This blog has moved

Hello! My blog has moved, it is now at http://changingclimates.info
Over the next year, i will completing a Watson fellowship. find out more in at my new blog!
Thanks
j

Graduation Speech

I have been quiet. I graduated two weeks ago, and I have been readjusting. I am also getting ready for next year, when i will completing a fellowship on climate adaptation (more details soon).

For now, some people have asked me to share my graduation speech, here it is.... feel free to make comments (good and bad)

6/2/07
I first applied to COA five years ago, but I got rejected - which actually gave me another
full year to think about it.
Maybe everyone should have to apply twice
But I applied again; I realized that COA had exactly what I wanted, but I just wasn’t sure
that I could move to the US. The five months between the day I was admitted to COA and
when I actually arrived in Maine were full of questions and doubts.

When I decided I wanted to come to the US for college, I was not too confident with my decision. I came to the US with many assumptions, assumptions based on how the US is perceived in the world. I thought that everyone was rich, and that the wealth of the nation made its citizens oblivious to the social or environmental issues beyond national boundaries. I thought that McDonalds and KFC were the icons of American cuisine.

I was wrong.

The past four years have showed me that the Us portrayed in the media is very different from the US I have seen with my own eyes. I have come to see a nation of hardworking people,
Hard working people who can empathize with the harsh realities faced by many in the
world, Hard working people who hope for a better world for all.

But If this is the US I have seen, then why isn’t that the image reflected in the rest of the world? Why is the US government so different from the people that it is supposed to represent? From my perspective, the distance between American people and the American government and the setback in the exercise of democracy in the United States is not an issue of public or foreign policies. I believe that distance is due to a market-driven approach to freedom of speech that does not allow Americans to be informed of the cost associated with their choices, nor to question the price, roots, and implication of the policies that rule them.

The public space to challenge discourse has been reduced to what is catchy for the nightly news, making news coverage of Paris Hilton’s last spring break partying more profitable and suitable than critical coverage of the debate and lies surrounding the war in Iraq.

With great surprise I have seen that the politics of fear disseminated through the mass media are undermining the ability of the American people to question the policies that rule them. Democracy is in danger; freedom of speech and critical thinking could become a footnote in history books.

But today I feel hopeful, honored, and fortunate.
I feel hopeful of the tremendous potential of my peers and friends to make use of the democracy inherited from the Founders of this nation,
I feel honored to share this stage with my class,
I feel fortuned to have worked for the past four years in an environment where we are
encouraged to ask the uncomfortable questions that guide us to the truth.

Although we all graduate with the same degree, we are all ready to face different challenges, challenges that will require our ability to be critical thinkers; challenges that will help us find our own truths.

When I look back, I realize that I could have gone to some other school to concentrate on international relations or economics, but I would have missed out on one of the most valuable skill I have gained at COA: The ability to work with others, who might otherwise be classified as artists, biologists, designers, or whatever other tag you can think of. Us, the human ecologists integrating our skills and experiences has given me new hope. If we can collaborate for common goals, we can challenge the current paradigm of democracy handicapped by fear, a paradigm that limits debate and discussion to a series of prefabricated messages, messages that are rendering democracy useless.

I am proud to be a human ecologist, and I believe we can work for common goals. I know that today, when we leave this stage, we will all walk in different direction, but that will not stop us from sharing common visions. We will continue to find our own truths, to try to understand our world better, we will continue to be critics and visionaries able to solve the dialectical opposition between social convention and individual libertarianism.

My time in the United States is coming to an end.
I am not sure if the admissions office regrets having accepted me the second time I applied,
but I am thankful for their decision.

Coming to COA fundamentally changed the way I see the world. Not only I have realized that there is more to the US than McDonalds and KFC, but I have come to strongly believe that all of us, American people and those of us who are not from this land, can collaborate and take global leadership to critically shape how we relate to our world. Critical judgment is needed, and I am proud to know that there are 50 new human ecologists walking away from this institution today ready to engage in that challenge. I believe in the potential for change in this room.

I like to share the words of Arundhati Roy, an Indian writer who has inspired my work at
COA:

“Another world is not only possible, she’s on her way.
Maybe many of us won’t be here to greet her, but on a quiet day,
if I listen very carefully, I can hear her breathing.”

Class of 07, I am honored to have grown with you for this past four years. Thank you,
and good luck.

The Road to Bali: So much at stake

The next meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/Kyoto Protocol will be taking place in Bali, Indonesia in December. Bali will determine the future international policy on climate change, and youth must make their voice heard. Between now and December, youth from across the globe will organize to bring a sense of urgency and rationality to the meeting. The future of the UNFCCC process is up for debate, and with it the future of international action to stop climate change. If the UNFCCC cannot respond to the urgent conclusions contained in the report of the IPCC, the ability of the international mechanism to respond to global challenges might become irrelevant.

The Oceans have had Enough

Science Magazine just published a peer-reviewed article with some scary findings. The southern ocean has slowed its natural process of carbon absorption. The reason: climate change and ozone depletion. The breakdown in efficiency of these sinks was a expected, but not for another 40 years.

Because of feed-back mechanisms, the decline of Antarctica's Southern Ocean carbon sink means that atmospheric CO2 levels may be higher in future than predicted.

Thinking of Tomorrow: A call to rationality

After hours of work, i want to share this little rant of mine. This writing is part of my thesis. Comments are welcomed and encouraged. All Rights Reserved.

The horizon for adaptation for climate change is not positive. While we continue to hold political debates on the subjects at stake, we are sacrificing the life of many – exclusively the life of those who cannot come to the bargaining table to make their voice heard. To change the course of action on adaptation to climate change, a consensus that recognizes that as the most advanced species on earth, and also the one responsible for the current state of our planet, we need to modify our life styles for a sustainable way of producing and consuming.
Reducing the risk associated with climate change will require of immediate action, action for which we have the resources and knowledge. In history, we could the generation that, because of the political unwillingness to agree on action to respond to the needs of vulnerable groups, -particularly in Africa-, allowed for the devastation of entire regions; our political unwillingness could make our generation responsible for a massive genocide, a genocide that we could have been stopped but that we choose to ignore while comfortably relishing in a carbon-intensive world.
The window of opportunity is still open, but it closes with every tonne of carbon we keep trying to stuff in the atmosphere. Global leaders will be meeting again in a few months to continue discussing the future of the Adaptation Fund and post-2012 action to mitigate climate change. This meeting represents yet another opportunity to put things back on track, to agree on effective mechanism to focus action. The lessons learned to promote an effective adaptation operational strategy are clear, and they only require of political willingness and the recognition we are passed ‘no regrets’ measures. Protection our future will require of more than market-led strategies. The options for effective action are available; the political game has to end.
For millennia, humanity has adapted to the changes in the environment to secure survival. That capacity to adapt has been the result of our more advanced evolutionary skills, which allow us to make informed, conscious decisions to respond to challenges that jeopardize our survival. Those skills, however, could be questioned vis-à-vis our heinous and wicked response to the environmental challenges ahead of us. The science of climate change is clear, the information and solutions are available, but we continue to pursue an outrageous political model that could cost the life of millions. While we concentrate on debates over the role of market vs. government in combating climate change, we all responsible for the proliferation of what would the most lethal threat to humanity. Weather of Mass Destruction is on the horizon. The time to act is now.

Discussing: AOSIS at the CSD

The 43 members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) are a coalition of small island and low- lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environ- ment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change. Me and good friend, Chris Kyriacou, as part of the Outreach Issues team of SDIN/SF spoke with AOSIS Chairman, Ambassador Angus Friday of Grenada, about the group’s concerns and goals at CSD 15. (photo: ENB, Ambassador Friday)

What are your feelings about the proceedings so far at the CSD? Is the Commission helping to advance the priority of SIDS?

What is most interesting is that the CSD is the mandated intergovernmental body for dealing with the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI) which embodies some of the key issues for SIDS. From a policy point of view, SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs are dealt with in quite a special way throughout a lot of the deliberations here, particularly in terms of the four thematic clusters. The CSD is mandated to deal with it

When it comes to negotiating the outcome document, as you can appreciate a lot of people make statements that AOSIS puts it points across. Once the Chairman has produced his text, as many of our members are in the G77 we work through this group to express our opinion and negotiate the editing of the document. My observation of the CSD is that it is a hugely energetic process, and as a newcomer to the UN and multilateral system I wonder whether there isn’t another approach which could help to save time and energy? I’m not saying I know what the answer is I’m just looking at the huge amount of energy that goes into the CSD and the cost of all these sessions at $200-1000 per day per delegate. It takes a lot of energy, so we must ask ourselves if were doing this in the right manner.

Are these words being translated into provisions for action in the final text?

In the final text we’ll see significant reference to SIDS – our partners and other bodies ensure that they continue to be high on the agenda and are well represented in the document. In terms of follow up and implementation this is where we move toward the multilateral process and the UN bodies and also implementation through bilateral arrangements. A number of countries, such as New Zealand, are especially good at follow up.

AOSIS have been pushing for the establishment of a Global Renewable Energy fund. How do you envision such a fund operating?

The fund we are proposing needs to be a fund of funds – a large pool money that is then directed toward smaller dedicated funds. These would be funds dedicated to grant oriented R&D, funds toward technology transfer, funds for the commercialisation of new forms of renewable energies and another that simply deals with the large scale implementation of big renewable energy projects. In each case, they represent a different type of financing, which may be grant, soft loan, project mezzanine of equity financing.

This might begin to sound complex, but this fund should not be something that is just done through the UN. There are large philanthropic organisations that have significant levels of funding who can contribute to this type of fund. Below the level of the fund of funds, private institutions should also be involved in helping toward commercialisation and project finance This will become possible as they can rely on the fund of funds to guarantee backups.

Has the idea for a Global Renewable Energy fund been well received?

There are already renewable energy funds that are available, but the problem with a lot of these, such as the Renewable Energy Fund and the Global Environmental facility is that these funds have very high transaction costs. It costs lots of money just to develop a proposal to apply for funds, which acts as a huge barrier to entry.

Also, where countries then need to apply matching funding there simply aren’t the local funding sources to meet that. There are no local financial institutions with a mandate to become involved with untried technologies.

At the beginning of this CSD you outlined 11 ‘areas of emphasis’ for the effective implementation of sustainable development, but what about adaptation?

In all the things we’ve talked about we’ve put a heavy and particular emphasis on adaptation. We’ll continue to press for legislation for mitigation strategies, but from a practical point of view, we have to focus on adaptation because that is what will make a difference on the ground in many of our constituent states between this and next year.

Has adaptation been welcomed in the negotiating text as much as it should?

There is a lot of talk of adaptation at CSD, but we’re not convinced that, left on its own, we would have many more adaptation projects between now and this time next year. The role of AOSIS is to actually implement the outcome document by lobbying the UN system, partner countries and various agencies, and our focus between now and next year is to put in place a program of activity to ensure that this happens. The number one priority is to make sure that financing is available to do all of the things we have spoken about at CSD, in terms of developing strategies to put in place local legislative frameworks, and actually implement renewable energy and adaptation projects in SIDS.

We are actually putting a program into place to ensure that this process is not just about meetings. This will compile a list of all the ideas we’ve heard at CSD and ensure that actual projects can start on the ground, for example projects that convert sewage into energy, help to build reefs faster, or harness geothermal and tidal energy.

On the mitigation side, as SIDS we can only have a very small impact on the global picture, so it is the developed countries who need to focus on their mitigation strategies. We are the most vulnerable countries - the canary in the coalmine - and the first affected are the first to focus on adaptation strategies and projects.

Much has been said recently about the connections between sustainable development and adaptation, especially in the latest IPCC report. Since much of the management on this is coming from the UNFCC, is enough guidance coming from the CSD?

That is difficult to answer as we’re not yet at the end of the process – I would prefer to wait until the end of the CSD before I can give a more balanced and thought-through answer. I’m not sure it’s the role of the CSD to give direction to the UNFCC. If anything else I think the CSD looks to the UNFCC for guidance on critical issues. In terms of adaptation plans and strategies it’s then up to the relevant UN agencies and member countries to go forward and multiply, which we’ll be doing in conjunction with UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS). We will hold a three monthly review to ensure that our adaptation plans are implemented and monitored.

The critical point for us is that we’d like to see the Mauritius strategy of implementation being promoted and reviewed in both the review and the policy year of the CSD. Currently it is only reviewed in the review year which means we have to wait 2 years to know how successful we’ve been. It’s important to review progression on an annual basis and if we’re able to do that our adaptation strategies would be happening more quickly.

Sustainable Development: More than Inspiration

An article co-authored by Jennifer Peer and myself for CSD15

Actions for realising the contribution of trade to sustainable development, as detailed in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI)’s means of implementation chapter, are simply a form of “guidance” and the JPOI is a mere “inspiration” for Member States.
Actions for realising the contribution of trade to sustainable development, as detailed in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI)’s means of implementation chapter, are merely a form of “guidance” and the JPOI is a mere “inspiration” for Member States. At a side-event held yesterday on “The WTO and Sustainable Development” these and similar statements about sustainable development and trade were expressed. After this barrage of pro trade statements, it seems clear that the CSD, the UN’s highest level commission on sustainable development, needs to be able to address issues related to trade and sustainable development.

As the CSD struggles to conclude this cycle with policy recommendations that advance sustainable development, it is time to ask ourselves: Should the WTO, an organisation that barely contributes to the CSD dialogue, dictate the scope and usefulness the CSD agenda? The answer is no. By ignoring important issues for the implementation of Agenda 21 and the JPOI, the CSD is unfulfilling its mandate to avoid disturbing the big trade giant. The CSD must realise its potential; it must take the chance to serve a trust-building policy forum to create far-sighted policies that do not centre on economics. Sustainable development is not an 'inspiration', it's a promise we have made to future generations

Trade is considered by many to be the engine of growth. In many cases, however, such growth prioritises economic benefits at the expense of social and environmental capital. We know that sustainable development requires a balancing of environmental, social, and economic concerns. The WTO founding documents define sustainable development as an overarching objective of the WTO. Ministers in Johannesburg pledged to “promote open, equitable, rules-based, predictable, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading and financial systems that benefit all countries in the pursuit of sustainable development.” Given these explicit links of trade and sustainable development in both international sustainable development agreements and international trade agreements, one would expect to see a WTO that is upholding and promoting sustainable development.

To date, however, this has not proved possible. After almost two years of working towards a CSD outcome that favours sustainable development, and hearing time and time again at CSD 14 that fair trade practices are necessary and that energy subsidies are distorting the global market, we are now faced with a text that excludes any recommendations on trade policy or trade-related practices. The text has been watered down to avoid any conflict with the WTO, as though the global trade policies that have led us into this current state of unsustainability do not need to change. The CSD has chosen to stay on the sidelines, making only superficial and tangential policy recommendations, while letting the WTO define the scope and meaning of the policies that are supposed to get our world on a sustainable track.

Given the current deadlock in the WTO, this is a potentially deadly approach for sustainable development. Though the speaker at yesterday’s event did highlight potential areas of progress for the sustainable development agenda, she focused only on areas where we can anticipate a positive outcome for environment in the Doha Round, namely: fishery subsidies, the liberalization of environmental goods, and the defining of the relationships between multilateral environmental agreements and trade rules. Yet, there are more areas where a positive agreement is desperately needed (agricultural subsidies, non-agricultural market access, and special differentiated treatment)—areas of critical importance to the promotion of sustainable development, and where the CSD must exercise leadership.

The relationship between industrial development and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) is a case in point. Our cautious approach to industrial development at this session has weakened any policies calling for tariff reductions for developing and least developed countries. As though there are no links between trade and industrial development, Commission Members have avoided speaking on the fundamental social and environmental aspects surrounding issues of non-agricultural good and market access. Policy recommendations to provide guidance for poverty reduction and industrial development are hopeless because the CSD has surrendered its power while waiting for the WTO to conclude negotiations on NAMA.
Looking ahead to the next cycle of the CSD, the potential for trade sensitivities to weaken the outcome is high. Focusing on agriculture, rural development, land, and Africa, CSD 16/17 will address issues that strike at the heart of the current Doha impasse. The WTO has, to date, failed to deliver an agreement that promotes principles of sustainable development in these areas. We have yet to see a definition of “special products” that addresses Africa’s food security, livelihood security, and rural development needs. Similarly, the “early harvest” in the cotton negotiations, called for by the ‘Cotton 4’ (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali), has not yet materialised. In light of this, we must not shy away from putting the critical issues for agriculture and sustainable development on the table at CSD16/17. Furthermore, in the absence of progress at the WTO, we need to create space for ‘confidence building’ between developed and developing countries on sustainable development and agriculture. The CSD offers a forum for this and shoul not e wasted. the JPOI is not a token inspirational reference: it is a blueprint for achieving sustainable development.

Youth prepare for climate and development negotiations

The fifthteen session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-15) will meet at UN Headquarters in New York next week and youth will take the floor to lay out the future that we envision. As this implementation cycle, CSD-15 will review progress in the area of Energy for Sustainable Development; Industrial Development; Air pollution/ Atmosphere; and Climate Change.

In preparation, Youth climate leaders from around the world will converge on the Youth Energy Blast in New York on April 29, 2007 at Columbia University with the mission of sharing their skills and preparing for the 15th Session UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD-15).

Some humor

agua/water/eau

It has been almost a week since I arrived to Buenos Aires, and I am starting to realize that my trip is about to end. I have had an amazing time in Buenos Aires –good food, beautiful people, lots of time to reflect and dream of days to come.

The Youth Summit on water was extremely rewarding, and I have met some amazing people. It has been inspiring to learn of the work of committed people around the world to secure the right to water. It is always comforting to learn that other people are working on the same values and vision in different corners of the world, but that have never met each other. It gives hope to the dream that deep down, in the grassroots world, a revolution has started to secure a better world to future generations… a revolution that redefines progress with a vision of fair world.

Buenos Aires has given me hope. As I near the end of my current stage in life (ie life at COA), I have come full circled in my vision of a better world. The need of new energy, water, and food paradigm will shape my life and future work. As I prepare to depart Buenos Aires, I salute the silent soldiers doing everything they can to secure access to global commons

Tango, Water, and Me

After returning to Maine from Costa Rica last week, I had no choice but to keep my bags out. I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina yesterday morning for the First youth summit on water. You can find out more here.
The meeting does not start until tomorrow, so I am mostly working on my senior project for now. However, This has been a daunting task—Buenos Aires is a truly beautiful city and there is a lot to do. I am trying to balance work and leisure, with glasses of red wine in the intervals! Last night I went for dinner to a beautiful care on 9 of July Avenue, and I am for now staying in a hostel a few steps away from the iconic Argentinean ‘Obelisco’
I promise I will have more news and photos sometime soon

Climate Change- A global security threat

The United Nations Security Council, the supreme global body on issues of security and peace, will debate climate change for the first time on April 17. The United Kingdom wants the issue to be considered a matter of global concern, and will have Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett preside over the debate. In March, when the UK announced their intention to bring the issue to the agenda,China and Russia expressed some opposition to the holding the debate.Meanwhile, the United States had no opposition to considering the issue at the Security Council.
In preparation for the debate, the UK has circulated a concept paper arguing that climate change could provoke new wars, change borders, disrupt energy supplies and force mass migration. The paper outlines six areas where climate change could affect global security: border disputes, migration, energy supplies, other resource shortages, societal stress and humanitarian crises--with some estimates that up to 200 million people could be displaced by the middle of the century. (Image source: AP)

Stakes are Rising- Anybody Listening?

This morning the IPCC, the supreme global scientific body on climate change with scientists from all over the world, released their 4th assessment report examining the expected impacts of climate change based on all science available. The report stresses on the potential extinction of hundreds of species, the increased risk of coastal damage, extreme weather, and implications of different degree scenarios to food supply and health. Ironically enough, the reports also finds that countries in northern areas, the countries emitting the majority greenhouse gases, are likely to enjoy of better agriculture and other benefits due to warmer winters. No wonder why so many industrialized countries are doing as little as possible to stop what will be a disaster for poor and vulnerable communities in the world.

Next month, the IPCC will be releasing its updated report on options to mitigate climate change. Hopefully, out of empathy, those who need to listen to stop thinking of their pockets and realize that we have one climate and one chance to do things right. Is anybody listening? I truly hope so.

You can find the full report at www.ipcc.ch, or follow press coverage by most major media sources worldwide.

IDA- The Costa Rican race to the bottom

While Costa Rica continues arguing over the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the central government sets up the stage for the treaty –a treaty that they insist will take Costa Rica up the ladder of development… unfortunately nobody knows yet where the ladder goes, or who builds the steps. The government is considering closing one of the last institutions supposedly helping Costa Rica farmers, the Institute for Agrarian Development (IDA- Instituto de Desarrollo Agrario).
The institute has not had any guidance or attention from the government from the past fifteen years, and now corruption scandals and reckless mismanagement has come to the public scrutiny. The government response, instead of addressing the problem and trying to correct the work of the institute, threatens to demolish one of the last institutions supposedly helping shape rural development. This comes in a time when agriculture is perceived as the odd child of the development agenda, a time when the few support mechanisms promote export crops over the very basic food for the poor.
The original mandate of IDA was to support small farmers with land, credits, and other programs. Although the institute has been terribly job, closing the institute will leave the needs of the rural poor up the air.
This is not the first time food supply is exchanged for money crops- the exchange of maize and beans for exotic ferns and frozen vegetables that Costa Ricans cannot afford. The National Production Center (CNP) and the Ministry of Agriculture have disappeared in the last decade. The Center was never replaced, and the Ministry was replaced with the Ministry of Production- which pays lip attention to agriculture.
With this in mind, Costa Rica continues to define its vision of progress. Selling its coast to foreign investors to make fishermen become construction workes –like its the reality in the Pacific coast of Guanacaste-, and pushing farmers out of the land to… to do whatever they can keep their families alive in the shadows of the informal economy.
Costa Rica, PURA VIDA!!

Now in Costa Rica

I have arrived. A pretty straigtforward trip and lots of plans for the next three weeks. I shall write more later. I will for now try tyo find my way of getting involved with the ongoing political struggles surrounding CAFTA (central american free trade agreement with the US), and envision the dream of finding a job here for after graduation. We shall see!

Frustrated

I wrote the statement below with my friends from Third World Network. It reflects my frustrations with UN processes right now

Chair’s Text Rings Death Knell for the CSD

The Chair’s draft negotiating document miserably fails to provide substance and direction to the current thematic cluster. Without any substantive overhaul—if not a complete re-writing—CSD-15 will be remembered in history as the session that has put the final nail in the CSD coffin.

The first sentence of the Draft Text sets the tone for the entire document: fossil fuel is here to stay, so let us just make it cleaner without any strong commitment to genuinely changing the unsustainable production and consumption patterns and shifting to environmentally sustainable alternatives that are already available. The Chair completely ignored the resounding voices of developing countries that dependence on expensive fossil fuel is making them poorer and preventing them from meeting the MDGs.

Rather than addressing this pressing problem by highlighting the calls for strong commitments to shift to renewables, the smorgasbord of options and possible actions on energy sifted by the Chair from the (un)interactive discussions selectively focuses on pushing for an energy mix that prominently features “cleaner fossil fuels”, with only weak references to renewable energy. If there is any urgent call for action in the text, it is towards moving for upscaling and deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies— but nothing about the need for sustainability criteria for biofuels that could provide sensible direction to all the excitement on the creation of an international market on biofuels.

The section on Industrial Development barely addresses the fundamental barriers raised by developing countries, such as tariff walls and subsidies in developed countries, monopolistic intellectual property rights that impede technology sharing and transfer, and the failure of developed countries to meet their commitment in increasing ODA levels.

LPG is the most prominent alternative to health-damaging traditional cooking and heating methods mentioned in the text, with not a single reference to other affordable, locally-available, and culturally-appropriate technologies raised by a host of developing countries. The LPG industry has been very successful in their lobbying at the IPM.

Despite of the desperate calls from the SIDS for decisive and immediate action to address climate change, the Chair’s Draft Text only offers market-based solutions anchored by public-private partnerships. It reeks of market fundamentalism that even queerly considers strengthening the carbon market as a long-term strategy to address Climate Change.

Effectively overhauling the Chair’s draft text could give CSD a new lease on life. An overwhelming majority of the developing world —those who do not depend on petro-dollars - have said that dependence on fossil fuel must stop in order for sustainable development to proceed. Sustainability criteria must be adopted to guide the current craze over bio-fuels. Genuine efforts that promote sustainable consumption and production must be exerted by the world community, not as a showcase but as a lifestyle. As a lone voice from the oil-producing world, Venezuela said it beautifully: what the world needs is not market fundamentalism, but collective action and solidarity.

The CSD owes it to the world and the next generation. Pump some life into the CSD. Dump the Chair’s draft text.
neth/hira/juan
2March07

Energy Efficiency: A win-win approach for Sustainable Development

My contribution to the SDIN Issues Journal today...

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Energy Efficiency: A win-win approach for Sustainable Development

Meeting the energy needs of the world requires a comprehensive framework that not only seeks to increase energy supply, but also improve the allocation and use of energy while reducing energy demand. Increasing and improving energy efficiency can deliver benefits in all of the issues address at the CSD15, and policy options to exploit its potential must be reflected in the outcomes of the commission. Improvements in energy efficiency offer win-win solutions to the needs of the developing and the developed world.

Energy Efficiency: What can it bring to the CSD?

It can ….
Improve energy use with financial gains for different sectors using new and cutting-edge industrial technologies.
Reduce current energy use, in some countries, by 70% by improving building.
Reduce energy use by 10% improving stand-by use, or energy leakage.
Reduce industrial energy use, in some countries, by 17%-33% through improving production processes by 2050.
Reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 45%- 53% through improving production processes by 2050.

Energy efficiency is a win-win scenario –it must be a priority for a sustainably powered world. n some countries improving production and productions processes, such as new recovery technologies, higher efficiency of material use, performance standards, as well as other improvements

Improving energy efficiency in the developing world requires technology transfer from developed countries; the CSD must create a framework that allows developing countries to access the benefits of energy efficiency. Public-Private Partnerships is one option; further action is needed to promote a sustainable approach to energy use. Developed countries, in the spirit of the Monterey Consensus, must assist developing countries in leap-frogging to energy efficiency technologies and capacity building.

Some Policy Priorities for Energy Efficiency

Residential use: More regulations for new buildings and retrofits of old infrastructure can reduce cost and deliver savings to homeowners. Policy regulations can prescribe energy performance thresholds through MEPS, energy information labels, and subsidies for energy efficient appliances, building codes, and other methods to promote savings according. Because many appliances are imported to the developing world, it is important to harmonize references to performance standards observing international trade regulations.

Industrial use: We need to set benchmarks, energy auditing, and standards for industry, and these can deliver further benefits with far-sighted and transparent public-private and private-private partnerships. MEPS need to be set and enforced by governments, and these can be enhanced promoting voluntary measures through savings programmes.

Transportation: There are many policy options, and different measures and policies can help shape consumer behavior. Some of these are MEPS for national fleets, and improvements in public transformation. Improved technologies can help cut fuel use, and these technologies can be promoted through tax incentives

Making the case for sustainable energy at the United Nations

Representatives of the youth caucus of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable at attending the preparatory meetings for the policy session of the Commission. Below is the statement I made at the UN Plenary on Monday morning...
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Children and youth, as the future generations, do not wish to inherit a toxic, radioactive, dirty, and carbon-driven world, and call on the CSD to take action to guarantee that we have a future to look forward to. Providing more than 6 billion people with energy will require concrete action to ensure that we meet the needs of the poor and not only industry.

We firmly believe that renewable energy is the key to a sustainable future. Small-scale renewable energy projects offer a sustainable solution to energy access, providing local, context-sensitive solutions that preserve the environment. Youth have been essential partners in implementing small-scale projects; such contributions need further support.

A clear, universally recognized definition of sustainable energy must be agreed on, which must take into consideration principles stated in the JPOI. It is -evident that nuclear energy and “clean” fossil fuels are not viable options for truly sustainable development; subsidies supporting their exploitation must be phased out and used to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Global climate change is the most pressing issue of our generation. We need immediate action; we cannot rely on partnerships and short-term political maneuvering. Successful measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change demand innovative policy solutions encompassing multiple sectors.

We strongly believe that corporate social responsibility and accountability must be emphasized; while the JPOI highlighted this need, it was not mentioned at CSD14. A framework for business and industry to operate responsibly is needed, and it is needed now.

Cleaner production should be matched with sustainable consumption. Market approaches cannot ensure the best economic allocation of resources alone. Subsidies, when required, need to be used to secure access to energy for the poor.

Children and youth want healthy air. Pressing air pollution issues include the need for a collaborative and functional international policy framework. The costs of unsustainable transportation should be internalized. Fiscal policy should be used to promote public transportation, fuel efficiency, and multiple user initiatives.

There is a lot work to do between now and May.

Measurable targets and timelines are required. While achieving targets needs cooperation from all stakeholders, government accountability must also be stressed.

Given its potential for change, we insist that the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development be heavily emphasized at CSD15.

Recalling UN General Assembly 60/2, the inclusion of youth delegates in the international decision-making process should be facilitated. Governments must fulfill their commitment to include representation of youth.

What i am up to!

it has been more than a week since i wrote here, but i think i have a good excuse. Last Friday i left frozen bar harbor to Washington Dc to attend a weekend retreat for SustainUS, and then i traveled back up to New York yesterday to join a team of NGOs at the UN Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the Commission for Sustainable Development (IPM-CSD). Its has been an exciting time already, I published my first article on the SD Issues today, and I just presented a statement to the Plenary on the Priorities for sustainable development and energy. After presenting my statement, i was interviewed with the UN Chronicle for their next edition... and i still have a week ahead of me.
Exciting!
I will try to have updates occasionally.

Spring Breakkkk!!

It's official! i am going to Costa Rica for spring break. I am arriving in San Jose on March 11th and returning to Maine later that month (only to stay here for a week and then go to Argentina).

Ahh... Home sweet home!

This trip to Costa Rica promises a lot. I will be visiting some places where i am interested in working after graduation, and also saying good bye to my land in the case that end-up moving to some other place after i graduate. The thought is a little nerve-racking, but i rather face it as truth.

I am also planning on having some good fun! I invited a bunch of friends to come down, and one of my best friend took up the invitation. John is going to be in traveling with me for a week, which i hope to use to travel to some of the coolest spots in the country: arenal, monteverde, santa rosa, coyote, cabo blanco, etc... yeay! I will be also reuniting with some good odl friends, and enjoying life 'pura vida' style!

happy birthday kyoto!

On February 16th the Kyoto Protocol passed its two-year anniversary since coming into effect in 2005. On February 16th, 2005 the Kyoto Protocol became binding law after Russia ratified it, becoming the fifty-fifth nation bound under the Protocol. Up to now, one hundred and sixty-nine nations are parties to the treaty, with the regrettable exception of the United States and Australia.

The Kyoto Protocol has come a long away since its creation in 1997, but, in the midst of the second anniversary, there are dark clouds overcastting compliance with the global 2008-2012 targets. Most of members bound to reduce emissions during 2008-2012 have already passed their targets beyond a point of no return; some members have even attempted to forfeit efforts to meet their duties. However, there have been some accomplishments; the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), one of the Kyoto flexible mechanisms for countries to meet their targets through reductions abroad, has recorded remarkable steps. Between 2008 and 2012 more than 1 billion tons of CO2 will be reduced through clean development in more than 500 projects worldwide, and the number keeps increasing. This, unfortunately, will not be enough to meet the Kyoto targets—unless developed countries take meaningful steps to reduce emissions at home.

On its second birthday, I wish Kyoto a stronger compliance mechanism for its post-2012 life, stronger additionality criteria for its mechanisms, political will for reform from its friends, and fruitful reconciliation with currently absent large greenhouse gases emitters. Join me wishing Kyoto a happy birthday; leave your comments with birthday wishes on this blog!

Global Average Temperature For January Highest On Record

NOAA reported today that the combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the highest for any January on record. According to the NOAA National Climatic Data the most unusually warm conditions were in the mid- and high-latitude land areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was 1.53 degrees F (0.85 degrees C) warmer than the 20th century average of 53.6 degrees F (12.0 degrees C) for January based on preliminary data, surpassing the previous record set in 2002 at 1.28 degrees F (0.71 degrees C) above the average.

Last month's record was greatly influenced by a record high land-surface temperature, the fourth warmest global ocean-surface temperature was in the 128-year series, and a moderate El Niño episode that began in September 2006. In the contiguous United States, the monthly mean temperature was near average in January.

The presence of El Niño, along with the continuing climate change trend, contributed to the record warm January. NOAA reported that the monthly mean temperatures more than 8 degrees F above average covered large parts of Eastern Europe and much of Russia, and temperatures more than 5 degrees F above average were widespread in Canada. The unusually warm conditions contributed to the 2nd lowest January snow cover extent on record for the Eurasian continent.

Hikin' Dorr

In conclusion to the climate summit this past weekend on Sunday, my friends and I went for a long afternoon hike . We hiked Dorr Mountain, the second tallest mountain in Mount Desert Island. Temperatures were on the -10/-15 C range, and were surprised by the ice and the accumulated snow. Check out some of the photos, they are awesome!
We were blessed with the company of my good friend Rob Niven from Montreal, who joined us for the Summit and presented on carbon capture. We also had the good company of Seth from Chewonki and Julia Thomas from MECA.


Thanks for the good company, and, of course, thanks to Blanco for his guidance!

The Maine Climate

Once again, the blog has been quiet. I believe there has been a good reason, besides for a busy winter, the organization for the climate summit has been taking a lot of my spare time. To learn more about the summit, please click here.
I will have more updates soon.
Photo: Conference of Youth in Nairobi, Kenya in preparation for the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Scientists and trading partners have spoken: Is the US listening?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is releasing its Fourth Assessment Report expressing the global consensus on climate change trends. Released in Paris, France today, the report concludes that it is 90% likely that climate change is due to human activities. Meanwhile, Jacques Chirac, president of France, has warmed that if the US does not take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, products exported from the United States could be taxed to enter the European market. While industries in Europe have to invest in reducing their emissions, industries in the US continue to emit gases without any control. This is unfair to European industry, and, unless the US takes serious action to reduce emissions, it could be faced with a carbon tax if it wishes to continue trading with its largest export market.

Although such a tax could be disputed at the WTO, France is supportedby the rest of Europe if it was to implement such a measure. The US Federal government has ignored the concerns of millions of citizens, but perhaps it might listen to the concern of its own industry. The science is clear, the cost of inaction is escalating, the time to act is now.

Cold Birthday

Last Wednesday I celebrated my 23rd birthday. It was a very special one for many reasons: I was surrounded by my closest friends, received some very creative and intriguing gifts, and it all happen in the midst of one of the coldest days of the winter. While I was enjoying good sushi, pad-thai, and wine next to the fire in my living room, the temperature outside reached - 27 C!

Many things to remember! I start this new year with great hopes and expectations, including spending my next birthday in a warmer climate.

Thanks to all my friends for their effort to make my day a very special one, I love you all. And, in addition, thanks to NOAA for providing me with weather information to catalogue this birthday as the coldest one ever!

(image: photo taken from the NOAA website the night of my birthday. Notice the outside tempeture and the temperature with the wind. Considering how windy Bar Harbor gets, the latter temperature matters the most to me!)

Politics of World Trade

Trade, some say, is the engine that moves the world. As an engine, it sucks the energy out of a source to produce something, whatever that something might be. However, resources -labor or capital- do not move around markets with magical hands, and powering the engine of trade is sucking the developing world dry, while keeping comfortably fresh a small portion of the world. The mistakes leading to the current disparities in our planet have been the result of narrow-minded theories and assumptions of economics sitting at their big desks in Washington and London. While these economist rewrite their theories and models realizing that 'test sites' have collapsed, millions and millions of people starved in slums around the developing world.

This term, my last term of classes, I enrolled in an advanced seminar class on politics of world trade. I am very excited, and partially overwhelmed already. We have been discussing some of the issues with market reform during the 1980s and 1990s and I am experiencing flashbacks to the structural reform horrors in Costa Rica... banks closing, thousands of workers fired every Friday, and the common excuse of fiscal austerity to justify limiting social security and health care to those who had so-rightfully deserved.

For the first part of the term we will analyze the current processes at the World Trade Organization, particularly the Doha Rounds for trade and development. Although the talks collapsed last year, we will look at the some alternative policies suggested by economist around the globe, including Joseph Stiglitz in his most recent publication "Fair Trade for All" -which I strongly recommend. The second part of the term will allow me to concentrate on current trade treaties outside of the WTO, including NAFTA and CAFTA.

I will try to share thoughts and reactions now and then, and encourage you share your responses to my thoughts and concerns.

New Year

This year, my last year in Maine, I have decided to enjoy Acadia National Park. Since I came back from Kenya, I have decided to go on the trails nearby every day, and do at least one big hike every week.

Today I went out for a big hike. I left my house early in teh morning and biked up the Cadillac Mountain to get to the Eagle Lake. Once at Eagle Lake, I went hiking around the lake and got a change to run the east shore of the reservoir.

Like I have said before, I have no idea where i am going end up next year. So, i better enjoy the fresh air now.

Photo above: View from Cadillac Mt, taken from ANP website.