CLIMATE CHANGE MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS

 

WORKSHOP "Practical and Technological Solutions to Permafrost Degradation" August 29-31, 2011 QUEBEC, CANADA

 

 

 

 

 

 

While solutions and consensus are sought at the global level, the Northern Forum regions cannot wait. Permafrost melting is a daily reality in the North and the Arctic, affecting the lives of thousands: roads heaving and cracking, damaged airport runways, crumbling housing, are all too real, not to mention the added release of methane into the atmosphere. The 9th International Symposium on Permafrost Engineering will be held in Mirny, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), September 3-7, 2011, and just before the Symposium, the Province of Quebec will hold with the Northern Forum a workshop in Quebec City dedicated to exchanging best practices to adapt to permafrost degradation. The workshop is meant to bring together experts from academic, governmental and business circles in the regions to find solutions in common.

 

16TH COP MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE November 29-December 10, 2010 CANCUN, MEXICO

 

 

 

 

 

The sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP) and the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) was held in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010, together with the thirty-third session of the subsidiary bodies and the fifteenth session of the AWG-KP and thirteenth session of the AWG-LCA. nrg4SD represented the Northern Forum regions and filed the following report:

"UNFCCC COP 16 - a tale of three success stories".
For more information on the UNFCCC and the COP meeting, go to:

http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_16/items/5571.php

 

 

R20 - GLOBAL GOVERNORS SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE: GGCS3 November 15-16, 2010 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (US)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The R20 is an innovative public-private alliance between sub-national governments and business. The goal or the R20 is to help subnational regions develop comprehensive low carbon policies and enact investment projects. A dedicated summit (Global Governors Summit on Climate Change: GGCS3) for the official launching of R20 was hosted by Governor Schwarzenegger in Sacramento, California, November 15-16, 2010.  

 

CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT AND TRAINING PROGRAM Regional Approach to Climate Change YAKUTSK, SAKHA REPUBLIC (YAKUTIA) June 1-5, 2010

 

A Summit and Training Program gathering Russian regions to discuss climate change took place in Yakutsk, organized jointly by the UNDP and the Northern Forum. It was held concurrently with the 9th International Symposium on Cold Region Development (ISCORD), which focused on climate change adaptations.

 

Goals

UNDP and UNEP have developed, with eight associations of Regions, including the Northern Forum, a global program to promote low carbon neutral and climate change resilient territories. This Program is being carried out within the context of UNDP’s 2008 – 2011 Climate Change Strategy.  

 

Objectives

The Summit focused on issues facing northern or Arctic regions and the current and anticipated impacts on regions from climate change. Northern Regions already feel the impacts and are already addressing issues such as damage to infrastructure, increased coastal erosion and flooding of villages. Permafrost melting is threatening buildings and transportation infrastructure. It is critical to ensure all regions receive the necessary training and develop partnerships to address climate change.

 

 

SUMMIT OF THE WORLD'S REGIONS ON FOOD SECURITY Dakar, Senegal - January 18-19, 2010

 

 

 

 

The Summit was organized by FOGAR (Forum of Global Associations of Regions), of which the Northern Forum is a founding member. Other organisers included the CPMR and Senegal. Over 12 years have passed since the commitment made at the World Food Summit to reduce by half the number of undernourished people by 2015. Progress in this area is disappointing and the world food situation is now critical. The Regions are in effect able to act quickly to give coherence to the multitude of actions and projects that exist at different levels in this field by targeting coordinated action that responds to immediate needs and triggers the implementation of long-term solutions.

 

Dakar Declaration

Dakar Summary 

 

TERRITORIES, AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY SECTORS FACED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE October 21-22, 2009 Brest, Brittany (France)

 

Organized jointly by the UNDP, the FAO and the Brittany Region at the end of October 2009, this workshop was a prelude to the Dakar Summit on the World's Regions on Food Security, organized by FOGAR and the Republic of Senegal in Dakar, Senegal, January 18-19, 2010. Two Northern Forum regions were represented thanks to a grant from the organisers: Akureyri and Alaska, whose delegates participated actively in the fisheries discussions.

 

Report by NF delegate, Adelheid Hermann

Website of the workshop

 

GOVERNORS GLOBAL CLIMATE SUMMIT 2 "On the Road to Copenhagen"

 

 

The NF Executive Director, Priscilla Wohl, attended the Global Climate Summit hosted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Los Angeles, September 30 to October 2, 2009. Yukon Environment Minister Elaine Taylor also attended the Summit. The goal was to establish a voice for the regions and sub-national entities for the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Visit the site of the Summit at https://www.gcgtools.com/connect/public/GCG/GGCS2009/.