Welcome to this edition of the Fresh Air Brief. The FAB (as we like to call it) is a usually-weekly overview of the climate movement, offered free as a service of the
Global Call for Climate Action (GCCA). Below are some excerpts from this edition, including an overview of trending climate news and upcoming meetings, events, and issues that
our partners & peers are tracking as of 8 November 2014.
What our partners & peers are working on
The latest info on the work of our partners and peers
1000 kilometer Climate Walk reaches inspiring end in Tacloban, but the journey continues
Having stirred the conscious of a nation, more than 5,000 people holding white balloons and candles mournfully walked around the Philippines regional capital Tacloban City Saturday, joining the last stretch of a 38-day 1000 kilometer journey from Manilla to the place where Super Typhoon Yolanda (also known as Haiyan) first struck landfall. The Climate Walk, led by Philippines Climate Commissioner Yeb Saño, marked the one year anniversary of the devastating typhoon; and served as an homage to people confronting the realities of climate change in the Philippines and around the world.
Saño estimated that more than 20,000 people took part in the walk from start to finish. Participants raised awareness about climate issues and empowered communities to be resilient to disasters and the impacts of climate change. They also met local government units, distributed climate resiliency toolkits and interacted with frontline communities hit hardest by extreme weather events, including those living in the shadow of coal-fired power plants. On the Climate Walk's final day Saño told Rappler News that "This is a continuing journey. Our destination was never Tacloban; our destination is the hearts and minds of our people and everyone else around the world.”
With Australia hosting G20 leaders next week, uncertainty over climate's role on the agenda remain
With leaders of some of the world's largest economies meeting at the Australia-hosted G20 next week, big questions remain over whether and to what extent climate issues will be part of the agenda. A number of our partners are mobilizing their membership and networks across G20 countries through a joint social media campaign to change that. We also organized a call with representatives of WWF, the European Climate Foundation and WRI to learn more about how climate issues could fit, the influence of the coal industry, and the Australian Government's efforts to keep climate change solutions off of this key economic forum's agenda.
In related news, a new report from The Australia Institute offers up evidence undermining Australia PM Tony Abbot's insistence that coal is the “foundation of prosperity;” finding that on the few occasions coal companies have spent money to help the energy-poor, they ironically tended to use distributed, off-grid renewables or hydro power. More in our latest Tree Alert from 'Down Under'.
Civil society takes on unprecedented role in annual pre-COP meeting
A number of our partners traveled to Venezuela earlier this week to take part in the Social Pre-COP. The invite-only meeting hosted by the Venezuelan Government, which brought together a number of civil society groups from around the world, bolstered social participation alongside the annual Pre-COP Ministerial meeting which is typically primarily limited to governments. While civil society groups' inputs were limited to what their government host agreed to, the meeting culminated ina series of shared recommendations for different strategies to confront the threat of climate change; which Venezuela is likely to help champion in Lima this coming December. David Tong, writing for ourAdopt a Negotiator project, covered the event in-depth from inside. RTCC and VenezuelaAnalysis also have good overviews.
Other news that captured our attention
Additional recent and relevant news showing up in blogs and headlines
Climate solutions feature high on the agenda of the world's two largest polluters meeting this week
Before leaders gather in Australia for the G20, Beijing is hosting this year's round of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit as well as bilateral meetings between China with the US - in both cases climate change is expected to feature prominently. According to WRI's Jennifer Morgan “The US wants to convey that they are serious about climate change... China is watching very closely how the US will implement its own climate policy in the coming years.” Meanwhile, China-watchers in the US are skeptical of Beijing's ability to execute its own increasingly lofty climate action plans. Those tracking international climate negotiations will look out for announcements indicating new levels of action - such as funding commitments for developing countries, new R&D for clean energy, or joint pledges on how to monitor and enforce commitments. Along those lines, there's talk of the US and China partnering in a US $5-7 billion commitmentto improve electricity generation and transmission in several African countries. Regardless of any public announcements made next week, meetings between the world's two largest polluters will advance critical long-term discussions about energy and climate at the heads of state level. Think Progress has more.
Some Upcoming Events
12 Nov - Webinar: Looking forward from the People's Climate Summit (Global)
On Wednesday Nov. 12 from 10-11am PST, Climate Access executive director, Cara Pike, will facilitate a roundtable discussion on how to apply the lessons learned from the People’s Climate March to grow and diversify the climate movement. More here.
12 Nov - Webinar: There is no Paris without Lima (Global)
Climate Action, in partnership with Peru2021, UNFCCC and Ministerio del Ambiente Peru is hosting a live webinar to discuss what to expect from COP20, potential pathways to success and how this will affect COP21 in Paris next year.
Climate Action Director, Claire Poole, will curate the discussion with guest speakers Richard Kinley, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNFCCC and Henri Le Bienvenu, General Manager, Peru 2021.
To register for this webinar by clicking here, you can also follow it on twitter via #SIFCOP20.
15-16 Nov - The G20 kicks off in Brisbane (AUSTRALIA)
The Group of Twenty (G20) is a forum that assembles 19 members plus the EU, representing the world's major economies. General themes include global economy, financial regulation, poverty reduction and sustainable development.
The G20 members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US, as well as the EU.
Learn more by clicking here.
1-12 Dec - UNFCCC COP 20/CMP 10 (PERU)
The twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties and the tenth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
More information here.
6 Dec - 2014 Climate and Health Summit (PERU)
Co-hosted by the Global Climate and Health Alliance in collaboration with the WHO, PAHO and GIZ, and the Faculty of Public Health at UPCH, this free one -day event will take place alongside the next UN climate summit (COP20).
The health impacts of climate change are many and varied, and already influencing the lives of individuals and communities across the globe. As the international community works toward a post-2020 agreement on climate action, human health considerations need to be central to these discussions. The Summit is an occasion to showcase successes and clarify the role which health can play in responding to climate change.
Joshua Wiese is Project Director for Global Call for Climate Action, responsible for running GCCA's Adopt a Negotiator and Fresh Air projects. Fresh Air is a GCCA initiative that connects climate and energy bloggers to relevant work being done by GCCA partner organizations.
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The Climate Action Hub
Building upon the momentum generated by the People's Climate March, The Climate Action Hub focuses the energy and ideas that converged around the 2014 UN Climate Summit to engage civil participation in local, regional and global climate action. The Hub showcases NGOs, eco writers, scientists, bloggers and YOU in a group mission to amplify messaging and promote action on such issues as climate justice, sustainable development and clean energy. It will also serve as a forum for educating and informing the wider public and expand the civil movement to ensure success at the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Climate Summit. Please add any information on climate actions in comments below.
The Climate Action Hub at Daily Kos seeks volunteer ambassadors of climate activism to work on our 'eco swat team' in local communities and here at Daily Kos to disseminate information about the growing role of civil society in climate solutions. Join us here at Daily Kos to contribute your skills and experience. We need all hands on deck!
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