[Coral-List] Global joint NGO EbA Statement on Climate Change/Adaptation

[RainbowWarriorsInternational]

Sorry for cross-posting!

A recent phone call from Earth Day Network prompted us to look hard at the upcoming COP15 conference in Copenhagen.

Our own organization like tens of thousands of other NGOs has been strapped for cash and not able to attend the summit.

In
light of the utmost importance of the "deal" to be brokered at this
summit we think it is of vital importance that as many as possible
NGOs, large and small in unison present a joint statement.

We think creating a sign-on letter where tens of
thousands of NGOs around the world can sign onto via the internet would be a perfect vehicle.

The
basic idea is to have one hundred or less large organizations create a joint
statement and create an add-on sign-on letter for all NGOs not attending
Copenhagen but supporting the joint statement.

At
the summit the signed statement can be presented with the signatures of
the "leading organizations", and an APPENDIX list of co-signatories
listed per country.

This approach is used by the UNCAC Coalition against corruption (see www.uncaccoalition.org) of which we are a member and its impact is huge.

I know it is on a very short notice, but using Twitter, Facebook and regular email we can fast spread the word about this letter.

We think the following is a good starting point: 

IUCN
Greenpeace
Friends of the
 Earth
World Wildlife Fund
Conservation International
Fauna and Flora International
BirdLife International
Wildlife Conservation
 Society
Nature Conservancy
Oxfam
World Resources Institute
Earth Day Network, which ties into over 10,000 organizations around the globe
ICRAN/ICRI
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)

A select group of international institutes dedicated to Climate Change/Adaptation Research could round out this group.

www.climate-l.org, www.iisd.org and www.sidsnet.org are a fast track to get 40 plus Small Island Developing States also involved, some of which are the most impacted by climate change.

The
idea is to keep the focus on the essence of things, threats to
biodiversity, threats to livelihoods, coupled to food security and
fighting poverty (millennium development goals), increased threats of natural disasters and encroaching tropical diseases.

This in essence is covered by the Ecosystem Based Adaptation approach formulated by the IUCN in collaboration with the CBD (see: http://www.iucn.org/knowledge/news/focus/2009_eba/)

Off course renewable energies, clean energies and bio-fuels also should be addressed, but in a fashion tying into the EbA
 approach.

If such a joint statement is created our organization can rapidly distribute word in the Caribbean community for sign-on for regional and national NGOs.

If necessary we can rapidly disseminate information through European Union counterparts.

As
an organization dedicated to SIDS in particular we feel the small
voices must be heard in Copenhagen, and it is the SIDS in particular
who are most impacted by climate change.

We have already contacted the IUCN US office and the CB secretariat and would now like to ask the Caribbean and global communities dedicated to coral reefs, marine ecosystems and biodiversity to provide input on existing joint statements from the NGO/Academic communities to be presented at the COP15 summit.

In particular what is being presented as joint statements for the (Wider) Caribbean region?

Milton Ponson, President
Rainbow Warriors Core Foundation  (Rainbow Warriors International)  P.O.Box 1154, Oranjestad  Aruba, Dutch Caribbean  Phone: +297
 568 5908 or 011-297 568 5908 (from USA)  Email: core_rainbowwarriors at yahoo.com  Web Sites:   http://www.rainbowwarriors.net (Global)       To unite humanity in a global society dedicated to a sustainable way of life