International Environment Forum - A Bahá'í inspired organization for environment and sustainability

Climate Change COP28

admin — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:03:35 +0000

Climate Change COP28 admin 20. November 2023 - 23:03

Climate Change COP28

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
28th Conference of the Parties
Dubai, UAE, 30 November-12 December 2023
https://unfccc.int/cop28 Host country website: https://www.cop28.com/en/

COP28 is a crucial meeting for action on climate change, as the UN warns that a radical transformation is now required. This IEF page will provide regular updates on relevant events and possibilities for participation at a distance. A report on events that have already taken place follows below.
Dubai time is 3 hours later than CET (Geneva), 9 hours later than EST (New York)

UPCOMING EVENTS

With 70,000 participants in Dubai and uncountable events, it is not easy to know what events are accessible online. The following are events of interest to IEF. Links will be provided if and when available.

Bahá'í International Community events

COP28 "Values Roadshow"

During COP28, a group of organizations including the Bahá'í International Community are coordinating a “Values Roadshow” that creates spaces across many different Pavilions and events to explore humanity’s shared values and the coherent principles to be collectively embraced to advance climate justice. These events may take on a variety of formats, but ultimately the goal is to offer an opportunity to explore the following questions:
What values must underlie initiatives and advancement on each issue?
What values currently underlie work on the issue - consciously and subconsciously?
Where do we see misalignment between the two previous questions and how can we overcome it?
What are examples where we see an evolution of thinking at the level of values on the issue?

Diversity of thought, background, and approach are critical. It is through the interaction of diverse perspectives and experiences that higher degrees of insight can be gained. We are therefore aiming to explore values through the lens of a diversity of intersecting themes and constituencies, including potentially the following issues:
- Climate induced migration
- Resilience
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Faith
- Food Systems
- Gender equality
- Indigenous issues
- Small Island Developing States
- Youth

While there do not seem to be any Values Roadshow events with virtual participation, the following are now planned:

A Values-Based Approach to Food Systems, 6 December, 18:30-19:30, Food & Ag Pavilion

A Visual Expression of Sustainability’s Values, Friday 8 December, 18:00-19:00, Global Renewables Hub

A Visual Expression of Humanity’s Values, Monday 11 December, 16:30-17:30, Faith Pavilion

Culture, Values, and Spiritual Perspectives: Mobilising Action Towards a Just Food System Transition, 8 December, 14:00-14:45, Food4Climate Pavilion

Other events hosted by the BIC, Baha’is and partners at COP28
apparently not hybrid

Future Economy Forum/ebbf daily events in the Blue zone stand of FEF in Food Pavilion, 1-10 December

Exhibit in Startup Tech Village, December 1-3, Startup Tech Village - Kiosk 15

Geledés - Black Woman Institute (Brazil) side event, 3 December, 13:30 - 14:45 Brazil's Pavilion

The Convergence Forum, Climate Impact Storytelling Workshop, 3 December, 13:00-14:00, PCCB Capacity Building Hub (Blue Zone)

Food systems transformation: elevating healthy diets & protein diversification as climate solutions, BIC side event, 4 December, 13:15—14:45, SE Room 7

Baha’i and Partners Exhibit Booth, BIC exhibit, 4-6 December, Booth 29

The Convergence Forum, Climate Impact Storytelling Workshop, 8 December, 10:00-22:00, Slovenia Pavilion (Green Zone)

Faith Pavilion

The Faith Pavilion will hold 65 sessions with 300 speakers from every corner of the world; 120 faith-based organisations have signed up to take part. The website with its programme is https://faithatcop28.com/. All the events will be livestreamed.

UNEP Faith for Earth has its own special page for COP28: https://www.unep.org/events/conference/faith-based-engagement-cop28

Climate Governance Commission events

The Climate Governance Commission is collaborating in the following events that do not presently seem to be accessible online.

Strategy session on a proposed Climate and Planetary Boundaries Leadership Centre, 2-3 December

10 Must-haves Initiative - 10 ambitious targets for global transformations that would ensure just and sustainable futures for all, 4 December, 10:30 - 11:30

Creating A Sustainable ‘Zero Carbon Footprint’ World: Accelerating & Connecting Business, Technology and Governance Solutions (Hosted by Future Economy Forum), 4 December, 14:30 - 16:00. The first panel will bring together government officials, investors, corporates, labor leaders, and developers to discuss practical steps in achieving a 'carbon reduction' future. The second panel will broaden the global conversation, uniting corporate/labor leaders and policy experts for a comprehensive clean energy revolution.

Governing Our Planetary Emergency: Key Perspectives and Proposals from the 2023 Climate Governance Commission Report, 5 December, 14:00 - 15:20. After the November 28th launch of the Report, “Governing Our Planetary Emergency,” of the Climate Governance Commission, Chaired by Mary Robinson, Johan Rockström, and María Fernanda Espinosa, experts invited by the Climate Governance Commission, with a special focus on youth, will discuss key perspectives and proposals from the report.

Rising to the Challenge: Courageous Thinkers and Doers for a Sustainable Future, 5 December, 18:30 - 22:30. The current planetary emergency presents a transformative opportunity for a global clean energy transition, potentially saving $12 trillion by 2050 in energy system costs alone. However, courageous leadership across sectors is crucial to catalyze the necessary positive transformations.

Aligning Principles With Action: How to Make Climate Change Solutions a Reality (Hosted by the Baháʼí International Community), 7 December, 12:30 to 21:00. Discussion about the forces that prevent meaningful policy and how to overcome them by aligning principles with action.

The Role of Education in Building Climate Resilience (Hosted by Dubai Cares and the Global Center on Adaptation), 8 December, 11:00 - 12:00.

“Cleaning Up” is Part of the Solution: 10 Reasons for Paris+10, 8 December, 14:30. This event seeks to tackle an issue fundamental to the common future of humankind. A Portuguese climate law already includes the objective of recognizing the planetary climate system as a “Common Heritage of Humankind,” in addition to the Lubango Declaration of CPLP (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) which encourages the discussion of this subject. In this context, Common Home of Humanity has organized this event at the Portugal Pavilion at COP28, to have framing discussion on the road to Paris+10 (COP30 in 2025).

Governing Our Planetary Emergency: Sparking Governance Innovation and Bold Leadership for a Workable Future, 8 December, 16:30 - 17:45. The Chair of the Climate Governance Commission and Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson, along with Commission Co-Chair Maria Fernanda Espinosa, 73rd President of the UN General Assembly, along with other Commissioners and Commission experts, explore the dimensions of the bold leadership, governance innovation and fresh perspectives needed to properly govern Our Planetary Emergency, in the interests of all of humanity.

REPORT ON COP28 EVENTS

The Climate Governance Commission
Governing Our Planetary Emergency

The Climate Governance Commission launched its report, Governing Our Planetary Emergency on 28 November. Go to a summary, or access the full report

Keynote Speakers, alongside other Commissioners, were:
• Mary Robinson: Lead Co-Chair of the Climate Governance Commission and Chair of the Elders, Former President of Ireland
• Maria Fernanda Espinosa: Co-Chair of the Climate Governance Commission and Executive Director of Global Women Leaders Voices, 73rd President of the UN General Assembly
• Johan Rockström: Scientific Co-Chair of the Climate Governance Commission and Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
• Maja Groff: Convenor, Climate Governance Commission (Moderator)

Strengthening Climate Governance:
Tightening the Screws on Existing Architecture

On 1 December, experts from Wageningen University, the Earth Commission, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) discussed innovation in governance, finding a path toward reliable Earth system management.

Moderator Maja Groff introduced the Climate Governance Commission (CGC) exploring innovative ways to improve present governance and new systems that could better respond to the current triple crisis as we overshoot planetary boundaries. The CGC report launched on 28 November makes ten near-term proposals and five medium-term initiatives, including creating a Global Environment Agency. These proposals can feed into the Summit of the Future and conferences of the parties. Science shows that we are in a planetary emergency on a path to catastrophe, requiring Earth System governance.

Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen then addressed the issue of accountability, based on a policy brief for the CGC prepared with Arthur Dahl. There are many Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) but compliance is insufficient. Strong accountability requires measuring performance, leading to consequences. The problem is that sovereign states refuse to accept accountability. In the short term there are three options: nurturing mindsets of shared accountability based on ethical concerns; enabling broad accountability where assessments of progress cover efforts, processes and outcomes; and empowering dynamic accountability resulting in learning. The Global Stocktake under the UNFCCC could lead to a collective judgement that parties would be obliged to take into account in determining their Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs). Self accountability could encourage states to consider their ethical or moral responsibility with honesty and integrity. A science-based International Climate Council could recommend carbon budgets and provide tools for advocacy. Sharing of national best practices could encourage learning. Mechanisms should be created to provide tangible support if needed. However, in the longer term, deeper change will be needed, starting with a move beyond consensus to majority voting to achieve strong accountability.

Then Shikha Bhasin shared her experience with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) in India looking at the sustainable cooling sector involving air conditioning and refrigeration. The gases used not only damage the ozone layer, now regulated under the Montreal Protocol, but are also potent greenhouse gases. An estimate that they contributed 25 percent of Indian greenhouse gas emissions blocked any policy action, but CEEW calculated this was only 7 percent because so few Indians could afford air conditioning or refrigeration. India then agreed to take the leadership among high ambient temperature countries to get these chemicals out of cooling systems. A national cooling action plan now needs to involve other relevant ministries such as agriculture and industry, as well as consumer awareness for household uses, to enable a fast transition.

Drew Jones of Climate Interactive described EN-ROADS, a policy action simulator that can show which actions leverage the most change in greenhouse gas reductions. Experience shows that simply publishing research does not impact policy. People need to experience things for themselves. Their online simulator makes it possible to show what actions would bend the curve in emissions, and what demands are most important, making it possible to challenge assumptions and demonstrate the combinations of actions that can meet global warming targets.

David Obura of the Earth Commission and chair of IPBES explored the interconnections between our interlocking crises, both environmental and social. The start must be equity, acknowledging inequalities in consumption and decision-making. To bend the curve, we need transformative change in all of them, but our institutionalised processes are trapped in silos. The Earth Commission has shown the complexity of the drivers beyond just carbon to the social aspects that need to be balanced. We need to bridge the divide between the natural and social sciences. Governance is struggling between science and policy action. The High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism has made proposals for environmental governance, and the Secretary-General has proposed an emergency platform, but how should these be designed? We should build on what we have, including the interconnectivity built into the Sustainable Development Goals. To think across divides, we could create small task forces for individual problems, and then connect them together. Science needs to innovate. IPBES is exploring interconnections, as with its nexus and change assessments.

Finally, Alyn Ware introduced MEGA, Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance, to be launched in January but already online, aiming for policy action. The Climate Governance Commission report is a major contribution, and other campaigns such as on Ecocide, nuclear non-proliferation and Earth trusteeship are already well developed. MEGA provides a platform for these campaigns and how to engage. The campaign for the International Criminal Court, now operational, shows what can be accomplished. The International Court of Justice could be improved by inviting other countries to accept its jurisdiction, and the request for an Advisory Opinion on the climate obligations of countries, now being considered, will be another step forward.

Issues raised in the question session included how equity could be introduced into global models by providing breakdowns by country or income levels. Parliamentarians are an important constituency that can be addressed through the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) which needs to work on the implementation of its resolutions. A UN Parliamentary Assembly could bring this group into the UN system. One challenge is how to educate policy makers in climate governance. It would be useful to have a policy clearing house to share best practices.

Speakers:

Maja Groff, Convenor, Climate Governance Commission (moderator)

Sylvia Karlsson Vinkhuyzen, Associate Professor with the Public Administration and Policy Group of Wageningen University, the Netherlands, Board member of One World Trust and International Environment Forum

Andrew (Drew) Jones, Executive Director and Co-founder of Climate Interactive, Co-developer of En-ROADS with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Sustainability Initiative

Shikha Bhasin, UNEP Cool Coalition and Advisor, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)

David Obura PhD, MBS, Chair, IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), Member of Earth Commission

Alyn Ware, Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance (MEGA), Founder and global coordinator of the network Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND)

Key Partners/Collaborators: Climate Governance Commission, Wageningen University, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW); co-sponsored by International Environment Forum

Last updated 1 December 2023

Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance

admin — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:58:05 +0000

Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance admin 28. November 2023 - 19:58

Global Governance

Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance

Strengthening global governance
to protect the environment

MEGA (Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance) is a coalition of civil society organizations working in cooperation with like-minded governments to strengthen existing environmental governance mechanisms and establish additional mechanisms. Earth’s ecosystems are being destroyed by poorly governed economic development and international competition. Global environmental governance is essential to transcend national interests and protect earth’s ecosystems for current and future generations. While MEGA will only be formally launched in January 2024, its MEGA website with many useful materials has gone live on 28 November 2023 to accompany the launch by the Climate Governance Commission, a MEGA partner, of its report Governing Our Planetary Emergency. The International Environment Forum is also a co-sponsoring organization in MEGA.

Last updated 28 November 2023

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Governing Our Planetary Emergency

admin — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:22:49 +0000

Governing Our Planetary Emergency admin 28. November 2023 - 19:22

Climate change

Global Governance

Governing Our Planetary Emergency

Climate Governance Commission Report
Launched 28 November 2023
access the full report here

The Climate Governance Commission, convened by Maja Groff (IEF member), presented its groundbreaking report, Governing Our Planetary Emergency, at an online event on 28 November 2023, just before the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference COP28.

The Commission chair and co-chairs, Mary Robinson, chair of The Elders and former President of Ireland, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former President of the UN General Assembly and Foreign Minister of Ecuador, and Johan Rockstrom, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, highlighted the extensive consultation and collaborative effort that went into preparing the report, drawing on many disciplines in a systemic approach bridging science, society and values. The report provides both a broad overview of the governance crisis and practical proposals to address the problems. Comments were also provided by other Commissioners, and representatives of civil society and business.

The world faces a deepening planetary emergency—and is on a reckless path toward runaway, catastrophic climate change—having already over-shot six of nine scientifically-identified Planetary Boundaries. Collectively, we must chart a safe and sustainable path for a workable future for all of humanity.

Facing a crossroads in human history, we need novel approaches to global governance in support of unprecedented policy, private sector, and citizen-led actions, to shift course this decade and avert the worst of the emergency. Human interference in the life-supporting functions of our planet have already caused intense suffering and heightened inequality. Employing new and existing governance levers in more creative and technically robust ways — that harness the combined talents and commitments of governments and non-state actors — is necessary to meet our shared, colossal challenges. Our current challenges — although daunting — are solvable, and there are many powerful, positive trends on which to build our efforts. This Report sets forth near- and medium-term proposals for vital and substantial governance improvements across the international system. The Commission will form diverse, high-level working groups to refine its recommendations and advocate for their associated transformations.

Coverage of the report

The report starts by reviewing the climate problem-set to understand our current predicament and what the science tells us. It then discusses conceptual frameworks for international governance as a vital necessity. This includes equity, justice, and trusteeship as central principles to address our planetary emergency.

At the heart of the report are proposals for international governance innovations. This includes a "Top 10" list of near-term working proposals that could be implemented immediately:
1. Urgent Improvement of Climate COPs to Focus on Delivery, Action, and Accountability
2. Declaration of Planetary Emergency, Planetary Emergency Platform, and Broadening International Security
3. Responsible Action of Powerful Actors: “Servant Leadership”
4. Enhance International Scientific Capacity for Earth System Governance
5. Elevate Environmental Governance Within the Multilateral System and Strengthen Accountability for International Obligations
6. Near-Term International Economic and Financial Measures
7. More Innovative International Law, International Legal Institutions, and Citizen Participation in Global Governance
8. Connecting Trade and International Investment Law With Climate and Broader Ecological Priorities
9. Facilitating Business as a Force for Good through Effective Multistakeholder Commitment
10. Boosting “Next-Generation” City and Regional Alliances

These are followed by five next-generation working proposals to build out planetary governance over the next 5-10 years:
1. Establish A Global Environment Agency (GEA)
2. Establish An International Court for the Environment (ICE)
3. Adapt Environmental Law to the Anthropocene
4. Reform Bretton Woods Institutions and Enhance Multilateral Development Bank/ National Development Agency Collaboration
5. Other Key Medium-term International Institutional Reforms

The report then discusses theories of change and a strategy for climate governance innovation, and concludes with proposals toward effective and just Earth System governance. The report is extensively documented.

This report will clearly be an important input with high credibility both to COP28 and to the Summit of the Future in 2024.

Last updated 28 November 2023

The Concept of Liberty in the Baha'i Teachings and its Application for Environmental Sustainability

admin — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:50:35 +0000

The Concept of Liberty in the Baha'i Teachings and its Application for Environmental Sustainability admin 28. November 2023 - 2:50

21st IEF Webinar

Saturday, 2 December 2023
10am PDT California
1pm EST New York
6pm GMT
7pm CET Central Europe

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/FreedomEnvironment

Description
The teachings of Baha'u'llah about liberty/freedom are fundamentally important for our spiritual development and for the enormous social and environmental problems of our time. The presentation is an attempt to shed light on the meaning of true freedom in the Baha'i Writings and on their relevance, not only for individuals’ spiritual growth and creativity, but for the survival of human civilization on a planet with finite resources. The Baha'i concept of liberty, which calls for moderation and justice, leads away from materialism, consumerism, and exploitation toward social justice and environmental sustainability.

Speaker
Christine Muller graduated from the Music Academy Basel, Switzerland with degrees in piano teaching and early childhood music education. Due to the urgency of the environmental crisis, she has spent most of her life studying and teaching environmental issues. She serves as faculty for the Wilmette Institute courses Climate Change and Sustainable Development, teaches a course on climate change for the Baha'i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran, serves as a board member of Rhode Island Interfaith Power & Light, and as the secretary of the Baha’i-inspired International Environment Forum.

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Life story of Richard St.Barbe Baker

admin — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:41:16 +0000

Life story of Richard St.Barbe Baker admin 23. November 2023 - 13:41

Forests

Richard St.Barbe Baker was a unique figure promoting environmental protection and forest restoration from the 1920s in Africa, North America, Palestine, Australasia and around the world. IEF has restored the content of a website about this remarkable man and his impact. Life story of Richard St. Barbe Baker (1889-1983), "Man of the Trees", forester, early environmentalist and Bahá'í. We all can learn from his example.

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Ocean Governance

admin — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 21:42:09 +0000

Ocean Governance admin 19. November 2023 - 23:42

Governance

Oceans

Ocean Governance

Paris, 16-17 November 2023

The French Academy of Sciences Overseas and the Belgian Royal Academy of Sciences Overseas sponsored a two day colloquium in Paris 16-17 November on “Ocean Governance: management of marine resources, food security and sustainable development”. The event was organised by IEF member Virginie Tilot de Grissac, who belongs to both academies, and included 22 presentations from a variety of perspectives by Academicians, leading experts and retired Admirals and Generals, among others. IEF President Arthur Dahl gave the closing keynote. The proceedings will eventually be published.

Starting with the acknowledgement that present ocean governance is highly fragmented between different UN specialized agencies, convention secretariats, and the Law of the Sea, speakers explored the ocean as a common good where water links everything and does not respect any man-made boundaries, and is subject to many often-conflicting uses. A variety of marine research approaches were shared, ranging from remote sensing to aquaculture and deep-sea mining.

Arthur Dahl’s closing systems presentation proposed some innovations necessary to enable ocean governance to become more sustainable. Since the planetary ocean is a single integrated system, we must overcome the fragmentation in present ocean governance. Good science on the state and trends in the ocean and relevant human activities and impacts across all scientific disciplines must be the foundation for decision-making. Ocean data collection, modelling and scientific advice should be strengthened, where artificial intelligence can now assist with data management, documenting changes and trends, and identifying tipping-points.

A new legal framework must give priority to the common good of the whole system over national sovereignty and Exclusive Economic Zones, fill the vacuum in high seas governance, and cover non-state actors. The law on EEZs needs revision to adapt to changes in coastlines with sea level rise, and to ensure that SIDS that lose their entire national territory can retain rights to EEZ resources.

Clear responsibility needs to be established for land-based sources of marine pollution, in accordance with the polluter-pays principle, with enforcement mechanisms. All waste disposal and dumping in the oceans should be regulated based on environmental assessments.

Coordination and regulation of human uses of the oceans should cover: fisheries and aquaculture, shipping and transport, military uses, mining and resource extraction, renewable energy (wind, thermal, waves, tidal), biodiversity conservation and restoration, and control of invasive species and diseases. Non-monetary values of the oceans, including aesthetic appreciation, cultural and Indigenous connections, and the oceans as metaphors, should be prioritised.

UN Ocean Conferences in support of governance should be held every five years: 2017, 2022, 2027, etc., with the power to recommend. The 2022 Conference highlighted the collective failure to achieve ocean-related targets, and weak ocean governance at various geographic scales.

Global ocean governance with legislative, executive and judicial functions can be implemented either as part of general reforms to the United Nations system, or failing this, as separate environmental governance or ocean governance institutions. A recent proposal for a Global Environment Agency by IEF members Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen and Arthur Dahl was a source for the following UN High Level Advisory Board recommendation on global environmental governance:

“The central importance of the environment to all aspects of our lives and collective well-being must be accompanied by an elevation of the environment within our global governance system. This requires strengthening UNEP and the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) with mandates and resources comparable to the UN’s development, peace and security, and human rights institutions. Specifically, UNEP should be empowered to act as a more effective global environment agency, able to track our interrelated impacts on the environment, consolidate and measure our commitments, condition our global financial investments, and drive a transformative agenda for people and planet across multilateralism.” (High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism (HLAB), 2023, A Breakthrough for People and Planet, p.26)

A Global Environment Agency would include an independent global scientific advisory council, with scientists from all relevant disciplines: natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, to provide objective basis for action. UNEP would evolve institutionally into a Global Environment Agency within a polycentric system with authority to set global rules, norms, and values for collective security. The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) would have an expanded legislative function to adopt binding planetary legislation for governments and non-state actors. An International Environment Court would be created to interpret the law and settle disputes.

This will also require a fundamental transformation of the economic system that favours short-term monetary profits and GDP towards human and environmental well-being. The challenge for science is to find scientifically-based indicators of ocean well-being and the ocean boundaries that must be respected, just as we consider planetary boundaries. Such indicators would make it possible to measure the effectiveness of ocean governance.

Last updated 19 November 2023

Leaves - November IEF newsletter is available

admin — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:10:51 +0000

Leaves - November IEF newsletter is available admin 15. November 2023 - 20:10

Read on line: Leaves 25(11) November 2023 light text version with fewer illustrations.
Download as a pdf version [0.6 mb].

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Conference of Chief Justices of the World

admin — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:50:18 +0000

Conference of Chief Justices of the World admin 14. November 2023 - 21:50

Global Governance

Conference of Chief Justices of the World

City Montessori School
Lucknow, India
1-7 November 2023

At an international conference organized by City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, participants from over 50 countries engaged with hundreds of students on the question of how to make global governance more effective and accountable.

With over 60,000 students, the school is said to be the largest worldwide. At a public opening event, 8,000 of them participated in performances under the theme of achieving world unity in diversity.

In an appeal presented at a plenary session, student representatives expressed “solidarity with the efforts to reform the Charter of the United Nations so that the outdated international governance structures can be transformed to reflect a just, principled, representative, and accountable global order.”

The school’s president, Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, addresses the participants following their arrival. Photo copyright: City Montessori School

“The international community must overcome the reluctance to discuss UN Charter reform”, the appeal said.

The school’s founder Jagdish Gandhi stressed that “the world today is passing through probably the most difficult phase in human history when the very survival of humanity is gravely endangered.”

He said that “enforceable world law” was required which would need to be enacted by a “world parliament” and interpreted by a strengthened International Court of Justice.

The creation of a world parliament was touched on in numerous speeches and presentations.

Participants of the International Conference of Chief Justices of the World, convened for the 24th time, included numerous judges from their countries’ highest courts.

The school’s president Geeta Gandhi Kingdon pointed out that it would be legal experts such as those gathered at the conference who will likely be consulted in redrafting the UN Charter and creating the “world’s constitution.”

A final declaration signed by various judges among other things urged “members of the judiciary of the world” to “uphold the rule of law and to promote respect for dignity of all persons.”

Some of the participants came from countries that are ruled autocratically and are considered “not free” politically. In these and other countries, the independence of the judiciary and human rights are under threat.

The outcome document called on governments “to take concrete steps” for a review of the UN Charter and to work “for a democratically elected world parliament”, among other things.

At one of the thematic sessions, a participant from civil society urged the students to “take the inspiration and appreciate the rhetoric” offered by some of the international guests at the conference but “never stop thinking critically about the source” as there might be a dissonance between the international rhetoric and real action at home.

IEF President Arthur Dahl was one of the participating experts on global governance. In addition to the conference itself, he addressed about 2,000 students on climate change and environmental justice, and also spoke to business school students at three universities.

SOURCE: based in part on https://www.democracywithoutborders.org/30039/

Last updated 14 November 2023

Global Faith Leaders Summit - Interfaith Statement for COP28

admin — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 21:09:31 +0000

Global Faith Leaders Summit - Interfaith Statement for COP28 admin 9. November 2023 - 23:09

Climate change

religions

November 2023

Introduction

In the spirit of unity, shared responsibility, and Human Fraternity, and at this pivotal moment of the global climate crisis that demands transformative action to keep 1.5 degrees within reach and serve affected and vulnerable communities, we, representatives of diverse faith and Indigenous traditions, through dialogue with scientists, religious scholars, academics, women’s organizations, youth, civil society, business leaders, and environmental policymakers, convened in Abu Dhabi in the lead-up to COP28 to express our shared concern for the escalating climate impacts that imperil our cherished planet, as well as our common commitment to jointly address this global crisis, building upon our previous efforts, including the interfaith appeal for COP26. Our faith instills in us a sacred duty to cherish not only our human family but also the fragile ecosystem that cradles us.

Preamble

● We recognize the sorrow that many experience at this time and will respond effectively.
● We welcome the contributions of science, traditional, religious, and Indigenous knowledge.
● We advocate for Human Rights in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, a declaration adopted by the General Assembly in 2022. This recognizes the intrinsic rights of ecosystems, encompassing water, oceans, and seas, to exist, thrive, and rejuvenate.
● We welcome all into the embrace of Social Inclusion, building bridges that transcend differences and nurture unity.
● We highlight the experience of faith groups in strengthening the resilience of local communities and Indigenous Peoples to climate shocks, working on adaptation that is trusted by local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
● We welcome actions by faith actors across different backgrounds since COP26 to redirect their investments into nature-positive ones aligning with the goals of a transition to a new inclusive and just development paradigm.
● We acknowledge Faith-Compliant Finance for Sustainable Development, harnessing resources for the well-being of all sentient beings today and in the future.
● We recognize the connections between climate change, migration, and conflict and the potential role for people of faith as 'environmental peacebuilders,' striving to forge pathways of compassion and mediation amid conflicts.
● We acknowledge the urgent need for a narrative of development and actions that align with values that foster well-being and sustainable development, a framework rooted in hope and courage.
● We acknowledge our profound interconnectedness with one another and with the intricate web of life that envelops us. Recognizing our limits, we humbly pledge to address these multifaceted crises through the prism of values, ethics, and spirituality.
● We stand united in acknowledging the profound convergence of wisdom across the world's diverse faith, religious, cultural, and Indigenous traditions, each echoing with the resonant chords of our collective vision and mission.
● We embrace the mantle of Love, Stewardship, and Care for Creation, recognizing our willingness and responsibility to safeguard the Earth.
● We recognize the Sacredness and Sanctity of Life and Nature, honoring the inherent value of all living beings and the landscapes they inhabit on Mother Earth.
● We stand firm for Environmental Equity and Justice, advocating for fairness and equality as cornerstones of a thriving world.

Call to Action

Transcending nations and traditions, we declare our steadfast commitment and call upon Heads of States, Governments, non-state actors, and decision-makers to act on the following principles:
● Call for urgent responses by fast-tracking Energy Transitions, ensuring fairness and equity and what’s morally right.
● Regard Mother Earth as a source of life that must be protected.
● Ask governments to overcome the linear growth paradigm and move to a circular model that allows us to live a balanced and dignified life in harmony with nature.
● Urge businesses and policymakers to adopt a rapid, just transition away from fossil fuels, embracing clean energy sources that nurture the Earth and safeguard its inhabitants unconditionally.
● Call on governments to promote sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems that respect local cultures and ecosystems while ensuring food security for all.
● Call on governments to enhance services to address the burden of climate change on human health, especially in the most vulnerable and fragile communities.
● Urge governments, especially those endowed with greater resources, to lead in curbing emissions and supporting climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in less privileged nations.
● Beseech financial institutions, IFIs, private sector, companies, and governments to adopt responsible investments and business practices aligned with climate, environmental and social standards.
● Call on governments and stakeholders to recognize the inseparable link between the human-made crisis affecting the climate and biodiversity and adopt comprehensive actions that harmonize the restoration of both systems.
● Call on governments to establish accountability mechanisms for the fulfillment of global and national commitments to inclusive climate action.
● Call on policymakers to ensure inclusivity in Climate Transition: As we collaborate for a sustainable future, no one must be left behind. The needs of all people, especiallychildren, vulnerable communities facing disaster and conflict, young people, women, and Indigenous Peoples, as well as animals and nature, must be at the center of our endeavors.
● Implore governments to commit to the operationalization of new financial mechanisms that address loss and damage, especially in the most vulnerable regions, and ensure that this fund is interdisciplinary, effective, and inclusive and directly reaches the most vulnerable or the affected communities.
● Encourage an inclusive dialogue, during and beyond COPs, with faith leaders, vulnerable groups, youth, women’s organizations, and the scientific community to forge alliances that strengthen sustainable development.

Our Commitment

We, as representatives of our respective faith, Indigenous, and wisdom traditions, acknowledge our collective duty to:
● Honor the threads of Interconnectedness and Interdependence that weave us into the intricate fabric of life, reminding us of our shared destiny.
● Herald the dance of Balance and Harmony, seeking equilibrium within us and with the natural world that cradles us.
● Encourage a paradigm shift in our relationship with Earth and all its inhabitants, fostering a profound sense of reverence and responsibility.
● Champion the development of a faith-based ecological narrative, continuous learning, and the integration of ecological teachings and values within educational, religious, and cultural institutions, nurturing a holistic understanding of our interconnectedness.
● Actively participate in public discourse on environmental matters, guiding our congregations and institutions to foster resilient and just communities.
● Lead the pursuit and reimagining of sustainable lower carbon lifestyles and social progress rooted in harmony with the Earth and respect for its resources.
● Embrace Frugality, Resource Efficiency, and spiritual and wisdom-oriented Lifestyles, forging pathways of minimal waste and mindful living which fosters giving back to Mother Earth what we take from it.
● Change our consumption patterns, ensuring that we are mindful that our purchases and services reflect our ethical commitment to accelerate the energy transition and achieve net zero by 2050, as called for in the Paris Agreement.
● Align financial investments with ethical standards, embracing responsible and inclusive financing that supports a thriving planet and its inhabitants.
● Commit ourselves to be attentive, intelligent, and responsible, knowing that we must be the first to strive for development and justice.
● Support the Faith Pavilion at COP28, the first of its kind, and continue to convene in future COPs to commission a message of hope and action at COPs.
● Work together with communities, governments, individuals, families, corporations, and the whole of society to deliver on our commitments and inspire others to do so.
● Pledge ourselves to Justice, cause no Harm, and Peace with all Sentient Beings, including Nature, fostering a harmonious coexistence that enriches both humanity and the planet.
● Raise our voices for Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation.
● Extend our hands in Doing Good, Charity, and Returning to Nature, nurturing the cycle of benevolence and transformation that sustains all existence.
● Champion Equality, dismantling human-made barriers to ensure inclusivity, equal participation, and empowerment for all.
● Uphold the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, defending the ancestral wisdom that is entwined with the Earth's well-being.
● Multifaceted global challenges can only be tackled if we work together, people of all faith communities, supporting an effective multilateralism to tackle the triple planetary crisis.

Hope for Current and Future Generations

As people of hope and faith, we unite in Divine Wisdom bestowed on us, guided by an unwavering commitment to a sustainable future for all. Attention to the suffering of many and the engagement among faith leaders in climate action will allow us to achieve these commitments and results for the good of all.

As we stand at the precipice of history, considering the gravity of the challenges we collectively face, we remain mindful of the legacy we will leave for generations to come. We ardently implore all decision-makers assembled at COP28 to seize this decisive moment and to act with urgency, weaving a tapestry of shared action and profound responsibility. The urgency of the hour demands that we act swiftly, collaboratively, and resolutely to heal our wounded world and preserve the splendor of our common home. In the process, we need to bring back hope for future generations. Together, we extend our open arms to all people, inviting them to embark on this journey toward a future of resilience, harmony, and flourishing for all life on Earth.

SOURCE: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/43930

Last updated 9 November 2023

The 2023 state of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory

admin — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:38:08 +0000

The 2023 state of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory admin 27. October 2023 - 20:38

Climate change

William J. Ripple et al.
24 October 2023

The Alliance of World Scientists that issues Scientists' Warnings has just published its 2023 state of the climate report. The following is a summary of the conclusions of the report. You should refer to the full report for more details, references and telling graphics.

The effects of global warming are progressively more severe, and possibilities such as a worldwide societal breakdown are feasible and dangerously underexplored. By the end of this century, an estimated 3 to 6 billion individuals—approximately one-third to one-half of the global population—might find themselves confined beyond the livable region, encountering severe heat, limited food availability, and elevated mortality rates because of the effects of climate change. Big problems need big solutions. Therefore, we must shift our perspective on the climate emergency from being just an isolated environmental issue to a systemic, existential threat. Although global heating is devastating, it represents only one aspect of the escalating and interconnected environmental crisis that we are facing (e.g., biodiversity loss, fresh water scarcity, pandemics). We need policies that target the underlying issues of ecological overshoot where the human demand on Earth's resources results in overexploitation of our planet and biodiversity decline. As long as humanity continues to exert extreme pressure on the Earth, any attempted climate-only solutions will only redistribute this pressure.

The overexploitation of our planet shows that endless growth and overconsumption by rich countries and individuals is unsustainable and unjust. We advocate for reducing resource overconsumption; reducing, reusing, and recycling waste in a more circular economy; and prioritizing human flourishing and sustainability. We emphasize climate justice and fair distribution of the costs and benefits of climate action, particularly for vulnerable communities. We call for a transformation of the global economy to prioritize human well-being and to provide for a more equitable distribution of resources. We also call to stabilize and gradually decrease the human population with gender justice through voluntary family planning and by supporting women's and girls’ education and rights, which reduces fertility rates and raises the standard of living. These environmentally conscious and socially equitable strategies necessitate far-reaching and holistic transformations in the long run that could be achieved through gradual but significant steps in the short term.

As scientists, we are increasingly being asked to tell the public the truth about the crises we face in simple and direct terms. The truth is that we are shocked by the ferocity of the extreme weather events in 2023. We are afraid of the uncharted territory that we have now entered. Conditions are going to get very distressing and potentially unmanageable for large regions of the world, with the 2.6°C warming expected over the course of the century, even if the self-proposed national emissions reduction commitments of the Paris Agreement are met. We warn of potential collapse of natural and socioeconomic systems in such a world where we will face unbearable heat, frequent extreme weather events, food and fresh water shortages, rising seas, more emerging diseases, and increased social unrest and geopolitical conflict. Massive suffering due to climate change is already here, and we have now exceeded many safe and just Earth system boundaries, imperiling stability and life-support systems. As we will soon bear witness to failing to meet the Paris agreement's aspirational 1.5°C goal, the significance of immediately curbing fossil fuel use and preventing every further 0.1°C increase in future global heating cannot be overstated. Rather than focusing only on carbon reduction and climate change, addressing the underlying issue of ecological overshoot will give us our best shot at surviving these challenges in the long run. This is our moment to make a profound difference for all life on Earth, and we must embrace it with unwavering courage and determination to create a legacy of change that will stand the test of time.

SOURCE: based on https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/…

Last updated 27 October 2023

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The 2023 state of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory

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