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Josefa Isabel Tauli, Global Youth Biodiversity Network
SBSTTA-24 - 25 Feb 2021 - Josefa Cariño Tauli, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) - Photo- Photo
Josefa Cariño Tauli, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN)
Highlights and images for 10 December 2022
GEF at CBD COP15
Speakers addressed that there is currently only one ranger per 72 sq km of terrestrial protected areas worldwide, underscoring that it is not enough to achieve effective conservation.
Highlights and images for 8 September 2017
4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4)
The final day of the fourth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4) opened in La Serena, Chile, on Friday, 8 September 2017. The day saw many events taking place, all addressing the theme, ‘Our Shared Vision.’ A plenary session took place in the morning, followed by the workshops and symposia. This was followed by a closing plenary session. The high-level meeting will take place on Saturday, 9 September 2017, in Valparaiso, Chile.
The morning’s plenary session saw a panel discussion on the day’s theme, with panel members discussing key actions needed to continue ensuring successful management of marine protected areas (MPAs) and the obstacles faced. Key issues considered included: equitable and effective achievement of the goals under the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); increased coordination within regions; engaging youth; illegal fishing; and, local capacity building.
Highlights from the symposia included discussions on: assessing advances towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in 2020 and the SDGs in 2030; indigenous, provincial, and federal governments integrating marine spatial plans and MPAs in Canada; Antarctic MPAs; and, meeting the 2020 targets in Canada.
Workshops addressed: twinning and partnerships, as well as tools to enhance collaboration between MPAs; and, guidance for MPA managers and planners on marine mammal protection, and marine renewable energy suitability and siting.
The closing session followed, with participants hearing a wrap-up of the key messages that had emerged during the course of the week. There was a report back on the IMPAC4 activities that had taken place during the week, such as ‘Our Science Camp.’ A musical performance closed the plenary.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Ángeles Estrada Vigil
Closing Ceremony
Carl Gustaf Lundin, IUCN
Claudio Ibáñez González, Mayor of Coquimbo
Alejandra Figueroa Fernández, Ministry of Environment, Chile
François Simard, IUCN
Daniel González, Juan Fernández Fisherman Union
Carlos Gaymer, UCN, Chile
Participants during the closign ceremony
Children from "Our Ocean Science Camp"
Opening plenary session
Mike Wong, IUCN
Sandra Bessudo, Malpelo Foundation
Tukabu Teroroko, Phoenix Islands Protected Area
Mariasole Bianco, IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Young Professionals
Dan Laffoley, IUCN
Julia Miranda, WCPA (World Comission on Protected Areas)
Keobel Sakuma, Palau, receiving the Kenton Miller Award Winner 2017 for his outstanding contribution to marine conservation
Twinning and partnerships, tools to enhance collaboration between MPA
A view of the room
Mathieu Ducrocq, Gabon Parks Agency
Mike De Luca, Rutgers University
Assessing advances towards global 2020 & 2030 targets
Celia Favacho, CONFREM, Brazil
Claudio Maretti, ICMBio
Guidance for MPA managers and planners on marine mammal protection and marine renewable energy suitability and siting
Anne Nelson, Collaborative Ocean Planning
Francine Kershaw, Natural Resources Defense Council
Indigenous, Provincial, and Federal Governments integrating Marine Spatial Plans and MPAs in Canada
Gord McGee, Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance, Canada
Danielle Shaw, Wuikinuxv Nation
Christie Chute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
Allan Lidstone, Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Canada
(L-R): Meaghan Calcari Campbell, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Allan Lidstone, Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Canada, Christie Chute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, Gord McGee, Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance, Canada, and Danielle Shaw, Wuikinuxv Nation
Antarctic MPAs
Rodolfo Werner, Pew Charitable Trusts and Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition
Meeting the 2020 Targets in Canada: challenges, successes, opportunities and lessons learnt in developing a national network of MPAs over the past 25 years
Sigrid Keuhnemund, WWF-Canada
Kevin Stringer, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
Participant during the session
Alexandra Barron, C-PAWS, Canada
Around the Venue
Highlights and images for 13 December 2022
Rio Conventions Pavilion at COP 15
Sessions were organized to examine the relevant global frameworks, processes, and stakeholders necessary to address ecosystem restoration, which speakers underlined will not only solve climate change and biodiversity loss challenges but contribute to sustained economic growth.
Highlights and images for 24 September 2019
Investing in Climate Change Adaptation Action through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) – Dialogue and Pledging Session
Participants highlighted the importance of investing in climate change adaptation action in LDCs, which are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and yet the least able to adapt. The event also kick-started the year of action on adaptation, spearheaded by the Global Commission on Adaptation. The event was co-hosted by the Government of Germany, the LDC Group, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Aparna Subramani, Executive Director of the World Bank representing Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka, and Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson
Highlights
Three donors announced new LDCF contributions totalling EUR 130 million.
Speakers noted the Global Commission on Adaptation highlighted the LDCF as a financial mechanism that works and should be well placed to help LDCs implement the adaptation “revolutions” recommended by the Commission.
Opening
Maria Flachsbarth, Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, highlighted the Global Commission’s message that adaptation can produce significant economic returns and smart growth. She then announced a German pledge of EUR 50 million to the LDCF.
Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi (Bhutan), Chair, LDC Group, said that the LDCF is the only multilateral fund fully dedicated to climate change in LDCs. “It is our fund,” he said, and noted that the LDC Group was involved in formulating the new LDCF Strategy and expressed satisfaction with its implementation.
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, GEF, underscored the Commission report's recommendations for adaptation revolutions and welcomed feedback on whether the new LDCF Strategy is having positive impact.
Panel: Empowering Communities and Livelihoods/Agriculture and Food Security
Fekadu Beyene, Commissioner for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ethiopia, discussed how the LDCF has helped Ethiopia in building climate resilience in agriculture.
Bounkham Vorachit, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao PDR, discussed the LDCF’s contribution to building robust Laotian adaptation institutions and planning for rural areas.
Panel: Climate Resilient Development in SIDS/Early Warning and Planning
Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vanuatu, emphasized how the LDCF has helped the country prepare and respond to natural disasters during the past 11 years.
Quite Djata, Secretary of State of Environment and Biodiversity, Guinea-Bissau, underscored the “crucial role” that the LDCF played in helping her country strengthen resilience, adaptation capacity, and early warning systems.
Johannes Oljelund, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden, announced a multiannual contribution to the LDCF of EUR 50 million.
Observing that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not achievable without stepping up action on adaptation, Carola van Rijnsoever, Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Netherlands, announced that the country would make an additional EUR 20 million contribution to the LDCF.
Christopher MacLennan, Global Affairs Canada, said that his Prime Minister had announced an additional payment to LDCF of USD 7.5 million.
Nick Bridge, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK, said his Prime Minister just announced a doubling of its contribution to climate finance over five years, with its LDCF allocation yet to be worked out.
Noting that LDCF had helped his country considerably on planning and priority setting, Abdou Karim Sall, Minister of Environment, Senegal, said about USD 2.9 million more was needed from international donors to address specific issues that had been identified.
Martin Frick, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), observed that the Global Commission report and the new LDCF pledges send important political signals to the upcoming UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) set to take place in Chile.
Closing
Moderator Mary Robinson, Chair, The Elders, noted that the Global Commission called the LDCF “a model of something that works” and urged continued support for the Fund.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Felipe Ruiz
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Maria Flachsbarth, Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
L-R: Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat; Quite Djata, Secretary of State of Environment and Biodiversity, Guinea-Bissau; Johannes Oljelund, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; and Carola van Rijnsoever, Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Netherlands
Fekadu Beyene, Commissioner for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ethiopia
Moderator Mary Robinson, Chair, The Elders
L-R: Moderator Mary Robinson, Chair, The Elders; Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vanuatu; Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat; Quite Djata, Secretary of State of Environment and Biodiversity, Guinea-Bissau; Johannes Oljelund, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Carola van Rijnsoever, Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Netherlands; Christopher MacLennan, Global Affairs Canada; and Nick Bridge, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK
CONTACT
Christian Hofer | chofer@thegef.org
MORE INFORMATION
https://www.thegef.org/topics/climate-change-adaptation
http://www.ldc-climate.org/
Highlights and images for 27 September 2019
Securing our Future in the Blue Pacific
Presented by the Permanent Missions of Kiribati and Marshall Islands to the UN, and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, the event highlighted Kiribati and Marshall Islands’ ongoing efforts to address climate change, as well as commitments to accelerating actions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the SAMOA Pathway. The meeting also featured voices of youth from the two countries, who presented ongoing projects, programs, and initiatives aimed at securing their future.
Above photo: Team Kiribati with Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati
Taneti Maamau, President, Kiribati, announced the launch of the Kiribati Joint Implementation Plan for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management 2019-2028.
John M. Silk, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marshall Islands, highlighted this week’s launch of the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership by Fiji, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, which aims to reduce Pacific shipping’s CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030.
Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum, noted the creation of a Pacific Resilience Facility aimed at helping communities cope with the impact of climate change.
Opening the event, Teburoro Tito, Permanent Representative of Kiribati to the UN, spoke about how Kiribati’s fragile ecosystems are increasingly damaged and destroyed by climate change. He welcomed Kiribati’s youth and invited them to express their needs and plans.
Taneti Maamau, President, Kiribati, highlighted the importance of building partnerships that help address the common challenges that the region is facing. He noted that Kiribati is implementing its climate change-related plans through a coordinated national strategy and has recently launched the Kiribati Joint Implementation Plan for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management 2019-2028 (KJIP). He further presented measures for rejuvenating Kiribati’s tuna stocks and fisheries.
The goal of the KJIP, he said, is to increase resilience to climate change and disaster risks using a “whole-of-country” approach by focusing on mainstreaming and coordination across sectors and scales of governance. He explained that the KJIP identifies 12 strategies and associated priority climate change and disaster risk management actions for the next nine years (2019-2028) based on existing policies and strategies. Ultimately, he noted, the KJIP aims to uphold and safeguard Kiribati’s unique culture, heritage, and identity through enhanced resilience and sustainable development. He concluded by underlining that Kiribati “is not sinking, but fighting.” Between 2017 and 2019, the KJIP was reviewed and revised with the support of the NAP Global Network’s U.S. In-Country Support Program for Kiribati.
John M. Silk, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marshall Islands, said the Marshall Islands and Ireland are spearheading the Kwon-Gesh Climate Pledge to include young people in climate action policy creation and invited all governments to join the initiative. He noted that small island states are on the frontlines of climate change and quoted Jason Momoa, saying that “when the frontline is gone, we are doomed.” He noted that the Marshall Islands is facing “the devastating loss” of its home because of sea-level rise and called on all countries to reduce CO2 emissions and become carbon-neutral by 2050.
Silk said that the Marshall Islands was the first and only country that submitted an updated, more ambitious nationally determined contribution (NDC) at the Climate Vulnerable Forum in 2018. He said that the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership, launched during the 2019 Climate Week by Fiji, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, aims to reduce Pacific shipping’s CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030.
Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum, stressed that climate change is the greatest security threat that islands are facing, which is both an environmental and human security threat and has an enormous geopolitical impact in terms of governments’ priorities. She said Pacific islands need more financial and capacity building support from partners, particularly to build data capacity for both assessing the islands’ challenges and ensuring accountability for donors’ support. She noted the creation of a Pacific Resilience Facility aimed at helping communities cope with the impact of climate change, adding that the UN Secretary-General will support a pledging conference for the Pacific Resilience Facility as USD 1.5 billion are needed for the first five years.
Selina Neirok Leem, youth representative from the Marshall Islands, said youth are creating three types of camps for youth: science; arts and climate change; and leadership. The camps will help youth to connect, brainstorm, and strategize on actions that youth could take to address the effects of climate change on the islands. The arts camps are meant to help youth cope with the trauma caused by the impact of climate change on their homes and communities, she noted.
Aberaam Tata, youth representative from Kiribati, said young people in Kiribati aspire to a peaceful, safe, and healthy future on the island, and to be empowered in a sustainable way to take action and build the lives they need. He stressed that climate change is a huge threat not only to the country, but to the culture of Kiribati. He noted that youth’s civic engagement in Kiribati is focused on building young people’s capacity to make a difference in the fight against climate change. In a video, other youth from Kiribati urged global leaders to help them keep their countries and homes from disappearing by curbing global CO2 emissions.
Pacula Jesary Kilifi, Miss Kiribati 2019, presented her efforts to serve as a national role model for Kiribati’s children and youth by promoting environmentally-responsible behaviors and organizing nature cleanups.
In the ensuing discussion, Norway highlighted that even though the ocean sets us apart, the ocean also binds us together, and thus there is a need to create coalitions to protect it. He mentioned Norway’s efforts to change the rules of development cooperation by changing the rules of graduation from least developed country (LDC) status so that countries prone to natural disasters no longer risk losing access to concessional financing. Ireland presented its new international development policy, which puts climate finance at the core and will support small islands. Australia expressed readiness to partner with small islands states to assist them with their challenges.
Kiribati highlighted that small island states have only 8 years left in which a global reduction of CO2 emissions could save their livelihoods. Tuvalu emphasized that international powers are competing for the marine protein sources of islanders, which are already dwindling because of climate change. He called on countries that are candidates for the UN Security Council to recognize climate change as a security issue and to appoint a Special Envoy for Climate Change and Security.
Canada said it contributes USD 2.6 billion to developing countries to fight climate change and expressed Canada’s readiness to work with the Pacific region to help it tackle climate change. New Zealand highlighted its work on ensuring strong baselines for maritime zones under the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), so they are protected and remain maritime zones. US presented its work on solid waste management to limit marine debris, as well as its knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at promoting best practices in solid management among other large economies, so they can limit their marine debris as well.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon
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Pacula Jesary Kilifi, Miss Kiribati 2019, welcomes participants with traditional leis from Kiribati.
Tearinaki Tanielu, Kiribati, Co-moderator
Choi Yeeting, Kiribati, Co-moderator
Teburoro Tito, Permanent Representative of Kiribati to the UN
Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati
Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum
John M. Silk, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marshall Islands
Video presentation on Kiribati
Aberaam Tata, youth representative from Kiribati
Selina Neirok Leem, youth representative from Marshall Islands
Pacula Jesary Kilifi, Miss Kiribati 2019
Video messages from Kiribati youth
Cáit Moran, Special Envoy to the Pacific, Ireland
Victoria Hallum, New Zealand
Sandra Oudkirk, US
Tina Stege, Climate Envoy, Marshall Islands
Mario Bot, Canada
Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority
Odd-Inge Kvalheim, Norway
Deborah Manase, Marshall Islands
Nigel Bruce, Australia
Ian Fry, Climate Ambassador, Tuvalu
Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati, receives a gift from Yi Ling Li, UCT International Culture Development Inc.
CONTACT
Christian Ledwell | cledwell@iisd.ca
MORE INFORMATION
https://www.unwater.org/transformative-water-actions-to-accelerate-global-achievement-of-climate-change-related-goals/
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Highlights and images for 7 September 2017
4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4)
The third day of the fourth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4) met in La Serena, Chile, on Thursday, 7 September 2017. The day saw many events taking place, addressing the theme, ‘Effective/Successful Management.’ A plenary session took place in the morning, followed by a number of symposia and workshops throughout the day.
The morning’s plenary session saw a panel discussion on the day’s theme, with panel members discussing key issues around successful management of marine protected areas (MPAs), while also noting different management models. Key issues considered by the panel included: enforcement versus education for compliance with MPAs; addressing “intense public use” within MPAs; community engagement and bottom-up approaches to management; and, monitoring and evaluation. Panelists also highlighted the recent publication of the IUCN guidelines on MPA management, as well as management issues around large-scale MPAs.
Highlights from the symposia included discussions on: The role of MPAs in achieving ocean health and sustainable blue economies; building regional public-private alliances for sustainable financing of long-term conservation actions in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Caribbean Sea; the role of MPAs in achieving ocean health and sustainable blue economies; and, promoting innovative approaches to marine conservation and encouraging sustainable patterns of development by deploying a wide scope of actions.
Workshops addressed: harnessing citizen behaviour change to support marine conservation; MPAs and promoting small-scale enterprises that support on complementary marine conservation strategies; monitoring, evaluation and reporting for MPA management; and, solutions for MPA financing. Other topics included ocean noise, ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs), and sustainable financing.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Ángeles Estrada Vigil
Opening plenary session
John Tanzer, WWF
Alain Barcelo, Port-Cros National Park, France
Aulani Wilhelm, Conservation International
Luz Angarita, National Parks, Colombia
Solutions for MPA financing – success stories and their potential for broader application
Laure Katz, Conservation International
Patricia Ruiz, GIZ
Participants during a "fishbowl" discussion
Building regional public-private alliances for sustainable financing of long-term conservation actions in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Caribbean Sea
Sonia Castañeda Rial, Fundación Biodiversidad, Spain
María José González, Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) Fund
Participant during the discussion
(L-R): María José González, MAR Fund, Sonia Castañeda Rial, Fundación Biodiversidad, Spain, and Pamela Castillo, Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre
Using international law and media to improve management and protection of MPAs and ecosystems in the Americas
(L-R): Gladys Martínez, Asociación Interamericana para Defensa del Medio Ambiente (AIDA), Florencia Ortúzar, AIDA, Camilo Thompson, AIDA, Yendery Cerda, Comité Pro Defensa de la Fauna y Flora (CODEFF)
Camilo Thompson, AIDA
Yendery Cerda, CODEFF
The role of MPAs in achieving ocean health and sustainable blue economies
L-R: Miriam Fernández, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Jean Harris, Wild Oceans, Laurence McCook, James Cook University, and Kristina Gjerde, IUCN
Participant in the audience posing a question on non-monetary values
Laurence McCook, James Cook University
Kristina Gjerde, IUCN
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting for MPA management: innovative ideas to progress current approaches
Steffan Howe, Parks Victoria, Australia
Kate West, Fauna & Flora International
Participants in a breakout group discussion
Marine wilderness or peopled seas? Insights from research on the human dimensions of large-scale marine protected areas
Jaime Aburto, Universidad Católica del Norte
Rebecca Gruby, Colorado State University
Jon Day, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australia
MPAs and promoting small-scale enterprises that support on complementary marine conservation strategies
Glenn Ricci, University of Rhode Island
Presentation during the session
Marine biodiversity of Chilean Patagonia: discoveries, threats and conservation
Vreni Haussermann, Huinay Scientific Field Station
Claudio Campagna, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Participants during the session
Carlos Molinet, Universidad Austral de Chile
Günter Försterra, Huinay Scientific Field Station
Harnessing citizen behaviour change to support marine conservation
Participants taking part in breakout groups
A global SMART approach to improving effectiveness of marine protected areas
Drew Cronin, Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) Partnership
Zafer Kizilkaya, Mediterranean Conservation Society
Highlights and images for 25 September 2019
Planetary Health Dialogue
Co-organized by the Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) Alliance, UN Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Planetary Health Dialogue aimed to support exchange between the environment and health communities on the linkage between climate change and NCDs, present existing and novel strategies to accelerate action towards planetary health, and identify windows of opportunity to implement measures across the two sectors.
View of the room during the dialogue
Highlights
Climate change and air pollution are fundamental threats to security and health, with air pollution causing 7 million premature deaths annually worldwide.
Governments should treat fossil fuels in the same way they treated tobacco – as the root cause of a global health crisis.
While the linkages between climate change and health have been discussed for four decades, there are still too few policy makers that understand them sufficiently to take action.
If we do not avert the climate crisis, malaria and other diseases caused by infectious agents will rapidly spread across the entire world as climate change makes earth less habitable for humans and more habitable for infectious agents.
Todd Harper, President of the NCD Alliance, outlined health impacts of climate change and stated that air pollution is responsible for 7 million premature deaths annually worldwide. Noting that climate change and air pollution are fundamental health and security threats, he invited participants to share lessons learned on how to protect the planet and people at the nexus of environment and health.
Panel Discussion
Howard Frumkin, Head, Our Planet, Our Wealth Programme, Wellcome Trust, moderated a panel discussion on NCD and climate change.
Tommy Remengesau Jr., President, Palau, explained how climate change is causing an obesity crisis in Palau because diminishing fish stocks are increasing the dependence of Palauans on less healthy imported food. He reported that Palau has set aside 70% of its exclusive economic zone as no-take zone to allow fish stocks to recover.
Peter Eriksson, Minister of International Cooperation and Foreign Aid, Sweden, said that while the linkages between climate change and health have been discussed for four decades, there are still too few policy makers that understand them sufficiently to take action.
Mandeep Dhaliwal, Director, HIV, Health, and Development, UN Development Programme (UNDP), called for more collaboration between UN organizations, highlighting UNDP’s work to help countries integrate health into their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Agnés Soukat, Director for Health Systems, Governance and Financing, WHO, described the theory and practice of health taxes, calling them third-generation fiscal instruments that shape markets and change behavior rather than raising funds for government or redistributing income. Noting that health costs have been increasing faster than average GDP growth, she suggested that health taxes can both improve health and reduce costs caused by NCDs.
Lourdes Sanchez, Policy Advisor, IISD, outlined the rationale for the report titled “Burning Problems, Inspiring Solutions: Sharing Lessons on action against tobacco and fossil fuels,” which argues that governments should treat fossil fuels in the same way they treated tobacco – as the root cause of a global health crisis. She explained that fossil fuels resemble tobacco in that they cause air pollution, involve global scale industries, and have similar addictive effects, noting that, like nicotine addiction, dependence on fossil fuels makes it difficult to reduce consumption.
Tarek Ezzine, Liaison to Public Health, International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), said he believes that universal health coverage, halting climate change, and saving the environment can be achieved together because youth is beginning to demand radical change. He said he is supporting the inclusion of climate change in health curricula to enable him to become a socially responsible doctor.
Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy, Health Care Without Harm, noted that the first report evaluating the carbon footprint of the health system revealed that if health care was a country, it would be the world’s fifth largest emitter. He underscored that the voice of health professionals and health students is essential in reducing the health system’s carbon footprint and helping address climate change.
Participants discussed inter alia: the strong positive effects of improving air quality on health; the strong relation between a healthy natural environment and good mental health; and the need to prioritize biodiversity and water under the planetary health discussion. Others highlighted the primacy of political will among drivers for change. They also discussed the vulnerability of hospitals to climate change and if climate change vulnerability is analyzed by donor countries and development agencies before deciding about funding allocations.
Report Presentation
Josh Goldstein, Bridge Collaborative Director, The Nature Conservancy, presented the report “Bigger Change Faster: Integrated Development, Health, and Environment Actions for a Sustainable Future.” The report calls for greater integrated action to address three planetary health challenges: accelerating a low carbon, clean air, and environmentally friendly energy future for all; transforming the global food system for health and sustainability; and expanding sanitation and wastewater treatment to benefit people and nature. He announced the launch of the Bridge Spark Fund, a competition open now to advance solutions to these planetary health challenges.
Nandita Murukutla, Vice President, Global Policy and Research, Vital Strategies, presented a preview of the report “Fueling an Unhealthy Future: How propping up unhealthy industries will sicken millions and cost trillions,” which explores government incentives for a wide array of industries that are the main drivers of NCDs. Noting that up to 50% of global government expenditure on health is spent to tackle the health effects of air pollution, she called for fiscal policies that can act as behavior regulators.
Interview
In an interview with Frumkin, Poorvabrabha Patil, Vice President, Medical Students Association of India, noted the very visible effects of deteriorating planetary health on the reduction of the age when NCDs are triggered in India. She highlighted that anyone who borrows a place to live and breathe from the planet should become a climate activist. She emphasized that if we do not advert the climate crisis, malaria and other diseases caused by infectious agents will rapidly spread across the entire world, because due to climate change “we make earth less habitable for us and more habitable for infectious agents.”
Providing concluding remarks, Frumkin said participants inter alia highlighted the importance of cost-benefit analyses to drive actions and inform policies on climate change and health, subsidies and fiscal policies, and institutional reform to facilitate cross-sectoral approaches.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon
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Todd Harper, CEO, Cancer Council Victoria, and President of the Board, NCD Alliance
Howard Frumkin, Our Planet, Our Health Programme, Wellcome Trust
L-R: Tommy Remengesau Jr., President of Palau; Peter Eriksson, Minister of International Cooperation and Foreign Aid, Sweden; Agnés Soucat, World Health Organization (WHO); Tarek Ezzine, International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA); Mandeep Dhaliwal, UN Development Programme (UNDP); Josh Karliner, Health Care Without Harm; and Lourdes Sanchez, IISD
Tommy Remengesau Jr., President of Palau
Peter Eriksson, Minister of International Cooperation and Foreign Aid, Sweden
Tarek Ezzine, International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations
Agnés Soucat, WHO
Lourdes Sanchez, IISD
Josh Karliner, Health Care Without Harm
Mandeep Dhaliwal, UNDP
Dean Schraufnagel, Executive Director, Forum of International Respiratory Societies
Leo Hoponoa, Tonga Mental Health and Disability Association
Johanna Ralston, CEO, World Obesity Federation
Sudhvir Singh, EAT Foundation
Josh Goldstein, Bridge Collaborative, and the Nature Conservancy
Nandital Mrukutla, Vital Strategies
Howard Frumkin, Our Planet, Our Health Programme, Wellcome Trust, and Poorvabrapha Patil, Medical Students’ Association, India
CONTACT
Priya Kanayson | pkanayson@ncdalliance.org
MORE INFORMATION
https://ncdalliance.org/