A Global Solution to a Global Problem
We Must Act NOW!
International climate policies (The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol) are a means of bringing together countries to collectively agree on global actions to prevent climate change reaching dangerous levels. The UNFCCC (or the 'Convention') is a framework treaty which 189 Parties have signed, agreeing to take actions against human induced climate change. Its objective is to help intergovernmental efforts prevent dangerous climate change. The Kyoto Protocol is the implementation of this treaty, which significantly strengthens the Convention by committing each Party to individual, legally-binding targets to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
© WWFSPP. Penina Moce, a fisherwoman from a remote island in Fiji, presents alongside Francis Areki of WWF Fiji, and Jennifer Morgan of WWF International.
There is a need to strengthen the Pacific's engagement in the development of international climate policy.
Why?
- Pacific delegations to international climate policy meetings are very small, thus attending each discussion on all issues during international climate policy meetings is not possible.
- There is a need to train Pacific islanders to become better negotiators at these meetings.
- The Kyoto Protocol’s target of reducing the emissions of climate changing gases by 5% by the year 2012 is now being reviewed, to ensure deeper cuts in emissions beyond 2012. Pacific Island countries are being looked upon for the leadership they demonstrated during the negotiation of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.
WWF is working to address the above concerns, through the following activities:
- Regional Negotiations Training Workshops
- Enhancing participation in the development of international climate policy by:
- Providing policy support to governments to review existing national policies related to climate change, with a view to enhancing these policies if and where necessary
- Enhancing participation in international climate policy through national level negotiations training workshops for both government and civil society stakeholders
- Providing additional support, to increase the attendance of both government and civil society representatives at the United Nations climate change meetings
WWF, with partners, have conducted a number of workshops to train negotiators from many Pacific island countries. These workshops are held every year to help Pacific delegations prepare for annual international climate policy meetings.
For example, in 2003, WWF, with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) conducted one such workshop in Samoa. This was followed by two other training workshops in Fiji, with the same partners. In 2005, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), joined forces with WWF, SPREP and FIELD to conduct another workshop in Fiji to build Pacific regional capacity for negotiations in Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs), with a focus on climate change.
There are more such training workshops (national and regional) planned by WWF and its partners. See Negotiations Training for more information on our current work.
Read our project brochure, Enhancing the Participation of Pacific Island Nations in International Climate Change Policy, for more information
» Read more about what WWF is doing in the Cook Islands and Tuvalu
Climate Change is a Global problem, and strong international policy, that protects the interests of those countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, like Pacific Island countries, is one of the major ways to tackle this global problem.