LRQA COP16 Blog, Day 7 – UNFCCC Executive Secretary, leaves audience in no doubt that Cancun ‘has to deliver’
9th December 2010 by Andy Ritchie
By Andrew Ritchie, Climate Change Services Manager, LRQA
Follow LRQA on Twitter @LRQA_CC_CSR
Today’s blog is naturally dominated by the commencement this afternoon of the High-Level Segment of these negotiations, and the subsequent ‘re-energising’ of expectations brought about by the arrival of world leaders and heads of state here in Cancun.
But this event was not, for me at least, the highpoint of the day. That accolade belongs to one of the side events that took place at Messe just after lunch. It was a presentation by the Met Office Hadley Centre entitled ‘Science – Decision making in the face of uncertain and complex climate’, and it consisted of two presentations (by Vicky Pope and Richard Jones) which, I believe, served to remind everyone of the fact that, however complex we may believe the issue of climate change to be politically, it is infinitely more complicated from a scientific perspective. Even with more advanced modelling techniques and more consistent and reliable data, newly discovered and still barely understood phenomenon such as black carbon, and recognised yet unquantifiable threats such as ocean methane hydrates, re-emphasise the incredible challenges facing those charged with determining the potential extent of climate change and the potential environmental, social and economic impacts that may result from it.
And yet it is precisely a clear determination of those impacts that is demanded by decision makers, irrespective of those recognised complexities and the many uncertainties that exist because of them, a fact that leaves those who provide that information in the unenviable position of trying to provide certainty in relation to a subject that is inherently uncertain. I, for one, am somewhat grateful that there are those who are willing and able to rise to this most daunting of scientific challenges and ultimately provide us with the best available evidence on which to base our future decisions.
Prior to this side event at Messe, the day’s activities had started at the Westin where, following a short meeting to discuss tomorrow’s panel discussion on MRV, I sat in on a session looking at whether Africa was ready for REDD in the voluntary markets. The session itself reinforced the importance of forestry in limiting the amount of atmospheric carbon and, by so doing, achieving the aims of minimising climate change. It also emphasised the role that Africa will be able to play in that, given the right structures, mechanisms and, perhaps most importantly of all, understanding.
The end of the day was dominated by the commencement of the High-Level Segment, and the opening address was provided by UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, who left the audience in no doubt that Cancun ‘had to deliver’. Her statement was followed by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon who, whilst wearing a loose-fitting blue shirt with two wide patterned stripes in deference to the more relaxed dress code in operation in Cancun, made it clear to the representatives of the various national governments that they should strive to reach an agreement, even if that agreement is less than perfect. He summed this up by stating: ‘We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ He also provided the best sound-bite of the first day, saying, ‘Nature will not wait whilst we negotiate.’His statement was followed by that of Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, himself wearing a white shirt with a wide and colourfully patterned stripe on the left hand side. The host here in Cancun highlighted the ‘formidable challenges’ that lay ahead for the participants, and himself provided the catchy sound-bite of: Cancun can.’
Although similar messages, emphasising the responsibilities of those present to reach an agreement whilst reminding everyone of the urgency of the situation, were provided by representatives from countries such as Yemen, Nauru Ethiopia and also the European Commission, a special mention must be made of Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who, resplendent in a vivid red shirt which also sported another of these large, patterned vertical stripes, certainly gained my vote for the most sartorially elegant speaker of the day.
Finally, I would urge everyone to visit the UNFCCC website and watch the Opening Ceremony of the High-Level Segment. Maybe then someone will be able to explain to me what the strangely dressed performers and the man who looked like a tree were meant to represent. No-one I have spoken to seems to have a clue.
Andy’s Mexican Fact of the Day
Mexico with an approximate population of 111 million, is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. There is an increasing trend for that population to be urban, with close to 75% living in cities. The five largest urban areas in Mexico (Greater Mexico City, Greater Guadalajara, Greater Monterrey, Greater Puebla and Greater Toluca) are home to 30% of the country’s population.
Andy’s Thought for the Day
Acronyms. Love them or hate them, they are here in abundance in Cancun. The challenges I have set myself and my LRQA colleagues are for the remainder of the week are to find a seven letter acronym (we already have several six letter acronyms such as UNFCCC and LULUCF) and; find an acronym that is more amusing than BINGO (business and industry non-governmental organisations).
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Andy Ritchie is the Group Environmental Products Manager for the