3rd International Parliamentary Conference on Climate Change

INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

12-16 July 2010
Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge

Please view ePolitix.com articles on the conference ministerial opening and a debate chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

CPA UK hosted its 3rd International Parliamentary Conference on Climate Change (IPCCC) "Global to Local: Climate Change Post-Copenhagen" over the period 12 – 16 July 2010 in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.

Up to 150 international parliamentarians attended an exciting series of plenary and parallel discussions led by parliamentarians and policy experts from around the world, exchanging experiences and discussing practical ways in which they can contribute to the local, national and global effort to tackle Climate Change now and in the future.

Key themes included the need for climate change to be addressed by multiple actors across a range of scales from global to local, and the ways in which parliamentarians can support others in their responses to climate change.

For more information please see the 3rd IPCCC Programme or contact Victoria Crawford by email-crawfordv@parliament.uk or on 020 7219 5373.

AIM & OBJECTIVES

To support parliamentarians to influence the formulation and implementation of climate change policy at local, national and international levels

The Conference objectives are to:

Addressing the Challenges

1) Recognise that climate change is a complex and multi-layered issue which must be addressed through co-ordinated local, national, regional and international action

2) Emphasise the urgent need to act on climate change, even in the absence of a global treaty

3) Recognise the need for immediate international focus on climate change despite scientific uncertainties

4) Underline the responsibility of parliamentarians in responding to climate change, including:-

- overseeing and scrutinising the Executive

- promoting climate change awareness across all sectors and at all levels; in local, national and international arenas

- contributing to policy development

5) Discuss why negotiations at Copenhagen failed to produce a global treaty and

6) To consider the role of the Commonwealth and other international groupings in working towards international agreement

Climate Change Policy and Action

7) Share ideas on the responses of parliamentarians to climate change

8) Consider how the variance of impact of climate change on different groups in society and at different levels affects policy formulation

9) Discuss international strategies of climate change mitigation and adaptation , including:-

- the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol which allows industrialised countries to finance projects in developing countries that reduce carbon emissions as an alternative to meeting their emission reduction obligations domestically

- Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), a set of mechanisms designed to reduce carbon emissions caused through deforestation and forest degradation and to increase existing forest cover

- Financial Transfers and Technology Transfers from industrialised countries to assist developing countries in both mitigation and adaptation

10) Evaluate case studies of climate change mitigation and adaptation at local and national levels and discuss their relevance across the world

11) Discuss how best to work in partnership with civil society, the private sector, faith groups, local government and communities in climate change mitigation and adaptation

Output

12) Agree a conference communiqué highlighting priority issues for parliamentarians

13) Contribute to a toolkit for parliamentarians, which will assist attendees in leading on climate change issues and activities in their respective parliaments