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50203. DOWNLOAD LINK
Sillmann, J., V. V. Kharin, F. W. Zwiers, X. Zhang and D. Bronaugh, 2013: Climate extremes indices in the CMIP5 multi-model ensemble. Part 2: Future climate projections. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 2473-2493, doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50188. DOWNLOAD LINK
Projects
CiXPAG - Interaction of Climate Extremes, Air Pollution and Agro-ecosystems
Future food production, and consequently food security, is very sensitive to both climate change and air pollution. So far, little is known about how climate extremes and ozone pollution interact to affect agriculture or about the relative effectiveness of climate change adaptation and ozone regulation measures for various crops and regions.
NAPEX
Precipitation is arguably the most direct link between the climate and human society. We depend upon existing precipitation patterns for fresh water and food production, and global infrastructure is designed to withstand current precipitation extremes.
HYPRE - HYdropower and PREcipitation trends
Investigating historical and future precipitation trends in regions important for hydropower production
Translating Weather Extremes into the Future – a case for Norway
TWEX-Future.no will be taking a novel “Tales of future weather” approach. This approach suggests that scenarios tailored to a specific region and stakeholder in combination with numerical weather prediction models will offer a more realistic picture of what future weather might look like, hence facilitating adaptation planning and implementation.
ClimateXL
Weather and climate extremes are likely to be one of the largest societal challenges associated with climate change in this century. Under climate change, these extreme events will intensify and become more frequent, and consequently the risk of severe and costly damage for humans and infrastructure will increase.
SUPER - SUb-daily Precipitation Extremes in highly-populated Regions
The main objective of SUPER is to quantify the influence of anthropogenic activity on sub-daily extreme precipitation in highly populated regions
ClimINVEST - Tools for climate-resilient investment
Climate change is increasingly affecting financial assets across the globe. The ClimINVEST project brings scientists and investors together to develop tailored tools for assessing physical climate risk and identifying climate-resilient investment opportunities.
S2S4E Climate Services for Clean Energy
S2S4E is a European climate services innovation project funded by Horizon2020. CICERO is the second largest partner of the consortium and leads two work packages.
Web articles
Climate services at Our Common Future
CICERO researchers Jana Sillmann and Karianne de Bruin are co convening a session on climate services during Our Common Future in Paris.
Heat waves in Africa every year from 2040?
Climate analysis shows that periods of unusually hot weather are on the rise for one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change, even if the increase in global average temperature remains at a modest level.
Making sense of future climate
Did you believe only science fiction deal with futuretypes? Well, think again. A bunch of real scientists is carving out possible futuristic climate scenarios right now, and if you live in Norway, they might be zooming in on your hometown.
A wet, hot future
There are heat waves, and then there are humid heat waves. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. This is going to make tomorrow’s heat waves dangerously hot.
Human health under threat by extreme heat and air pollution
Extreme heat and high levels of air pollution create a major and immediate threat to human health. How should climate research respond?"
Mark Hodgson
Center for International Environmental Law sent 3 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.ciel.org/
"Since 1989, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society.
With offices in Washington, DC, and Geneva, Switzerland, CIEL’s team of attorneys, policy experts, and support staff works to provide legal counsel and advocacy, policy research, and capacity building across our three program areas: Climate & Energy, Environmental Health, and People, Land, & Resources.
CIEL also has a vibrant intern program for law students and fellows in both our DC and Geneva offices to educate the next generation of international environmental advocates. Over its 25 years, CIEL has trained more than 425 interns and law fellows from 54 countries. In conjunction with this program, CIEL conducts a joint research and teaching program with American University’s Washington College of Law.
CIEL recognizes exceptional contributions to international environmental law each year with its annual International Environmental Law award and recognizes outstanding contributions to addressing climate change through its semi-annual Frederick R. Anderson Climate Change Award."
They seem to have made their minds up:
"Rising global temperatures are already causing devastating effects on the planet, and the window of opportunity to avoid truly catastrophic warming is closing rapidly. An urgent, global response is needed. CIEL is committed to applying a human rights-based approach as a means to protect the peoples and communities on the frontline of climate change. In doing so, we work to design and integrate policies to safeguard rights and ecosystems and to ensure effective public participation within key climate institutions and mechanisms. We also provide support and build the capacity of peoples and communities adversely affected by climate impacts and climate policies to support their direct participation in those decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods. Finally, we are working with partners around the world to develop new legal strategies to hold corporations accountable and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels."
Delegates:
Mr. Carroll Muffett, President and CEO:
£Carroll Muffett is President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights and ensure a just and sustainable society.
Prior to joining CIEL, Carroll served as Executive Director of the Climate Law & Policy Project and Deputy Campaigns Director at Greenpeace USA, where he was instrumental in the organization’s campaigns on global warming, forests and other issues. From 2000 to 2006, Carroll was international counsel and Senior Director for International Conservation at Defenders of Wildlife, helping win and defend international protections for high value timber species like mahogany. Before joining Defenders, Carroll was an attorney with Covington & Burling, and served as a legal fellow at CIEL.
Carroll has authored numerous articles and textbook chapters on national and international environmental policy. He is a recognized expert on the international law of wildlife and timber trade, and a leader in the emerging field of international legal responses to climate change. He is co-editor with Carl Bruch and Sandra Nichols of Governance, Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding (Routledge 2016) for the Environmental Law Institute and the United Nations Environment Programme.
Carroll is a member of IUCN’s Commission on Environmental Law, and serves the Board of Advisors of the Climate Accountability Institute and the Board of Editors for the International Journal of Wildlife Law and Policy."
Ms. Erika Elizabeth Hier Lennon, Senior Attorney, Climate & Energy Program:
"Erika Lennon is a Senior Attorney in the Climate and Energy Program. Her work focuses primarily on the Green Climate Fund, UNFCCC, and climate liability.
Prior to joining CIEL, Erika was the Coordinator of the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law (PICEL) at the American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL). In that role, she worked on numerous projects related to climate change, climate accountability, and the international climate regime with a focus on climate finance and the development of safeguards in the Green Climate Fund. This work included leading student contingents to several international climate negotiations. While PICEL Coordinator, Erika’s work primarily focused on strengthening environmental and social safeguards at international financial institutions. Additionally, she worked to ensure accountability and improve the independent accountability mechanisms at development finance institutions. Erika is also an Adjunct Professor at AUWCL where she teaches legal research and writing to international students pursuing their LL.M degree.
Prior to joining PICEL, she was a temporary staff attorney at Greenpeace US. Erika received her J.D. from AUWCL in 2008, where she focused on environmental law, was on the Senior Editorial Board of Sustainable Development Law & Policy (SDLP), externed at Greenpeace US, and was a student attorney in the general practice clinic, among other activities. During her externship at Greenpeace, Erika’s research focused on issues related to Arctic governance. Prior to law school, she was an AmeriCorps member and worked at the Alameda County Community Food Bank as the Hunger Education and Research Assistant in the Policy and Services Department. While there she helped conduct a county-wide hunger study, analyzed policies related to hunger and poverty, and engaged in outreach to ensure that people knew about available programs.
A native Californian, Erika graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in history and is a member of the State Bar of California."
Mr. Sébastien Duyck, Senior Attorney, Climate and Energy Programme:
"Sébastien Duyck is a senior attorney for the Climate & Energy Program and is based in Geneva. His work focuses primarily on promoting the integration of human rights and public participation in climate governance.
Sébastien co-facilitates the Human Rights and Climate Change Working Group, gathering civil society organizations advocating for the integration of human rights in the UN climate negotiation process. He also follows UN processes based in Geneva and related to participatory and human rights such as the Aarhus Convention and the Human Rights Council.
Prior to joining CIEL, Sébastien worked as a consultant on related issues for a range of organizations including Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice, the Heinrich Boell Foundation, Carbon Market Watch, and the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Research Programme (CCAFS).
Sébastien completed the LLM in Public International Law of the University of Helsinki and the LLM in Natural Resources Law and International Environmental Law from the University of Iceland. He is a visiting researcher at the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (Arctic Centre, University of Lapland). His main fields of research relate to international climate governance, human rights and the environment, and Arctic governance.
When not working on rights-based climate policies, Sébastien can be found hiking across the Alps with his two sons."
Mark Hodgson
Center for Natural Resource Studies sent 3 delegates to COP 23. They are based in Bangladesh and their website is here:
http://www.cnrs.org.bd/
"CNRS started its journey in 1994 with support of the Ford Foundation, to implement "community-based habitat restoration and fisheries management" project in a site in Tangail district and for the first three years that was the only project focused on community-based natural resources management (CB-NRM). Later in 1999, CNRS implemented USAID assisted MACH project (management of aquatic ecosystems through community husbandry) with Winrock International in tree sites (Moulvibazar, Gajipur and Sherpur districts) then in 2000, with DFID assisted CBFM-2 (community-based fisheries management pahse-2) in six districts (Sunamgonj, Moulvibazar, Kishoregonj, Tangail, Magura and Narail). In 1998, CNRS started sea turtle conservation activities in St. Martins Island which is still continuing. CNRS has been the partners of IPAC and CREL projects of USAID to implement co-management of wetlands and forests. All these were NRM projects which contributed CNRS to emerge as an NRM focused organization in the country. During the initial years, CNRS was assigned by CARE to conduct several studies and monitoring in their rural road development and flood proofing projects which added value to CNRS to deal with field studies and surveys. Overtime, CNRS get engaged in implementing non-NRM projects like livelihoods, advocacy and governance, disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), Gender focused activities, micro-finance, process monitoring, studies and surveys and event management."
I don't know if the Russians have hacked their website, but I can't get most of the pages in their website to work.
Delegates:
Mr. Mokhlesur M. Rahman, Executive Director, CC & NRM:
"Mr. M. Mokhlesur Rahman is Executive Director of the Centre for Natural Resources Studies
(CNRS) in Bangladesh. He has immense experience in ecological management through
community-based approaches".
"Rahman began with the basic premise that disaster risk and climate change are two threats to human well-being those reinforce – and magnify - one other.
He asserted that the occupational groups have different impact perceptions about climate related risks. The impacts of reduced rain, drought and salinity have led to convert canals/ rivers to crop lands/ fishshrimppond and cause major damage to freshwater fishes.The expert pointed out that more often than not, the local community stands unaware about the actual cause and effect relationship regarding the phenomena such as ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’. In this
context he referred the terms such as climate-resilience (transformative adaptation), embankments, drainage,
freshwater availability, good governance, etc."
Mr. Anisul M. Islam, Director, Programme:
"Researcher
FAP 16, ISPAN
July 1991 – June 1993 (2 years)
Team Leader: Steve Minkin
Responsibilities: Contribute in designing research method following mixed approach of quantitative and qualitative, developed tools, supervise data collection, generate primary outputs, used advanced statistical tools and co-author of a paper published in a peer reviewed journal"
Mr. Aminul M Islam, Senior Advisor, Climate Change:
He seems to have a low internet profile, though in 2010 he attended COP 16 in Cancun, when he was "Assistant Country Director Climate Change, Environment and Disaster Management, UNDP Bangladesh".
Mark Hodgson
Center of Life Institute sent 2 delegates to COP 23. They are based in Brazil and their website is here:
https://www.icv.org.br/
It's in Portuguese, so I'm relying on Google Translate.
"Founded on April 14, 1991, the ICV is a nonpartisan and non-profit organization of the Civil Society of Public Interest (OSCIP), decreed publicly in Mato Grosso by state law No. 6,752 / 96.
Our work consists of building shared sustainability solutions for the use of land and natural resources. Our actions reach international, national and state levels in the themes of transparency, environmental governance and public policies, as well as municipal level in practical experiences.
We seek to disseminate these innovations to amplify and influence other actors beyond the territories in which we operate. We do this based on studies and analyzes, as well as on field experiences, always seeking the effective participation of the actors in this process. For this, we have built partnerships with various sectors with which we interact, such as governments, organizations, networks, collectives, companies and media.
Mission
Building shared solutions for the sustainability of land and natural resource use
Future vision
Mato Grosso, becoming a reference in environmental governance and control of deforestation, with protected areas effectively conserved and managed, a business production agricultural and forestry based on sustainable practices and a family agriculture strengthened with agroecological basis."
Delegates:
Ms. Alice Thuault, Deputy director, Governança Florestal:
"Alice is currently coordinating the Forest Transparency Initiative at Instituto Centro de Vida in Mato Grosso, Brazil. She has been involved in the Governance of Forests Initiative since its beginning and through her work as a researcher and public policy analyst, she advocates for better access to forest information in order to promote social control and improve forest management practices. She is also coordinating ICV’s monitoring of illegal logging in the state of Mato Grosso with the support of Global Forest Watch. She graduated with a degree in political science from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) in Rennes, France in 2005. She also holds a Master’s degree in Development Anthropology from the Aix en Provence (Aix-Marseille I) University (2007)."
Ms. Paula Bernasconi, Economist, Economic incentives:
"Holds a master's degree in Economic Development (ecological economics), currently works at Instituto Centro de Vida - ICV." Quite a low internet profile. I could find out more if I joined Linkedin...
Mark Hodgson
Apr 16, 2018 at 7:30 PM | Mark Hodgson
https://www.americanprogress.org/
"Our mission
The Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans, ... "
As the Center for Americam Progress was founded by John Podesta, it is clearly a blatant lie for them to describe themselves as "independent" and "nonpartisan".
Joe Romm operates Climate Progress, and he too struggles with an understanding of "independence" and "nonpartisan". His Wikipedia entry records his influence on regressing the US and World Economies as a "Progressive"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_J._Romm
The Clintons and Blairs did have a very special relationship, making money.
golf charlie
Apr 17, 2018 at 11:02 AM | Mark Hodgson
I do not know whether "Protection Racket" is the correct legal term. Do US Lawyers prefer extortion?
"Center for Biological Diversity"
"We're now fighting a growing number of national and worldwide threats to biodiversity, from the overarching global problems of unsustainable human population and climate change to intensifying domestic sources of species endangerment, such as off-road vehicle excess. Based on our unparalleled record of legal successes — 93 percent of our lawsuits result in favorable outcomes — we've developed a unique negotiating position with both government agencies and private corporations, enabling us, at times, to secure broad protections for species and habitat without the threat of litigation. Now in our twenty-ninth year, we look forward to a future of continued expansion, creativity, and no-holds-barred action on behalf of the world's most critically endangered animals and plants."
golf charlie
Central Ashaninka del Río Ene sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is in Spanish, so I rely on Google translate. Anyway, it's here:
http://careashaninka.org/
"Central Asháninka del Río Ene is an indigenous organization that represents 17 communities and tries to meet the demands and aspirations of the Ashaninka inhabitants of the Ene, defending and strengthening their rights."
"With developed principles and having a defined work horizon, the organization initiates the execution of a series of projects that have allowed significant advances in terms of governance, political incidence and improvement of the quality of life of Asháninka del Ene families. that to add the great work done by the Board of Directors of CARE, which allowed to safeguard the rights of its population before the imminent flooding of their territories by the extinct hydroelectric projects of the Odebrecht company: Pakitzapango and Tambo 40.
However, we still have a long way to go. Topics such as chronic malnutrition, education, the completion of the titling of communities and extensions, among others, are part of the pending and urgent agenda that the CARE needs to fulfill."
What that has to do with climate change, and why they felt it necessary to send 2 delegates, is anyone's guess.
Delegates:
Sra. Ruth Buendía Mestoquiari, President, CARE Perú:
An impressive woman, with her own Wikipedia entry:
"Ruth Buendía Mestoquiari is a Peruvian activist and the first woman president of , an organization which represents the indigenous Asháninka people. She was awarded the 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize for having led a campaign on behalf of the Asháninka people to oppose large-scale dams that would displace indigenous communities and endanger the environment.
Buendía has also been selected among the 100 Global Thinkers of 2014 by Foreign Policy Magazine for her opposition to the construction of large-scale dams that would endanger the environment nearby the Asháninka indigenous communities.
Biography
Ruth Buendía was born in the Asháninka community of Cutivireni in Satipo Province in 1977. After living a hard childhood, in which her father was killed by his own people for being regarded as a member of the terrorist group Shining path, she ran away with her mother and brothers to Satipo in 1991. She spent some years working as waitress in Lima and Satipo until 2003, when she decided to join the organization "Central asháninka del Río Ene" (Care). After some years of political and environmental activity, she became the President of the organization in 2005, and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013.
Pakitzapango and international recognition
In 2009 and 2010, Ruth Buendía and CARE led the protests against the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Pakitpazango, a project that endangered the welfare of the Asháninka community in the Ene River watershed. As a result of this, the Peruvean Government was forced to rescind the grants from the company responsible for the construction, Pakitzapango Energía S.A.C., blocking the project until the present day. Buendía, as representative of the CARE, received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2014, as well as other awards which made her regarded as one of the most important environmentalists in South America."
Mr. Martin Albert Persch, Specialist in Education, Centro Intercultural de Documentación e Información:
"Representatives of the Asháninka Alto Kamonashyarii community of Mazamari district, in Satipo, affirmed that the Los Lirios Agro-livestock Association intends to take over the territories where they have always lived, with the argument that their presence is supposedly recent.
To prevent the dispossession, the Indians ask the regional government of Junín to title their territory and register their community, a management they started last December so they can work with tranquility in their hunting, fishing, subsistence agriculture and for twenty years coffee growing.
"In Alto Kamonashyarii there are more than fifty families who always lived in the area until colonists appeared who wanted to take over their territory," explained Martin Persch, of the Care technical team.
SINCE 1972
"While for natives it is difficult to travel to Huancayo for the titling process due to the high transportation costs and the stay in the city, the members of Los Lirios do it permanently and with their relatives who live in that capital they pressure the authorities but we hope that next month a favorable resolution will come out, "he said.
The representative of Care said that in reality the legal figure of Comunidad Nativa is from 1972 because before the Ashaninka lived in those places as scattered family clans."
It all seems very worthy, but what it has to do with COP 23, I really don't know.
Mark Hodgson
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement sent 3 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
https://www.cirad.fr/en
"CIRAD, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, is an organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions.
Status
CIRAD is a public establishment (EPIC) under the joint authority of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Activities
Its activities concern the life sciences, social sciences and engineering sciences, applied to agriculture, the environment and territorial management.
Its work centres on several main topics: food security, climate change, natural resource management, reduction of inequalities and poverty alleviation.
Mandate
CIRAD works with its partners in southern countries to generate and pass on new knowledge to support agricultural development. It puts its scientific and institutional expertise at the disposal of policymakers in those countries and global debates on the main issues concerning agriculture. It also supports French scientific diplomacy operations.
Development through research
CIRAD has one main objective: to build sustainable farming systems capable of feeding ten billion human beings by 2050 while preserving the environment.
It considers that to develop long term and draft appropriate public policies, societies have to participate in generating the knowledge they need. That development through research relies on the ability of the countries concerned to build a suitable higher education and research system that is supported by the authorities but remains independent.
On a local and a global level, through its long-term partnerships, it contributes to the development of farming systems that benefit all, and particularly smallholders, who make up the majority of farmers.
In this way, it responds to the global challenges of food security and climate change, and also the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris agreement on climate change."
And:
"The 23rd Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change (COP23), "Further, Faster Ambition Together", organized by Fiji, is being held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 17 November 2017. Alongside its partners, CIRAD is involved in several meetings, notably relating to the 4 per 1000 initiative on soil carbon storage. Pending the adoption of the rules for enforcement of the Paris Agreement in Poland next year, COP23 is already aiming to make actions speak louder than words. Agriculture and land use changes account for 24% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, and should therefore be seen as one of the potential solutions to climate change, a fact that is too often overlooked.
CIRAD's participation in COP23 fits in with its involvement in COP21 and 22, while highlighting the issues surrounding soil carbon storage, through the 4 per 1000 initiative, in which France is heavily involved.
CIRAD will be participating in various events, particularly concerning the uncertainties as regards greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration in the land sector and the necessity for the 4 per 1000 initiative to ensure dialogue between scientists, project leaders and donors.
On 16 November, CIRAD will be attending the meeting of the 4 per 1000 Consortium, at which the major decisions for the initiative for 2018 are to be taken."
Delegates:
Mr. Emmanuel Torquebiau, Scientist, DG, Cirad:
"Emmanuel Torquebiau is an ecologist, agroforestry specialist and has been working as a climate change project manager at Cirad since 2012. He has made long professional trips to Indonesia, Kenya and South Africa and his field experience also concerns many people. other tropical countries"
Nice carbon footprint, then!
Mr. Patrick Caron, Chair of The High Level Panel of Experts (hlpe) Of The Committee On World Food Security (cfs), DG,
Cirad:
"Patrick Caron, CIRAD Director General in charge of Research and Strategy, has been voted Chair of the High Level Panel of Experts/HLPE on Food Security and Nutrition. The panel is the science-policy interface for the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS). Numerous CIRAD researchers are heavily involved in the work being done by this body, and two have already participated, as project leaders, in the production of two HLPE reports.
Patrick Caron has been voted Chair of the High Level Panel of Experts/HLPE on Food Security and Nutrition Steering Committee.
Since 2010, the panel has acted as the science-policy interface for the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS). At the request of the committee, it is working to ensure more informed policy debates, by supplying independent analyses founded on proven data, and advisory services."
Mr. Julien Demenois, Scientist, Persyst, Cirad:
"Thursday, March 29, 2018 (Building 2, Room 111, 14h). Julien DEMENOIS " Initiative 4 for 1000 - Where are we two years after its launch?"
Summary: The "4 per 1000: Soils for Food Security and Climate" Initiative was launched in December 2015 at COP 21 in Paris. A little more than 2 years later, where is the Initiative at the international level? This presentation will provide an update on the Initiative and present the issues it faces. At the same time, CIRAD's ongoing internal initiatives around the 4 for 1000 Initiative will be presented. A particular focus will be made on the first results of a bibliometric study commissioned by the DIST around the keywords "soil & carbon" from a query of the Agritrop database."
Mark Hodgson
Centre de développement de la région de Tensift sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.cdrtmarrakech.org/
It's in French, and while I could make a stab at translating it, I've lazily relied on Google translate:
"The Tensift Regional Development Center (CDRT) is a non-governmental organization created on April 25, 1998. Throughout these 18 years of existence, it has been and remains an organized framework of initiatives, a space for reflection and accompanying regional policies for development and evaluation of public policies of the Marrakech safi region. It currently has more than 200 members; the majority of the members are senior executives of the society (academics, engineers, doctors, architects, lawyers, senior administrative staff, business leaders, students, etc.).
This diversity and versatility in its human resources, in addition to its openness and collaboration with regional, national and international institutions has been an asset and a richness that has allowed it to address in a relevant and relevant way the development problems under their control. various aspects and to carry out flagship projects in terms of capacity building for development actors in the region, the fight against poverty through socio-economic integration, the protection of the environment and cultural influence.
The CDRT's efforts were rewarded with the acquisition of the status of public utility in 2006 and its admission as an observer member to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change since 2010."
Delegates:
Mr. Ahmed Chehbouni, President:
"Hailed a few years ago as the oil-bearing plant that would be an alternative to petrol and diesel, Jatropha has fallen into controversy worldwide – largely because it threatened to replace food crops, but also because its fruit is toxic and there were accidents in places where the Brazil-origin plant had not been known before.
Ahmed Chehbouni, CDRT President, tells thethirdpole.net that he is quite aware of the biofuel versus food crop debate, and the matter was discussed at length before the non-profit approached a local farmer with a request for a plot where they could experiment. One look at the plot makes it clear that nothing else would grow on the stony ground.
Chehbouni asserts that growing Jatropha is a good way to adapt to the main climate change impact in this region – more erratic availability of water.
What about the second risk? In India, Jatropha became notorious after three children walking home from school ate the fruit and died due to the toxicity. Chehbouni says he had not thought of this danger. Though this experimental plot is out of the way, now he will spread the word in the villages nearby."
Mr. Hassan Amghar, Member, Mété:
He seems to have a relatively low internet profile, but there's enough available to make it clear that COP 23 isn't his first COP.
Mark Hodgson
Centre for 21st Century Issues sent 4 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://womengenderclimate.org/member/centre-for-21st-century-issues-c21st/
My word, do they tick a lot of boxes!
"Type of Organization:Advocacy NGO Membership Base:National Geographic Focus:Africa, Global, Nigeria Mission Focus:Climate Change, Democracy and Governance, Education, Gender Rights and Equity, Health, Media, Sustainable Development, Women Peace and Security, Women's Leadership, Youth Primary UNFCCC Constituency:Women and Gender
About
The Centre for 21st Century Issues works to build capacity for sustainable development and poverty reduction by engaging with youth groups, promoting environmental, social and economic justice and peace building, and deepening democratic culture and good governance, including women’s human rights, equity and social justice. The Centre has organized gender and climate change workshops in Nigeria and at the COP negotiations in Copenhagen and Cancún."
And:
"Our background
The UNFCCC: An international agreement to address climate change
Since the Earth Summit in 1994 the United Nations has been working with governments and civil society to tackle one of the greatest challenges the planet has faced; climate change. At the summit the Member States of the UN agreed to a new convention on climate change; a non-legally binding international treaty. The convention provided a new framework through which nations could work together to agree on limiting emissions of greenhouse gasses, those which cause climate change, principally carbon dioxide. This UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, is an evolving commitment that develops through the ongoing discussions and agreements of governments around the world.
The Conference of the Parties: An annual conference of governments to develop the limitations on greenhouse gas emissions
Every year members of each government meet at the Conference of the Parties, often shortened to COP, to discuss and develop the targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Issues of poverty reduction and the different responsibilities of industrialized and newly industrializing nations are central to many of the debates and new agreements which build on the framework convention. Civil society and non-governmental organizations are welcomed to these conferences as observers to offer opinions and expertise, and to further represent the people of the world.
The Constituencies: Shared platforms for civil society and non-governmental organizations which observe the annual conferences
There are now around 1,400 such organizations observing the annual conferences and many have grouped themselves into constituencies. These constituencies provide focal points for easier interaction with the UNFCCC Secretariat, based in Bonn, and individual governments. There are currently nine constituencies and they are broadly grouped by the type of organizations they represent: businesses and industry organizations; environmental organizations; local and municipal governments; trade unions; research and independent organizations; and organizations that work for the rights of indigenous people; young people; agricultural workers; and women and gender rights.
The Women and Gender Constituency: The platform for observer organizations working to ensure women’s rights and gender justice within the climate change convention framework
The Women and Gender Constituency provides a number of ways for civil society and non-governmental organizations which work for women’s rights and gender justice, environmental protection, or both, to influence the annual conferences and help develop the UNFCCC. It provides a platform to exchange information between members and with the UNFCCC Secretariat. The constituency also ensures that meetings, workshops and conferences include the participation and representation of women’s civil society and non-governmental organizations which otherwise would not be able to attend."
The list of their members is here (too many to list here individually):
http://womengenderclimate.org/member/
Delegates:
Ms. Titilope Ngozi Akosa, Executive Director, Administration:
"As the Executive Director of Centre for 21st Century Issues, Titilope Ngozi Akosa has been involved in gender and climate justice work from the local level to the global level. During the process leading up to COP15, she mobilized and coordinated meetings for Nigerian women. She has experience with various networks including the Bridge Institute for Development, UNHABITAT, and Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA). Titilope has worked with WEDO, other gender advocacy organizations, and gender activists in order to incorporate gender language into the negotiating texts. In terms of local and regional initiatives, Titilope has facilitated many trainings on gender and climate change for local communities in Nigeria and Ghana; trainings for women on gender and energy efficiency; trainings for journalists and media practitioners on gender and climate change under the African Adaptation Program; and trainings for conflict and climate change for small holder farmers. She also has experience at the policy level."
Mr. Taiwo Abdulliadi Ayedun, Special Assistant, Civic engagement:
What's a man doing there?!!!
"Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement On Gender Based Violence
Posted on November 28, 2017
By
Hon. Taiwo Ayedun
The office of Civic Engagement which operates under the Deputy Governor’s Office is saddled with responsibility of enhancing interface between the Lagos State Government and Lagosians. Among its duties is to enable the government have better insight into peoples’ challenges, needs and peculiar problems; and on the other way, to let the people know how they can deploy government’s apparatus to help them solve their problems and engaging in mutual partnership and cooperation on public matters.
One of the ways in which government is tackling women related issues is by addressing gender-based violence in the State. Gender based violence is on the increase and below are the strategies with which Office of Civic Engagement has been working to reduce the menace:
Strategies
1. Counselling: The OCE provides counselling supports for women who come out to report any anticipated case of gender violence ranging from rape attempt, to domestic violence, forced labour, forced prostitution and many more; while the office provide referrals on already blown cases or mild cases to Domestic and sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Office of Public Defender and Citizens Mediation Centre (both under the Ministry of Justice) accordingly.
2. Advocacy Supports: The OCE in some cases engages Civil Society organisations focusing on Human Rights issues to carry out advocacy against violence against women. The OCE has register of civil society organisations across the state and encourage the organisations to provide voluntary supports to the victims and advocate for positive changes in behaviour to end violence.
3. Financial Supports: The OCE provides soft funding to women who are going through various difficulties, some of the problems traceable to one form of abuse or the other in the past but which has continually affected their psychic and physical well-being. This financial supports help them in the rehabilitation process or starting life again.
4. Mediation
The office also mediates at addressing issues capable of snowballing into violence against women, sometimes community related or family matters. We should bear in mind that when issues concerning men but with reflex impacts on women are addressed, gender violence has also been addressed. A good example is if a major crisis breaks out among commercial transport operators in a park, women become victims of attack and rape, so we act to prevent such scenario in order to save women from being violated and molested.
5. Public Enlightenment
The office also carries out seminars and symposiums from time to time in partnership with other ministries and departments and do invite women to benefit from matters that concerns their rights and well-being. This is another way to nip in the bud matters capable of affecting the women in our community.
Conclusion
The Office of civic Engagement is committed to working in synergy with all stakeholders to end all forms of Violence in Lagos state.
Hon Taiwo Ayedun is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Civic Engagement"
Ms. Chinma Ugonwa Eredappa George:
A regular attender of COPs, for at least the last 3 years.
"Chinma George has evolving experience in research on climate change in Africa. She is an environmentalist whose areas of interest includes but are not limited to climate change, youth, sustainable development, agriculture, and education and gender equality issues.
She holds a BSc. degree in Economics and an MSc in Environmental Management. Ms. George speaks and presents technical papers at various conferences and meetings of the United Nations and the African Union. She has worked with Climates Paris as part of the waste management team, a global youth research ‘think and do tank’, and also conducts capacity building on climate action to students in high schools and universities. She volunteers with HEDA Resource Center and is part of the founding members of Clim- Dev Africa Youth Platform (ACLYP) a joint initiative of the AU, AFDB, and UNECA. She is the principal consultant at ClimFinance Consulting. Recently she was a climate witness at Oxfam Germany."
Ms. Lily-Versta Nyarko:
"Ms. Lily-Versta Nyarko is the General Secretary of the Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GHACCO). She advocaes for a vibrant Clean cookstoves sector where actors influences policies and actions to promote adequate access to clean cookstoves, clean fuels and efficient utilization of biomass in Ghana and Africa as a whole.
She is currently the National Public Relation Officer of the Ghana Home Economics Association (GHEA) a member Association that focuses on the wellbeing of the family and the Nation. She also serves as a board member for Montals Engineering, a manufacturing firm that produces LPG Stoves in Ghana."
Mark Hodgson
Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Studies sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Given their name, I suppose the only surprise is that they didn't send more. Their website is here:
http://www.center4climatechange.com/
"What is climate change?
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet – and one everyone can do something about. From recycling to offsetting emissions, and from turning the thermostat down to buying a more economical car, there are many steps you can take to help safeguard the future of the planet.
Almost all of the energy that drives the various systems (climate systems, ecosystems, hydrologic systems, etc.) found on the Earth originates from the sun . Solar energy is created at the core of the sun when hydrogen atoms are fused into helium by nuclear fusion .. The core occupies an area from the sun's center to about a quarter of the star's radius. At the core, gravity pulls all of the mass of the sun inward and creates intense pressure. This pressure is high enough to force the fusion of atomic masses.
What you can do
Burning fossil fuels to heat our homes or produce electricity releases carbon emissions, which cause climate change. The energy you use at home is likely to be your biggest contribution to climate change. 80 per cent of it goes on heating and hot water, so this is a good place to look for savings.
Bush burning & flared Gas are dangerious to the environment. These practices should be avoided.
You can help make a difference. We appreciate donations of any amount. "
"Partners
These are a few of the partners who have worked with us:
The Nigerian Presidency
The Ministry of Environment
UN Environment Programme
UN Development Programme
World Meteorological Organization
ECCO2 Global Network
UNFCCC"
"The centre for climate change and environmental studies, is a non- governmental organisation (NGO) incorporated under the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria with registration number (CAC/IT/NO 30826). Our aim is to combate climate change and global warming through research project on our environments, tree planting projects and awareness campaign on global warming and to combats deforestation, erosion, drought, emission of Greenhouse gasses, CO2 emission, toxic chemicals from gas flaring due to oil exploration, oil spillage which pollute the water and destroys aquatic life and also takes away the livelihood of the inhabitants and emission of industrial gases like Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which is a very high depleting agent to the Ozone layers that protect the earth from direct radiations of the sun."
There seem to be a lot of these types of organisations based in Nigeria. Do they see it as an apparently legitimate means of obtaining money from the international community? It's difficult to understand otherwise why a country such as Nigeria, with immense problems of many kinds, is so hung up on this one issue.
Delegates:
Mr. Aminu Zakari, Executive Director, Admin:
"Aminu Zakari (Abuja, Nigeria, 35) has over nine years of experience advocating the impact of climate change and environmental challenges to human well-being and the ecosystem by creating awareness, Tree Planting, Afforestation/Reforestation, community resilience programmes to adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change while at the same time, creating jobs and wealth to communities across Nigeria.
As the founder and executive director of Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Study (C4CCES), Zakari has engaged communities that are affected by the impact of climate change to plant economic trees, collect waste and convert to wealth through recycling for re-use and market, set up task force against bush burning, tree logging and I organized capacity building workshop and seminars among community leaders and stakeholders including women and children as well as the physically challenged.
Zakari is also the current Chairman and founding member of the Civil Society Network on Climate Change in Nigeria (CSNCCN) comprising over 153 member organizations with the aims of ensuring environmental sustainability through advocacy for compliance with the international best practices and MDGs.
Zakari holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from Ahmadu Bello University, Certificate Course on Climate Change: Public Health Preparedness and Response, Columbia University. Mailman School of Public Health. 722 West 168th Str. New York 10032 U.S.A. Master of Science in Environmental Control and Management (M.Sc)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Study (C4CCES), Nigeria, Organization in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2013 (ECOSOC) / Observer Organization to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (01/2009-Present)
Executive Director/Founder, Abuja, Nigeria
· Responsible for project design, coordination and implementation
· Research and development in line with international best practices
· Policy formulation and formation of national policy on disaster risk reduction
· Organize stakeholders forum and capacity building workshop among communities and school
· Formation of green clubs in schools across Nigeria
· Awareness creation on the impact of climate change on human well- being and the ecosystems
· Focal Person to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
· United Nations HQ, Chief NGO Representative (ECOSOC)
CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN NIGERIA (CSNCCN) ABUJA, NIGERIA (10/2010-Present) Chairman, Abuja, Nigeria
Assist in organizing national forum among network of civil society organization, coordinate and observe election among NGOs
· Help in mainstreaming genders and children issues into national policy
· Help in advocating awareness on emerging issues.
· Involved in community development through initiatives that create jobs and wealth to women and youth.
· Organized weekly sanitations in rural communities
· Help in organizing Tree Planting Campaign among communities and schools.
· Responsible for capacity building programmes
THE NIGERIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY. ABUJA, NIGERIA (2009-2012) Volunteer, Abuja, Nigeria
· Traveled to hardest-hit communities and camps to provide first aid, psychosocial support and health education to victims of natural disaster and during outbreak of diseases.
· Community sensitization and awareness activities on good hygiene, water purification, sanitation and hospital referrals
· Training for Traditional Birth Attendant in the community Health Centre (e.g) Training: Oral Re-hydration Solution; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WATSAN); Water and Habitat (WATHAB); Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
· Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria (3/1999)
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS)
· Columbia University. Mailman School of Public Health, New York 10032 United States (9/2010)
Certificate Course on Climate Change: Public Health Preparedness and Response
· Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria (3/2004)
Master of Science in Environmental Control and Management (M.Sc.)
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Teachers without Borders, (11/2010), Abuja Nigeria
MDGs Ambassador
· Millennium Development Goals, Ambassador in recognition of my effort in accomplishing the objectives of the MDGs, impacting knowledge and poverty alleviation.
Civil Society Network on Climate Change in Nigeria (4/2012), Abuja Nigeria
· Leadership Award: In recognition of my leadership and coordination of the coalition of civil society organizations in Nigeria"
Ms. Osasumwen Sandra Edobor, Gender Officer, Admin:
"Gender Officer" - need to tick those UN boxes, eh?
I think, but can't be sure, that this is her (she has a low internet profile, so far as I can see):
"Lending my voice to causes that passionately promote Women & Girl advancement, whilst taking my mum and cheerleading roles seriously"
https://www.pintaram.com/u/osasupaulazino
Mark Hodgson
Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society sent 6 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.cecoedecon.org.in/
"The Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society (CECOEDECON) is one of Rajasthan's leading civil society organizations. It's early footprints in the area of disaster relief have eventually progressed into imprinting its presence in more than 15 districts across the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
For over three decades the organization has worked towards promoting Inclusion, making Communities Resilient, Empowering Women, Children, Farmers and others at the society's margins including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes through its innovative interventions ranging from Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, Climate Change, Fair Trade, Institution Development, Seed Sovereignty, Land Rights, health, nutrition, Education and Human Rights.
In the 31 years of its engagement with the marginalised communities and other partners, CECOEDECON's greatest strength has been its ability to to adjust to the changes that are taking place in its external environment and within the organisation. Based on these changes it has tried to evolve its Vision, Mission, Approaches, Strategies and Major Interventions at different levels.
CECOEDECON works on the Rights Based Approach to development, as it provides a deeper understanding of poverty and rights violation, vulnerability, constraints in realization of rights and the decision making. The strategies moved towards integrating human rights principles to development, being guided by international and national standards and seeking local solutions. Acknowledging the critical role of international actors and govt. CECOEDECON has used a multilayered approach to effectively generate the change, focussing interventions at multiple levels creating opportunities for change to be initiated by the decision makers and at the same time accommodating initiatives from the communities. Having a strong background of meaningful community participation, empowerment, advocacy and imposing accountability on the duty bearers, CECOEDECON has developed insights into the causal analysis of vulnerability, building partnerships for development, strengthening community based institutions, integral gender analysis and need for maintaining multiple intervention at the local, state, national, regional and global levels."
But I think it's fair to say that climate change is a big thing for them, dominating their website.
Delegates:
Mr. Sharad Joshi, Chief Functionary, Rural Development:
"Mr Sharad Joshi is founder member and Secretary/CEO of CECOEDECON. An established voice in Indian Civil Society Circles, Mr Joshi has led and supported Indian civil society organizations and collectives to present the Indian perspective on a whole range of human rights, trade, climate change-related agenda and sustainable development at the global level for over 30 years now. A grassroots activist at the core, his vision and work ranging from the micro (hands-on grassroots work) to the macro (global-level advocacy) has been noteworthy."
Mr. Bhanwar Lal Jat, Coordinator, Climate Change:
A relatively low internet profile, but a regular attender at COPs - 18, 20 & 23 at least.
Ms. Vibhuti Joshi, Dy Director, Livelihood Security, Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants
Society:
Another COP regular.
"CECOEDECONs Vibhuti Joshi highlighted the major contributions of women farmers in coping with the onslaught of climate change, including through organic farming, integrating farming with livestock rearing and alternative cropping and farming practices.
She added that policy frameworks are needed to support the women farmers.
The NGOs also underscored the need for policy makers to integrate concerns of women farmers in future policy plans.
Policies must give due credit to womens role in agriculture and their management of natural resources. "There must be increased sensitivity of the policy response towards women farmers, including framework modifications, reassessment and effective structuring of policies," they said.
The NGOs also called for inclusion of rights of women tenant farmers as well as agricultural labour in the policy framework.
"Women farmers need access and actual power and control over resources, inclusion in decision making processes and subsidized climate friendly technological inputs," they said."
Mr. Shyam Sunder Ladrecha, Coordinator, Climate Change, Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society:
Mr. Bhagirath Mal, Coordinator, Health:
Mr. Kartik Sapre, Consultant, Climate Change:
A fairly low profile, but if you subscribe to twitter, then no doubt you can follow his tweets.
Mark Hodgson
Centre for Environmental Justice sent 5 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://ejustice.lk/
"About Us
Vision and Mission
Centre for Environmental Justice is a social service environmental organisation based in Sri Lanka with the mission for Protecting the equal environmental rights of the people & environment and promote ecological sustainability by supporting ecologically sound community activities. Our vision is “Environmental Justice for all”"
"Our Dream
Water, air, land, are the basic natural resources for life. The earth is our mother. Oceans, forests, rivers, wetlands, arid zones even deserts are the habitats for living things. Humans, as well as all other living things have a right to nature and its resources. We all have equal environmental rights.
The Natural environment is at risk today. Good environmental governance is far behind our expectations. We believe that environmental protection should be done at all levels. While government has a major role to play, every citizen has a responsibility to care for the environment in which we live.
Centre for Environmental Justice is a new initiative to protect the environment, to ensure equal environmental rights for all people and to promote ecological sustainability by supporting environmentally sound community activities.
Our Dream is to see a world that does not fight over nature and its resources; to see environmental peace within and across borders and to see and live in environmentally responsible communities.
We hope to see a world which shares the remaining natural resources and respects the environmental rights of all. Our task is to protect and conserve these natural resources; to preserve the ancient wisdom that enabled us to live in harmony with nature; to fight for better environmental governance for a sustainable future and for a better world which has environmental justice and equity."
Delegates:
Mr. Hemantha Withanage, Executive Director, Science:
"Hemantha Withanage is a co-founder and the Executive Director of Centre for Environmental Justice. He is also seving as an Executive Member to the Friends of the Earth International. He is also the Convenor of Sri Lankan Working Group on Trade and IFIs. Hemantha served as the Environmental Officer, Senior Environmental Scientist and
the Executive Director positions at the Environmental Foundation Ltd., since 1990. He was instrumental in building the Environmental Foundation Ltd to leading NGO in Sri Lanka. He was an active member of the following International Committees and Networks during past years; Elected International Convener of the NGO Forum on Asian Development Bank 2002 and 2003(term ended on July 2004), Executive Committee member of the FOEI (Friends of the Earth International) 2002-2004, Steering Committee Member of Oilwatch, Coordinator of the FOEI (Friends Of the Earth International) Working Group on Water, Coordinator of the FOEI ADB Task Group. He is a member of the ELAW (Environmental Law Alliance- Worldwide) since 1991."
Ms. Ayumi Fukakusa:
"So when Japanese environmental activists organized a rally in Tokyo ahead of the U.N. global climate change meeting in Paris in 2015, they called it an "Earth parade."
Several environmental groups teamed up to organize the rally and planned to accommodate 10,000 attendees. But only about 1,000 people showed up. Many of the people in the parade brought their children, holding signs that read "Climate Action Now!" in English, while someone in a polar bear costume led the procession through Tokyo's Shibuya crossing. But planners found the numbers disappointing.
"It was quite far from what we were trying to get," said Ayumi Fukakusa, an energy and climate change campaigner with Friends of the Earth Japan who helped organize the parade.
It stood in stark contrast to climate change rallies at the same time in other parts of the world, where tens of thousands of demonstrators in cities like Paris, London and Melbourne, Australia, were met with riot police and tear gas.
"When we see the entire country of Japan, we see the sense of danger toward climate change is still low," Fukakusa said."
Ms. Rachel Kennerley, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland:
No stranger to COPS.
"Climate Refugees Training and Campaigns Day
This training session is a follow-up from the successful Conference on Climate Refugees on Saturday 11 February 2017 to continue its energy and committment. The session, run by Friends of the Earth, will help participants understand the rights of climate refugees through the UN's Paris Agreement and develop a campaigning strategy for 2017.
It is a free event but please book in advance as there are limited spaces available.
Venue: Saturday 11 March 2017, 12.30 - 16.30, Friends of the Earth, Stockwell.
Directions: The Printworks, 139 Clapham Rd, London SW9 OHP. By tube, exit at either Oval (on the Northern line) or Stockwell station (on the Northern and Victoria lines). FoE is half-way between the two on Clapham Road.
Sessions will include: From polar bears to the human face of climate change: creating a solidarity narrative around climate, refugees and migration
A critical pathway to achieving a Legal Protocol for climate refugees and migrants’ rights
Practical ways to build support in the trade union movement
Campaigning on climate in trade unions
How do we build a campaign togethe: practical resources
Contributers to include Suzanne Jeffery, Campaign against Climate Change, Wilf Sullivan, TUC, Rachel Kennerley, FoE (tbc) Philip Pearson, Greener Jobs Alliance, Zita Holbourne, PCS and BARAC (tbc), Zac Cochrane, Stand Up to Racism (tbc)
Date:
Saturday, June 24, 2017 - 13:00 to 16:30"
Mr. Reinhard Uhrig, Global 2000 - Friends of The Earth, Austria:
"Global 2000/Friends of the Earth Austria has reacted to plans to fund nuclear power plants with European taxpayers money with a new petition.
The European Commission is preparing new state aid rules which would enable EU member states to grant subsidies to all energy forms designated as low carbon – including nuclear. This funding has until now been for investing in renewable energies
People are being asked to sign the petition now and tell the EU Commissioners that they refuse to fund dangerous nuclear power. The Say No! To State Aid For Nuclear Power petition aims to keep European Union rules on state aid nuclear-free.
Reinhard Uhrig, director of Global2000/Friends of the Earth Austria, said: "The plan to award nuclear power preferential treatment enjoyed by wind, solar and other renewables on the basis of its allegedly low-carbon status is outrageous. The nuclear industry is fighting for survival. Without these subsidies the currently planned nuclear power plants are not economically viable so taxpayers are to be forced to step in and pay for them."
Global2000/Friends of the Earth Austria is working with the entire anti-nuclear movement in Europe which refuses to surrender the phasing out of nuclear energy and continues to fight for the transition to renewable energies and greater energy efficiency.
The EU Commission's official consultations start at the beginning of October 2013, and Global2000/Friends of the Earth Austria will be offering all EU citizens the opportunity to get involved by submitting protest letters.
Because the EU Commission is authorised to decide on the Environmental and Energy Aid guidelines 2014-202 on its own, without any involvement of the European Parliament or the EU member states, this could mean that, in future, nuclear power can be awarded state aid just like renewable energies.
Under the plans, nuclear power plants including Hinkley Point C in the UK and Temelin 3 and 4 in the Czech Republic could receive public money as 'low carbon' energy sources.
SIGN THE PETITION NOW and tell the EU Commissioners that you refuse to fund the next Fukushima."
Mr. Sang Hoon Lee, Director, Environmental Policy Division:
Not easy to trace with confidence.
What are a lot of European (or in the case of the Japanese lady, European based) Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth activists doing attending COP 23 as part of a Sri Lankan delegation? How does that work?
Mark Hodgson
Heh, speaking of the Center for American Progress, I'm highly amused that John Podesta recently called James Comey an 'idiot'.
Who and why, Mark; that's the 64 trillion dollar question.
===========================
kim
Kim, maybe Comey pays far more than 50 grand (or whatever it was) when ordering "pizza" from a location half a continent away. That could appear idiotic, even among Podesta's circle. I dunno, they have some strange habits in Washington.
michael hart
Centre for European Economic Research sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
http://www.zew.de/en/
"The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim is a non-profit and independent institute with the legal form of a limited liability company (GmbH). Founded in 1990 on the basis of a public-private initiative in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg in co-operation with the University of Mannheim, ZEW is one of Germany's leading economic research institutes, and enjoys a strong reputation throughout Europe. ZEW pursues four key objectives:
To conduct research of the highest quality
To provide scientifically grounded economic policy advice
To train up-and-coming economists, and
To inform the professional and lay public
The institute addresses on decision-makers in politics, business, and administration, scientists in the national and international arena as well as the interested public. Frequent surveys on the situation on the financial markets and the business situation of the information economy as well as the large-scale annual study on innovation activities in the German economy are representative for the different types of information provided by ZEW."
They seem to have a wide brief, with articles on all sorts of issues. There's plenty on climate, but less frantic and alarmist than many.
"Third-Party Funding by Clients
German Federal Government and Foreign Ministries: 33%
Federal States: 19%
Companies/Associations: 11%
Institutions of the European Union: 19%
German Research Foundation and Foundations: 15%
Scientific Institutions: 9%"
Delegates:
Mr. Martin Kesternich, Researcher, Environmental and Resource, Economics, Environmental Management:
"Martin Kesternich joined ZEW in September 2010. He is researcher as well as Deputy in the ZEW’s Research Department “Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management”. He studied economics at the University of Mannheim and the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina in Buenos Aires. In July 2015, he received his doctoral agree in economics from the University of Hamburg. Martin Kesternich was a visiting researcher at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. In his research, he applies experimental and empirical methods on issues in environmental and behavioural economics."
Mr. Sebastian Voigt:
"Sebastian Voigt studied economics at the Humboldt University of Berlin and received his diploma in 2007. He focused on econometrics and operations research. In 2013 he received his PhD from the University of Heidelberg. His PhD thesis is entitled "The Impact of Environmental Policy on Economic Indicators: Moving from Global to Sectoral and Regional Perspectives". Since June 2007 Sebastian Voigt has been working as a researcher at ZEW, Department of Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management. His main research interests include quantitative economic modeling and the evaluation of climate policies. In the department he coordinates the research area "Macroeconomic Analysis of Environmentally Relevant Policies"."
Mark Hodgson
Centre for European Policy Studies sent 4 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
https://www.ceps.eu/
"Founded in Brussels in 1983, CEPS is a leading think tank and forum for debate on EU affairs, with an exceptionally strong in-house research capacity and an extensive network of partner institutes throughout the world."
"What we stand for
CEPS' commitment to institutional independence is rooted in the individual independence of its scholars. Therefore, CEPS does not take positions on issues. As an organisation, CEPS is committed...
To carry out state-of-the-art policy research, addressing the challenges facing Europe.
To achieve high standards of academic excellence and maintain unqualified independence and impartiality.
To provide a forum for discussion among all stakeholders in the European policy process
To build collaborative networks of researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders across the whole of Europe
What we do
As one of the few Think Tanks in Brussels covering all European policy areas, we offer exchanges, provide insights on and potential solutions for EU policy making through...
Research and Publications
Events
CEPS Ideas Lab and other flagship events
Research Priorities for 2018
Governance
CEPS is a non-profit international association under Belgian law (AISBL). It is governed by its statutes.
Our board is composed of independent personalities with broad research and policy experience, representing their individual views only. The board provides the strategic direction of the organisation and supervises its independence, the work of the management team and the financial performance of the organisation. Click here to view the full list of CEPS board members."
"The CEPS Energy Climate House (ECH) stimulates and informs discussion and analysis of ongoing energy and climate change regulatory and policy issues affecting Europe and beyond. It regularly brings together representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, member states, industry, academia, NGOs and civil society, using different formats. These include lunch meetings, workshops (upon invitation or open), Task Forces and the CEPS Ideas Lab. With the Clean Energy for All package expected to be adopted during 2018, attention will turn to mobility and transport, following the two Commission packages from 2017. Much of the 2030 framework for energy and climate will therefore be implemented throughout 2018 and early 2019. The spotlight will gradually focus on the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries, which is the major challenge in the post-2030 period. As a result, the ECH will shift its attention towards the transformation of new industrial value chains and their implications for European industrial and economic development.
2018 will see work on the circular economy and green growth being scaled up in response to the invitation extended to CEPS to join the global Green Growth Knowledge Platform, the leading global network launched by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank. Further research priorities in 2018 will be low-emissions mobility, digital energy and the challenges of commodities and raw materials. A number of ad-hoc projects will focus on energy and resources, including electricity, gas, oil and the Emissions Trading System. Work on innovation and innovation finance and decarbonisation of industry, notably in the context of the forthcoming update of the low-carbon roadmap, will continue throughout the year alongside further development of the CEPS ECH programme on Central and South
East European energy."
40% of funding seems to come from the EU.
Delegates:
Mr. Milan Elkerbout, Research Assistant, Energy and Climate Change Unit, Centre for European Policy Studies:
Not his first COP. The author of numerous climate-related pieces.
Education:
MSc, London School of Economics; BA (cum laude), Maastricht University
Languages:
Dutch (native); English (C2); French (A2)
Mr. Christian Egenhofer, Senior Fellow and Head of Unit:
"Senior Fellow, Head of the Energy and Climate programme; Director of the Energy Climate House; Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium) and Natolin (Poland), SciencesPo (Paris/France) and LUISS University (Rome/Italy).
Christian Egenhofer has more than 20 years' experience working with EU institutions on numerous policy areas. Over the last decade he has been specialising in EU energy and climate change policy, with a particular focus on the EU energy, climate and transport policies. He is currently Senior Fellow and Head of the Energy, Climate and Environment Programme at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), a Brussels-based think tank. Christian is also Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium) and Natolin (Poland), SciencesPo (Paris/France) and LUISS University in Rome/Italy. From 1997 to 2010 he was Senior Research Fellow and Jean-Monnet Lecturer at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee in Scotland/UK (part-time).
Christian Egenhofer holds a Master's degree in Administration from the University of Konstanz as well as a Public Law degree.
Areas of Expertise:
Energy policy and regulation, Climate change policy
Education:
Masters in International Administration, University of Konstanz; Public Law Degree
Languages:
English, French, German"
Ms. Noriko Fujiwara, Head of Climate Change:
"Dr Noriko Fujiwara is Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels. For 14 years she has undertaken research on climate change and energy policies at international, EU and country levels. Recent topics include climate change mitigation, post-carbon cities, low-carbon technology and innovation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, the EU emissions trading scheme, and international carbon markets. She has been also active in coordinating stakeholder consultation and presenting research results at conferences. Through publications, she contributed to the international and European climate policy debate. Among others, her publications have been quoted in Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
In addition she is Adjunct Researcher, Research Institute for the Environmental Economics and Management, Waseda University in Tokyo and Research Fellow at the China Insurance and Social Security Research Center, Fudan University in Shanghai. Previously she worked at a Japanese industry association on environmental and industrial policies.
She has D.Phil. in International Relations from the University of Sussex, M.Phil. in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, and Master of Law (International Political Economy) from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.
Education:
Ph.D.International Relations, University of Sussex, UK; M.Phil. Development Studies, University of Cambridge, UK; Master of Law. International Relations, Hitotsubashi University, Japan; B.A. International and Cultural Studies, Tsuda College, Japan
Languages:
English, Japanese"
Mr. Zheng Xu, Assistant Researcher, Energy and Climate Change, Centre for European Policy Studies:
"Specialization in renewable energy with a background in engineering, economic and policy. Well understanding about renewable energy policy and the electricity market. Advanced quantitative skills and mathematical manipulation gained from engineering applications. Well trained researching skills and data analysis skills. Well critical thinking ability and abstract thinking ability. Climate change negotiation and renewable energy future enthusiasm. Native mandarin speaker. "
Mark Hodgson
Center for American Progress sent 2 delegates to COP 23. Their website is here:
https://www.americanprogress.org/
"Our mission
The Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans, through bold, progressive ideas, as well as strong leadership and concerted action. Our aim is not just to change the conversation, but to change the country.
Our values
As progressives, we believe America should be a land of boundless opportunity, where people can climb the ladder of economic mobility. We believe we owe it to future generations to protect the planet and promote peace and shared global prosperity. And we believe an effective government can earn the trust of the American people, champion the common good over narrow self-interest, and harness the strength of our diversity.
Our approach
We develop new policy ideas, challenge the media to cover the issues that truly matter, and shape the national debate. With policy teams in major issue areas, CAP can think creatively at the cross-section of traditional boundaries to develop ideas for policymakers that lead to real change. By employing an extensive communications and outreach effort that we adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape, we move our ideas aggressively in the national policy debate."
Depending on your politics, so far so good. But then search their website using the magic word "climate" and you will obtain 3,098 results. The only surprise is that they didn't send more delegates. Here are the ones they did send:
Ms. Gwynne Taraska, Director, International Climate Policy:
"Expertise: International climate policy, energy and environmental policy
Gwynne Taraska is the director of International Climate Policy for Energy and Environment Policy at American Progress. Her recent work has focused on issues in international climate negotiations and finance, including carbon pricing, the Paris Agreement, North American climate cooperation, multilateral climate funds, and the topic of loss and damage.
Taraska has a Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where she specialized in symbolic logics. She was previously the research director of the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University."
Ms. Ernestine Johnson:
Presumably she is the Ernestine Johnson of Climate Action Network who is a regular at COPs, and who I think wrote this:
"CAN applauds the global political will shown this year to enable the Paris Agreement to enter
into force at a far greater speed than expected when we left Paris one year ago.
We welcome the timeline agreed to in Marrakech to develop a robust rulebook by 2018.
However, overall progress at COP 22 has been too slow. While pledges to replenish the
Adaptation Fund in the immediate term are welcome, there is a need for much greater support
to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The 2016 facilitative dialogue did not make the most of the opportunity to assess the gap to
enable a ratcheting up of pre-2020 ambition. As a key part of the ambition mechanisms of the
Paris Agreement, this must not set a precedent for the 2018 facilitative dialogue. Beginning
now, Parties must engage in the necessary preparations to ensure they are fully prepared for
the 2018 facilitative dialogue to avoid the mistakes we have seen here in Marrakech.
Distinguished delegates, 2016 is the hottest year on record, at 1.2ºC warmer than preindustrial
levels. Extreme weather events are increasingly frequent and the most vulnerable are already
suffering devastating impacts of climate change.
Now more than ever, we implore you come together and ensure we live up to our collective
responsibility to enact concrete action in line with the ambition embodied in the Paris
Agreement.
This is not a choice, but a moral imperative."