CSD14: In the name of energy and sustainable developmen

45 youth from 15 countries have gathered at the Earth Institute in Columbia University (New York, USA) in preparation for the fourteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD14). Energy for development, climate change, industrial development and air pollution are the topics to be addressed at the session, and the youth have set clear priorities and goals to be accomplished.

The CSD blast served as an opportunity to share experiences and best practices from different parts of the world in addressing our growing demand for energy and the pressing reality of climate change. The sense of urgency, and the recognition that environmental justice and education must go hand-in-hand with sustainable development were set amongst the principles guiding the youth caucus at CSD14. Over the next two weeks youth will be presenting their vision of renewable energy and clean energy to suit sustainable development through personal experiences and case studies. Its getting hot in here will be following the negotiations, stay tuned!

Commission on Sustainable Development is shaping up!

CSD has not even started and we are already setting precedent. The US government has welcomed a young delegate on their official delegation, something unseen in the history of CSD.

Elsie Flemings, coordinator of SustainUS Maine, delegate to the UNFCCC and CBD recent negotiations, loyal friend and committed citizen of the world would be serving as the US youth delegate to the CSD!! So exciting! (Picture above: Elsie, Brett, and myself at the COP11 of UNFCCC).

Grassroots renewable energy?

It is 315am and I have been writing a policy briefing on investment and renewable energy for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development for the last bit.

As I get to wee-wee hours, I have come to embrace the idea that to overcome the energy challenges of our present we need to embrace an approach that fully recognizes the cross-cutting nature of the energy crisis – far beyond just energy generation. (photo: c.cazurro/flickr)

If we want renewable energy to become the engine of our future, we need to join energy policy with other areas with great potential for renewable energy. An integrated approach to energy policy needs true accounting. It is only when we see the real impact of the energy crisis on our daily life that we will realize that action needs to come from every angle of our civilization.
I will sleep for now.

Time for a blast!

The Commission on Sustainable Development starts next Monday, and we have been working diligently to have an unprecedented youth presence at the meeting. SustainUS, in coordination with GYAN and the CSD Youth Caucus, has organized a youth gathering to create a cohesive youth alliance to rock the CSD!
As Matthew Carroll, CSD Youth Caucus co-coordinator, says, “the purpose of the Youth Energy Blast is to empower our generation-wide movement to confront the energy crisis. The goals of the Blast are to provide information and training for youth participants of the CSD and provide a space for youth to share best practices for implementing climate solutions and participating in decision-making at the international level.”

I am super excited. I know we need more than a youth strategy meeting to sort of the problems out, but this is a first great step to start strong youth voice at the CSD. I will be giving a briefing on how the CSD works and also on how to lobby. Plus, I hope to be able to lead a breakout session with some of the most passionate and committed youth in the world.

Lets get ready to rock n’ roll!

For more information go to the Youth Caucus website

Carbon capture, sequestration and chocolate

Costa Rican newspaper, La Nacion, featured with great enthusiasm the story of a women group in the indigenous region of Talamanca producing organic chocolate as means to support their families. As I read it I was thinking of the social benefit of passing traditional knowledge to new generations while achieving sustainable development in underrepresented areas of the developing world. Great stuff! ( image: nacion.com)

As I reached the end of the article, I realized that there is a more complex connection to the community development miracle. The project was funded through a carbon capture grant of the World Bank with Japanese funds. The grant is intended to develop a carbon sequestration market based on agroforestry of multi strata perennial crops in the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. This is a pilot project, part of much larger carbon sequestration portfolio of the World Bank.

I cant help myself from having mixed feelings. One part of my is very happy to see indigenous communities received help to overcome the challenges society has imposed on their lifestyles. At the same time, I can not hide my concern over the idea that carbon credits are being created from activities that have questionable additionality. Carbon sequestration from agroforestry in tropical areas poses many questions, and developing a market without a clear understanding of how to measure carbon exchange in the tropical biotas limits the accountatibility of the carbon sequestration portfolios. We can not equate sustainable development to carbon sequestration, even if the outcome is delicious organic chocolate.

its all about messaging...

Andy Revkin, environmental journalist from the New York Times and friend of the youth movement of climate, wrote a thought-provoking piece on Sunday's paper about the current trends on climate change journalism. I have to admit that I was at first confused when he highlighted issues that still remain unknown on climate debate, giving the impression that we need to water down basis for action to stop climate change. Is Andy suggesting that we need water down our climate messaging? No, he is suggesting that it might be time for messaging change. We have been trying to avoid a negative message, and with that we have avoided talking about adaptation.

It is not time to change our message to "we are all going to die", but to "this is what your negligence is going to cost you and your children". We have focused on mitigation, but we have forgotten that we need to adapt. Even if GW Bush was to let go of his criminal neurosis for oil, we would still be stuck with >300 CO2 ppm for the next hundred years. We do not need to scare people, we just need to tell how much this is already costing us.

Happy Earth Day!

First of all, happy Earth Day! I am not necessarily a hippie, but I am pretty committed and concerned with some of the ongoing issues affecting our planet. Today is a day to celebrate what we have while looking ahead and thinking of much we can do to keep the 'house' standing for those to come.

I started my day with a great hike in Acadia National Park with some awesome friends. Reaching the summit was fun, though I really enjoyed coming down to our local water source (Echo Lake) from the tip of the mountain. Beautiful way to start the day! ... and there is more to come!

(Picture above: Two of my best buddies, John and Brett, and myself at the summit of Penobscot Mnt)
Happy Earth Day! Engage in new activities, go outdoors, take a moment to enjoy the amazing gifts this gigantic galactic boat has lent us from future generations... and of course, take a minute to think how you are going to take action to protect them.

See Earth Day Pictures!