erom:		CCRIF <pr@ccrif.org>
date		Thu, Aug 19, 2010
subject		Caribbean Economics of Climate Adaptation Study results released.

Please see attached press release regarding the publication of preliminary results of the study on the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) in the Caribbean implemented by the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility and regional partners.

The results for eight pilot countries (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, and St. Lucia) are presented in a short brochure entitled, Enhancing the climate risk and adaptation fact base for the Caribbean (Preliminary Results).

The brochure is available on the CCRIF website at http://www.ccrif.org/sites/default/files/publications/ECABrochureFinalAugust182010.pdf

Regards,
Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF)

Originally posted August 1, 2010 and updated August 17, 2010.

As we intend to be next week in New Hampshire to visit with some Green efforts there, we are now more attentive to that State and I just found the following:

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Much of the UN rebuttal is mush and we will report on how this unfolds.

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Departing U.N. official calls Ban’s leadership ‘deplorable’ in 50-page memo.

Inga-Britt Ahlenius wrote a 50-page memo upon the end of her term as head of the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services. (2008 Photo By Mark Garten/Associated Press)

By Colum Lynch

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/19/AR2010071904734.html?referrer=emailarticle

UNITED NATIONS — The outgoing chief of a U.N. office charged with combating corruption at the United Nations has issued a stinging rebuke of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, accusing him of undermining her efforts and leading the global institution into an era of decline, according to a confidential end-of-assignment report.

The memo by Inga-Britt Ahlenius, a Swedish auditor who stepped down Friday as undersecretary general of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, represents an extraordinary personal attack on Ban from a senior U.N. official. The memo also marks a challenge to Ban’s studiously cultivated image as a champion of accountability.

Shortly after taking office in 2007, Ban committed himself to restoring the United Nations’ reputation, which had been sullied by revelations of corruption in the agency’s oil-for-food program in Iraq.

But Ahlenius says that, rather than being an advocate for accountability, Ban, along with his top advisers, has systematically sought to undercut the independence of her office, initially by trying to set up a competing investigations unit under his control and then by thwarting her efforts to hire her own staff.

“Your actions are not only deplorable, but seriously reprehensible. . . . Your action is without precedent and in my opinion seriously embarrassing for yourself,” Ahlenius wrote in the 50-page memo to Ban, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post. “I regret to say that the secretariat now is in a process of decay.”

Ban’s top advisers said that Ahlenius’s memo constituted a deeply unbalanced account of their differences and that her criticism of Ban’s stewardship of the United Nations was patently unfair.

“A look at his record shows that Secretary General Ban has provided genuine visionary leadership on important issues from climate change to development to women’s empowerment. He has promoted the cause of gender balance in general as well as within the organization. He has led from the front on important political issues from Gaza to Haiti to Sudan,” Ban’s chief of staff, Vijay Nambiar, wrote in a response.

“It is regrettable to note,” Nambiar added, “that many pertinent facts were overlooked or misrepresented” in Ahlenius’s memo.

The departure of Ahlenius, 72, coincides with a period of crisis in the United Nations’ internal investigations division. During the past two years, the world body has shed some of its top investigators. It has also failed to fill dozens of vacancies, including that of the chief of the investigations division in the Office of Internal Oversight Services. That post has been vacant since 2006, leaving a void in the United Nations’ ability to police itself, diplomats say.

“We are disappointed with the recent performance of [the U.N.'s] investigations division,” said Mark Kornblau, spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations. “The coming change in . . . leadership is an opportunity to bring about a significant improvement in its performance to increase oversight and transparency throughout the organization.”

The U.N. General Assembly established the Office of Internal Oversight Services in 1994 to conduct management audits of the United Nations’ principal departments and to conduct investigations into corruption and misconduct. The founding resolution granted the office “operational independence” but placed it under the authority of the secretary general and made it dependent on the U.N. departments it policed for much of its funding and administrative support.

The dispute between Ahlenius and Ban has underscored some of the resulting tensions and exposed a protracted and acrimonious struggle for power over the course of U.N. investigations.

While Ahlenius cited Ban’s move to set up a new investigations unit as a sign that he was seeking to undermine her independence, Nambiar said that it was intended to strengthen the United Nations’ ability to fight corruption.

Ahlenius also clashed with Ban over her efforts to hire a former federal prosecutor, Robert Appleton, who headed the U.N. Procurement Task Force, a temporary white-collar crime unit that carried out aggressive investigations into corruption in U.N. peacekeeping missions from 2006 to last year. The unit’s investigations led to an unprecedented number of misconduct findings by U.N. officials and prompted federal probes into corruption.

Ban’s advisers said they blocked Appleton’s appointment on the grounds that female candidates had not been properly considered and said that the final selection should have been made by Ban, not Ahlenius.

“The secretary general fully recognizes the operational independence of OIOS,” Nambiar said. But that, he said, “does not excuse her from applying the standard rules of recruitment.”

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The above story, as per – http://www.orf.at/#/stories/2004590/ - also echoed in Vienna.

Scheidende UNO-Diplomatin rechnet mit Ban ab.

Die scheidende Chefkontrolleurin der Vereinten Nationen geht laut Medienberichten mit Generalsekretär Ban Ki Moon hart ins Gericht. Ban habe ihre Arbeit als oberste Korruptionsbekämpferin unterlaufen und die UNO in eine Ära des Niedergangs geführt, schrieb Inga-Britt Ahlenius laut einem Bericht der „Washington Post“ gestern in einem vertraulichen Memorandum.

Entgegen seinen Ankündigungen zum Amtsantritt 2007 habe Ban die durch mehrere Affären angeschlagene Reputation der Vereinten Nationen nicht mit allen Mitteln geschützt.

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„Verwerflich“

Vielmehr habe er ihr Amt der Chefrevisorin mehr und mehr geschwächt, schreibe Ahlenius in dem 50-Seiten-Papier an Ban: „Ihr Handeln ist nicht nur bedauerlich, sondern sogar verwerflich.“ Es sei beispiellos und „meiner Meinung nach für Sie selbst beschämend“. Das Blatt zitierte: „Ich bedaure es, sagen zu müssen, dass das Sekretariat in einem Zerfallsprozess ist.“

Kritiker werfen Ban seit langem vor, die UNO nur zu verwalten und vor wirksamen politischen Initiativen zurückzuschrecken. UNO-Mitarbeiter wiesen die Vorwürfe in der „Washington Post“ als „unfair“ zurück. Ban habe mehrere politische Schwerpunkte gesetzt, etwa beim Klimaschutz und bei der Gleichstellung der Frau. Die Abrechnung der scheidenden Schwedin sei ein „höchst unausgewogener Ausdruck ihrer Differenzen“ mit Ban.,

For one thing, see there is a good South African Restaurant in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and we go there for inspiration and nourishment from time to time. www.madibarestaurant.com/  – info@madibarestaurant.com.
 http://politic365.com/2010/07/19/happy-b…

Based on the above – we write: Two freedom fighters I most admire, writes Noel Anderson, Professor at Brooklyn College, in the struggle for South African democracy are Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela. Law partners and comrades, both men helped to shape the direction of the country, with Mandela leading the struggle from within, while Tambo raised international consciousness and money while exiled abroad. Tambo is no longer with us, but Mandela keeps the best of that struggle alive, becoming the first truly democratically elected President of South Africa after decades of imprisonment, and continuing to serve as a moral symbol for African and world affairs.

Born 92 years ago on July 18th, 1918, into a royal family in the Transkei, Mandela has been at the center of not just South African but global freedom struggles. He was the head of the ANC youth league and became a founding member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”) the armed wing of the ANC, before being imprisoned for 27 years.

President Obama, in tribute to Mandela’s work, has called on all to engage in community service. (In effect this past weekend everyone of us was called to put aside 82 minutes of his time and dedicate those 82 minutes to the community.  The United Nations has also recognized his birthday as Nelson Mandela International Day by calling on November 10, 2009 to make the !8th of July The International Mandela Day – and this year – the July 18th 2010, was supposed to be The First International Mandela Day. But it fell on a Sunday and that is a no-no for the UN Free Birds that must keep the weekend in New York for free enjoyment – really – what other reason for spending the time in this hot city? So, the UN moved to celebrate the day, this year, on  Thursday night and Friday Morning – 15th and 16th of 2010.

Strange as it sounds, its important to recognize that “Madiba” (his term of endearment), the 92 year old grandfather, still has a revolutionary spirit and still… very much alive. The press tends to talk about him the past tense, as if he is long gone and only his legacy survives. Yes, health concerns has led him to retreat from a once rigorous travel schedule, and his chronological age puts him in the twilight of his life. But Mandela is  mentally very lucid, weighs in on global politics and still advises in the affairs of his philanthropic foundation. Further, despite the controversial painting of Mandela, depicting him as dead and being used for an autopsy by political leaders, he still speaks with leaders on pressing concerns, and remains loyal to those countries that supported the freedom struggle.  Happy Birthday, Madiba!

{Dr. Noel S. Anderson is Associate Professor of Political Science and Education at the City University of New York – Brooklyn College. His work focuses on urban politics, human development and education and comparative issues in public policy – U.S. and South Africa}.

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The celebration started on Thursday night 6:30 pm with a series of three talks and the screening of the documentary “MANDELA: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation, in the new ECOSOC Chamber in the UN temporary North Lawn building.

No one from the high flyers of the UN was there – their place taken by fill-ins, but luckily Jonathan Demme the director, and Peter Saraf, the co-producer of the film were there – so the aesthetics of their production could be brought up.

For the UN spoke Margaret Novicki and Nicholas Haysom.

Margaret Novicki was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan  as the Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Pretoria, South Africa.  Ms. Novicki, a national of the United States, brings to this post extensive experience in communications, media relations and journalism, much of it acquired in Africa. Prior to Pretoria she worked for the UN in Accra. She chaired the evening. She spoke on behalf  of the UN USG for UNDPI – Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka.
Why DPI? Why not the Secretary General himself?

Nicholas Haysom, as an attorney of the South African High Court, he litigated in high-profile human rights cases between 1981 and 1993.  He acted as a professional mediator in labour and community conflicts in South Africa between 1985 and 1993, and has advised on civil conflicts in Africa and Asia since 1998. Founding partner and senior lawyer at the human rights law firm of Cheadle Thompson and Haysom Attorneys, and an Associate Professor of Law and Deputy Director at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits University in South Africa until May 1994, when he was appointed Legal Adviser to President Mandela.

Mr. Haysom was closely involved in the constitutional negotiations leading up to the interim and final Constitutions in South Africa.  He served as Chief Legal Adviser throughout Mr. Mandela’s presidency, and continued to work with Mr. Mandela on his private peace initiatives up to 2002.

Since leaving the office of the President upon Nelson Mandela’s retirement in 1999, Mr. Haysom has been involved in the Burundi Peace Talks as the Chairman of the committee negotiating constitutional issues (1999–2002). He continued to serve on the implementation committee of the Burundi Peace Accord after 2002.

Incoming UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Professor Nicholas Haysom of South Africa as Director for Political Affairs in his Executive Office, May 16, 2007. Our friend Matthew Russell Lee complained that he is never seen at the UN – but in a careful reading of the article we find there the concept of preventive diplomacy – we wish had more credence at the UN.  “He said there is a resistance to preventive diplomacy among member states, leading to the blocking of reform and regional offices of the Department of Political Affairs — he ascribed the most strenuous opposition to Latin America — and to resistance to the Responsibility to Protect doctrine and Ed Luck’s appointment as special advisor on the topic.” In short – he actually seems to be well ahead of the UN but not really of the UN – where he finds it difficult to execute policy that is factually set by only the Permant Five of the Veto Power.

What we said above was that both speakers for the UN are somehow South Africa based and not UN based.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (Xhosa pronunciation: [xo?li?a?a man?de?la]; born in a Xhosa home in Qunu, Transkei,where his father, the Town Counselor, had 4 wives and the boys lived in a separate home from the parents. Chief Jogintamba saw his potential and sent him to the Clakebury Boarding School. In 1933, at 15, he got involved in the Walter Sisulu led ANC and when he reached 30 years, that is when coincidentally Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd’s contribution to Afrikanerdom was to dress up apartheid and make it appear respectable to his followers, and the Mandela & Tambo law-firm took on the anti-apartheid legal defense.

In 1956 Mandela prepared the Freedom Charter and the people declared – “We Stand by Our Leader.” Then in 1960 happened the Sharpeville masacre and the call changed to: “Freedom in Our Time” and Wolfie Kadesh, a white man, was an activist. In 1962 Mandela went underground and George Bizios, also a white man, was his lawyer. Eventually, Mandela was apprehended and was in jail 1961 – 1988. Gowan Mbeki was imprisoned for 25 years. In August 1989 Botha resigns and De Klerk takes over and leeds the negotiations with Mandela. November 1993 both of them get the Nobel Prize. Friday, 10 Dec 1993 was Mandela’s speech in Oslo. http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen…

Fully representative Democratic elections took place on 27 April 1994, and Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist. We saw how he got there from his village roots and we learned about the 27 years he spent as a FREE MAN behind bars – freer in his spirit then his captors that knew that they were the captives in the hands of the true Free World. Yes – those years – post World War II – when the UN was young and small – the World had hope for a future that will be very different from the way history evolved prior to those days. Today we can say that the hope tuned out to be pre-mature and Nelson Mandela who moved with his times forged an image for the World well ahead of his time. But no despair, his personal example moved at Least South Africa to ending its internal conflict even though many other conflicts in the World continue to rage on.

Mandela, son of Africa and Father of the New South Africa, depicted in advertisement as a barefoot young boy in what looks like a general’s coat, armed with a stick, said that his watchwords were TRUTH & FREEDOM.

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From the screening event at the UN I hurried down to the Manhattan Village – to TEATROIATI at 64 East 4th Street (between Bowery and 2nd Av,) where Sabrina Lastman of Uruguay was having a showing of her CANDOMBE JAZZ PROJECT – mixture oral tradition AFRO-URUGUAYAN MUSIC with elements of Jazz. I bring this in here because in many ways it was befitting the Mandela event.

In the Mandela documentary we saw much of the peoples culture of the Indigenous Africans of the original South Africa, and somehow it must have been quite similar to what Africans, probably from the Congo region, brought with them to what are now Uruguay and Argentina. The fact that this music has survived, and in effect has now a revival, are signs of its resilience, but also of the influence Mandela’s achievements had world-wide.

The Candombe Jazz Project is a New York City-based ensemble playing Candombe, the Afro Uruguayan music tradition. CJP presents an exciting concert of original compositions by Sabrina Lastman & Beledo, arrangement of oral tradition songs, & songs by renown Uruguayan songwriters.

Candombe Jazz Project includes:
Sabrina Lastman – voice / compositions
Beledo – guitar / keyboard / compositions
Arturo Prendez – candombe drum / percussions
Special guests: Agrupación Lubola Macú

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“PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT – IT IS THE CREATION OF AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL CAN FLOURISH,” Mandela said. He also wanted to see the emancipation of women – not just the races. These are things the UN must write on its flag – does it?

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On Friday was the Official Commemorative Ceremony, in the big General Assembly Hall, that started with the usual UN delay at 10:20 am., with many Missions to the UN having one warm body sitting in their row – only South Africa, headed by a Minister, having all six seats, and some more, occupied. This was a Special Plenary, ahead of the regular daily Plenary.

The UN had the event open to outsiders, and that was nice. The problem that there were not many insiders present.

The President of the General Assembly, the former Libyan Foreign Minister Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, who is under a Schengen Travel Ban,  was not there, and that was good. Instead was one of his seconds, but the Press kit just goes ahead selling him to the innocents. We do not even know the name of the nice lady that chaired the meeting she defined as an “INFORMAL Meeting” of the GA.

“IT IS IN OUR HANDS TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD” said Mandela – God bless him and save the GA.

That was followed by a video message from the UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, who said that Mandela’s greatness came from: “HE FOUGHT HIS OPRESSORS FOR YEARS AND THEN FORGAVE THEM. – HE CONSTANTLY REMINDS US HE IS AN ORDINARY MAN, BUT HE ACHIEVED UNORDINARY THINGS.”

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This was followed by The Minister of International Relations and Commonwealth Relations of South Africa, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashbane, who said that in October 1994 he helped Free South Africa.

She continued saying that in the next two days – to July 18th, people of the globe will get together to hear the words that inspired us in South Africa. She thanks in the name of President Jacob Zuma for adopting in November 2009 this resolution to have the International Mandela Day started this year. South Africa and the World are fortunate to have had a man as Nelson Mandela. She added that the UN was all the way on “Our” side in our fight against Apartheid. We owe our freedom to the role of this august house. By celebrating Mandela Day we celebrate the best for what the UN was created. UBUNTU – we believ in ourselves for what we are.

Her words were followed by a video, and we saw February 19, 1994 people of all South Africa standing peacefully in line and giving their vote.

The Minister’s presentation was clearly the highlight of the informal ceremonial, that was then followed  {informally?} by one representative from each one of UN’s major group.

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This was a sad succession of obligatory diplomatic bows with some sparks of freshness.

Egypt spoke on behalf of the Non-aligned Movement – the enigma of the UN,

The Republic of Congo on behalf of the African States, spoke of the recent World Cup,

Darussalam on behalf of the Asian States, this is the Brunei Darussalam State, that clearly needs still its own liberation,

Belarus on behalf of the East European States, spoke interestingly of a long walk to Freedom,

Saint Lucia on behalf of the Group of Latin & Caribbean States, who in our opinion was the best speech  we called the Mission and asked for the speech. We attach the full speech to the end of our posting. The Afro-Caribbean Ambassador, surely descendant of slaves, H.E. Donatus Keith St Aimee, in obvious heart felt fashion said that “Few persons whose name resonate with approval on all continents – All our efforts at the UN came to essence in his life.”

Belgium on behalf of the Western European and Other States, but was mis-introduced by the Chair as speaking for the EU as temporary President of the EU. The main point was that “Let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete – our work is for freedom or all.”

The last speaker was for the host country – the USA. who said that Apartheid was twisted and grotesque in its effort to justify oppression. Mandela overthrew apartheid by force of example.

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STATEMENT BY H. E. DONATUS ST AIMEE.

PERMANENT REPRESENTAIVE OF SAINT LUCIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STATES (GRULAC).

ON THE OCCASION OF THE OBSERVANCE OF NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY.

FRIDAY JULY 16TH, 2010

Mr. Chairman, I am honored to speak on behalf of Member states comprising the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC), as we show our respect and admiration for an icon of the ages.

In the annals of recorded history there are few individuals whose names resonate with esteem and are uttered with deference on all continents and in all societies.  There are few lives that are unequivocally admired or unreservedly revered by all races and ethnicities; and there are few persons who in a more emotional sense, are cherished and held dear by such a large segment of humanity. Like all celebrated and remarkable men or women, this person whom we come to honor today is identified internationally with one single name befitting his role in our global society and that name is – MANDELA.

We are here today to honor Nelson Mandela pursuant to the adoption of Resolution A/64/L.13. We are here today to commemorate a man who in a lifetime of dignity has come to represent the very ideal for which we struggle daily in the United Nations. All our words, all our actions, all our individual and collective efforts aim in their sum total to equal what is represented by the life of Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela became an international symbol because of his struggle against oppression generally and apartheid in South Africa in particular. We know his history:

· From the early nineteen forties he was a leader of one of the most significant non-violent movements in history.
· For 27 years he was imprisoned under brutal conditions even as he heard of the death beyond his prison walls, of his brothers and sisters in the struggle against apartheid. How many times he must have wondered when his time would be coming to also face death at the hands of his captors.
· Finally he was released on 11th February, 1990.
· To understand the magnitude of his suffering and indignity of his incarceration, we must comprehend that he entered prison at the age of 45 and left at age 72.

These facts as we know them only scratch the surface of the beauty that is the life of Nelson Mandela. What was it that resulted in Nelson Mandela receiving more than 250 awards over four decades including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize? It was not his physical incarceration that captured the imagination of people, it was not the brutality of apartheid nor the interest of so many supporters the world over to stop this aberration.

What captured our imagination was that Nelson Mandela’s indomitable spirit, his humanity, his humility and his vast love of his people could not be imprisoned in any way by iron, concrete or barbed wire. He went into prison in 1963 as an unbowed, proud, determined South African fighter and came out in 1990 as an unbowed, proud, determined 20th Century leader and icon.

As Mandela himself put in words:

“I cherish my own freedom dearly, but I care even more for your freedom… I cannot sell my birthright, nor am I am prepared to sell the birthright of the people to be free…”

Mandela turned down freedom at an earlier date because he insisted that it had to be unconditional and as President from 1994 to 1999, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation in order to harness all the resources of South Africa to lift the economic conditions of his people. His spirit of forgiveness, his turning of the other cheek has ensured that South Africa joined as an equal partner in the nations of this world, so that within the past month we have all had the great joy of watching South Africa host the World Cup in splendid and successful fashion.

How important it is that the Member States of the United Nations saw it fitting to adopt a Resolution to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day, an annual event which the world would observe, now for the first time on the occasion of his 92nd Birthday, and for years to come.

We the Member States of GRULAC, have experienced in similar forms many of the travails experienced by South Africa and personified in the life of Nelson Mandela. Our region has had its own icons, and we remember their considerable contributions to the development of our nations when we pause here to honor the life of Mandela.  For this reason his life, his response to adversity, his humanity, resonates not just in our minds for the success of his mission but in our hearts for the beacon he has become for all peoples suffering repression.

What this man said was merely a punctuation for what he did, and what he did is being recognized today in this august forum so that present and future generations need not wonder as to the path to success in nation building, but merely need to follow the footsteps of this great man.

He truly is an ordinary man who has behaved in an extraordinary way!

Assistant Secretary of Energy for Policy & International Affairs David Sandalow.

TOPIC:              Upcoming Clean Energy Ministerial July 19-20^th

This is written on the basis of a US Department of State Press Conference  – Thursday, July 15, 2010.

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This article follows our posting of July 14, 2010:

The Major 17 Economies were joined by Bangladesh, Denmark, Barbados, Ethiopia, Singapore and the UAE at the recent Rome meeting – to be followed by a July 19-20, 2010 Washington DC Meeting on Clean Energy – all this to build a program for Cancun.  Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on July 14th, 2010 by Pincas Jawetz ( PJ at SustainabiliTank.com)

We said at the time that the July 19 – 20, 2010  Washington DC Ministerial meeting will be a sequel – now we are convonced that is actually a different kind of meeting and I do not think that its eyes will be towards Cancun.

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The Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, David Sandalow, gave a background briefing and answered questions on the web regarding the importance of the upcoming Washington DC – Clean Energy Ministerial meeting. He discussed Energy Secretary Chu’s hopes on what will be accomplished.

The following countries will be represented:  Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Norway, the Russian Federation, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the U.A.E. and the U.K.

This list excludes Indonesia from the Major Economies Forum which are 16 + The EU and then at their Rome meeting of June 30 – July 1, 2010, added on Ministers from a variety of representative smaller economies: Bangladesh, Denmark, Barbados, Ethiopia, Singapore, UAE.

This list includes in addition to the EU also all The Scandinavian States: Denmark, Norway, Spain and Sweden. As well it includes Belgium and Spain. It does not include Bangladesh, Barbados, Ethiopia, Singapore which were part of the meeting of June 30 – July 1, 2010 but it does include from that meeting Denmark that was a participant because of its hosting the Copenhagen meeting, and the UAE that seemingly represents the oil exporting countries.

The Washington meeting includes also Belgium because by now they have become the half year Presidents of the EU for July 1 till  December 31, 2010, and it retains Spain that held this position during the first half of 2010. To top this there is also an actual EU delegation at the table besides the temporary Presidents. We assume that this delegation is there because Malta, Cyprus and other EU delegations are not there. Place was also found for all major four Scandinavian Countries – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden – surely nice people all of them.

I write all of this in order to say that some better way has to be found on how to treat the EU and the World, when the Obama Administration wants indeed to show that it is serious about climate change by inviting just the large emitters that total 80% of the global emissions, or, if intent to bring in also some small representation of the small countries, that do not have substantial emissions, but proportionately are going to bear a major part of the suffering, the Rome initiative of having present also Bangladesh, Barbados and Ethiopia would have been just fine – and the total figure would have been then 16 + 1 (the EU) + 3 (this for Bangladesh, Barbados, Ethiopia) and it obviously would have included as part of the 16 also Indonesia.

For more information, the link to the website is:   http://cleanenergyministerial.org/

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At question time I asked from Mr. Sandalow why is Indonesia not at the meeting, and why was the symbolic, but important participation of the small number of really very small economies dropped?

The answer was that Indonesia said they are not coming because they participate at that time at a South  Asia meeting. The fact that the small economies were dropped is “because this is for the large energy markets – for 80% of the ENERGY MARKET  and not for the whole world.”  THE IDEA IS COME UP WITH ACTIONS TO PROMOTE CLEAN ENERGY, he said.

It would have been easier to accept that answer had the US also kept out the additional 6 EU States that were not among the original 16 + EU. We also would like to ask why UAE – though we think that they clearly are a better choice then Saudi Arabia – but still not exactly your ideal partner when you try to disengage from oil even though they do in effect – as holders of serious financial reserves – also participate in the financial benefits from looking for a cleaner future.

The above, because after Copenhagen we hoped for the involvement of business interests in order to create the working alternative to the Kyoto process – the interest of business in going green. For this to be effective one must have at the table mainly the real big emitters who indeed coincide with the biggest economies.

We thought that amounted to the maximum of 16 and – under EU conditions – just one more chair for the EU. Now there will be 23 chairs at the Washington table. The higher number decreasing the chance for success.

Monday, July 19, 2010 at 9am there will be an open press conference when the meeting starts.

THE WORLD CUP FINAL – THE GAME IS TODAY IN CAPE TOWN AND THE DUTCH CANNOT LOSE.
IT IS EITHER THE NETHERLANDS TEAM WINS, OR THEIR MAN WITH THE SPANISH TEAM – JOHAN CRUYFF – THE DUTCH SOCCER LEGEND AND COACH OF F.C. BARCELONA WINS.

The above reminds us that it was the English that played in the World Cup 32 and not the UK – this because the British do enter four separate teams in the games (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) rather then a united UK team. The question that will be asked very soon is then why cannot Catalonia have also their own team. This year Spain is made up basically of Catalonia players and all those professional outsiders – mainly from the Caribbeans and Africa. Johan Cruyff would then have coached the Catalonia team.

“I am Dutch” said Cruyff to El Periodico of Spain where he lives, “But I will always defend the football Spain plays.” In effect, because of him, the soccer Spain plays is downright Dutch in its concept.

Hendrik Johannes Cruijff , born April 1947 in Amsterdam,  known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and current manager. He won the Ballon d’Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with Michel PlatiniMarco van Basten. Cruyff was one of the most famous exponents of the football philosophy known as Total Football , and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

After his retirement from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later Barcelona; he remains an influential advisor to both clubs. His son Jordi has also gone on to play football professionally.

In 1999, Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the IFFHS, and came second behind Pelé in their World Player of the Century poll. He came third in a vote organized by the French weekly magazine France FootballBallon d’Or winners to elect their Football Player of the Century.

As a Dutch international, Cruyff, played 48 matches, scoring 33 goals.

Cruyff led the Netherlands to a runners-up medal in the 1974 World Cup and was named the player of the tournament. Thanks to his team’s mastery of Total Football, they coasted all the way to the final, knocking out Argentina (4–0), East Germany (2–0), and Brazil (2–0) along the way. Cruyff himself scored twice against Argentina in one of his team’s most dominating performances, then he scored the second goal against Brazil to knock out the defending champions. The Netherlands faced hosts West Germany in the final. Cruyff kicked off and the ball was passed around the Oranje team 13 times before returning to Cruyff, who then went on a rush that eluded Berti Vogts and ended when he was fouled by Uli Hoeneß inside the box. Teammate Johan Neeskens scored from the spot kick to give the Netherlands a 1–0 lead, and the Germans had not even touched the ball. Only during the latter half of the final was his playmaking influence stifled by the effective marking of Berti Vogts, while Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß, and Wolfgang Overath dominated the midfield, enabling West Germany to win 2–1.

Cruyff retired from international football in October 1977, having helped the national team qualify for the upcoming World Cup of 1978. Without him, the Netherlands finished runners-up in the World Cup again. Initially the reason given for missing the 1978 World Cup were political reasons given a military dictatorship was in power in Argentina at that time. In 2008, however, Cruyff stated to the journalist Antoni Bassas in Catalunya Ràdio that he and his family were involved in a kidnap attempt in Barcelona a year before the tournament, and that this had caused his retirement. “To play a World Cup you have to be 200% okay, there are moments when there are other values in life,” he said.

He was the coach of the Barcelona club during the 1988 – 1996 years leading them to winning the European cup in 1992. He established the soccer youth academy – La Masia – where a third of the current Spanish team learned to play and helped make Spain soccer team policy which is based on keen passing and combination play.

On 2 November 2009, at age 62, Cruyff was named as manager of the Catalonian national team.

ROOTING FOR DUTCH – For Final – South Africans Put Past Aside.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Many black South Africans are supporting the Netherlands against Spain in Sunday’s title game.

By JERÉ LONGMAN, The New York Times.
Published: July 10, 2010.

JOHANNESBURG — Given that the Dutch are former colonial masters and their descendants instigated the harsh racial policies of apartheid, one might think that many South Africans, blacks especially, would not cheer for the Netherlands against Spain on Sunday in the World Cup final. In truth, many will not, but mostly for reasons involving the aesthetics of soccer, not a half-century of state-mandated oppression of blacks. “Loads of us favor Spain, but it is because they have a flair, a quality,” said Lucas Radebe, a black South African who was captain of World Cup teams in 1998 and 2002. “This is all about football. History is history.”

Go to the Goal Blog

2010 World Cup Teams

Select a Team ——– Algeria Argentina Australia Brazil Cameroon Chile Denmark England France Germany Ghana Greece Honduras Italy Ivory Coast Japan Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria North Korea Paraguay Portugal Serbia Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Switzerland United States Uruguay

Schalk Van Zuydam/Associated Press

The former President Nelson Mandela, in picture, has long preached the healing power of sports in post-apartheid South Africa.

David Cannon/Allsport

In 1987, the Dutch star Ruud Gullit, left, dedicated an award to the imprisoned Mandela. Mandela, center, with François Pienaar after South Africa won rugby’s World Cup in 1995.

Central Press/Getty Images

Steve Mokone was the first South African to play professionally in Europe.

On the other hand, many black and mixed-race South Africans are rooting for the Netherlands, along with white Afrikaners, who are of Dutch descent. Radebe said that 16 years after the fall of apartheid, this represented a sign of progress, a recognition of deep historical and cultural connections, and a confirmation of Nelson Mandela’s belief in the healing power of sports.

In 1995, a year after being voted president, Mandela famously wore the jersey of the Springboks, the national rugby team largely supported by whites and resented by blacks, as South Africa won the world rugby championship here.

“We forgive and forget,” Radebe said. “You’ve got to live in the world and you want to do it in peace. Mandela said we had to tolerate each other. Somebody has to give in so we can make our way forward. Sport has the power to unite people and change individuals.”

As could be expected, many Afrikaners are supporting the Dutch, who are seeking their first World Cup title. Historical links between South Africa and the Netherlands extend to 1652, when the Dutch East India Company established a supply station for ships rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

“Definitely, we’re supporting the Dutch; our roots are there,” said Cherie Smith, 52, a teacher. Her daughter, Sarah Jane, a model, has painted her fingernails orange, the Dutch color, bought an orange shirt to wear and even an orange wig.

“She’s a redhead, so orange is not her color, but she really feels a connection,” Smith said.

Generally, people here do not view former colonial powers solely through the prism of the past. Many South Africans supported England, another former colonial overlord, earlier in the World Cup and are devoted television watchers of the popular English Premier League.

Many black South Africans also rooted for the Netherlands in its semifinal match against Uruguay, mostly because Uruguay had earlier defeated South Africa and ousted Ghana — the continent’s final hope in the tournament — after a controversial play in which a Uruguayan player illicitly used his hand to block a shot from going into the goal.

A soccer connection has existed between the Netherlands and South Africa for more than half a century. The first black South African soccer player to play professionally in Europe was Steve Mokone, who joined the Dutch team Heracles in the late 1950s, a decade after apartheid had been codified in 1948.

In 1999, a Cape Town team in South Africa’s Premier League took the name of Ajax and began operating in a joint venture with the renowned and powerful Amsterdam club.

An important symbolic gesture against apartheid occurred in 1987, when Ruud Gullit, the Dutch star, was named European player of the year and dedicated his award to Mandela, who was still imprisoned at the time.

Gullit met Mandela after his release, and told The Times of London in 2007 that Mandela said to him: “Ruud, I have lots of friends now. When I was on the inside, you were one of the few.”

Such a gesture by Gullit further endeared the Dutch to many black South Africans, said Radebe, the retired captain.

“Players like him made a difference for people of color, in fighting racism, in making it to the highest level of the game,” he said.

While the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa supported apartheid, anti-apartheid activism sprang up in the Netherlands diplomatically and among nongovernmental organizations, historians said. This is precisely why he was rooting for the Netherlands on Sunday, said Themba Ngcobo, 50, a black business owner from Johannesburg.

“I will cheer the Dutch because they contributed a lot to the democratizing and developing of this country,” Ngcobo said. “We understand the past, but we look at the present.”

The Dutch influence in South Africa is particularly resonant around Cape Town. Cape Dutch architecture features rounded gables, thatched roofs and whitewashed walls. Choral singing in so-called Malay choirs features 18th- and 19th-century Dutch songs sung by mixed-race, or colored, people, many of whom are descendants of slaves brought to South Africa centuries ago by the Dutch from Indonesia, India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Afrikaans, one of 11 official languages in South Africa, is an offshoot of Dutch that is believed to have emerged in colonial times as a way for masters and slaves to communicate.

Among the 18.5 percent of white and mixed-race people, Afrikaans remains the primary language, according to Peter Alegi, an associate professor of history at Michigan State University who is a visiting Fulbright scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa.

Yet Alegi added: “At school, my two daughters learn Afrikaans, but none of their schoolmates knew that it came from the old Dutch. How much awareness there is of the Dutch connection here is an open question to me.”

Another factor may blunt any enmity that black South Africans might have for the Dutch team, Alegi said.

“Many of the Dutch players are of Caribbean or African diaspora connection,” he said. “People look at the Dutch team and they seem to be diverse racially and ethnically. It might be hard to associate that with a white supremacist past.”

Sean Bvurero, 18, who is black, said he had long supported the Dutch because he liked their players, especially wing Arjen Robben. His friend Thandi Mpungose, also 18, said he was rooting for Spain, but added, “It has nothing to do with the past.”

Thilda Dikeledi, 23, a grocery clerk in the Morningside section of Johannesburg who is black, said she would support the Netherlands because the team played confidently and with passion.

“The past doesn’t mean anything,” Dikeledi said. “Football is football. In the end, this is a game.”

Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) hosts Regional Workshop on Economics of Climate Adaptation.

CCRIF has recently launched a project to produce a quantitative knowledge base for key climate change risks and adaptation strategies for decision making across the region, building on and contributing to the Review of the Economics of Climate Change (RECC) process. Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) hosts RegionalWorkshop on Economics of Climate Adaptation On 12 and 13 May, over 50 representatives from Caribbean governments and international agencies met in Barbados to discuss the initial results from a recent investigation into the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) in the Caribbean. This study, part of CCRIF’s technical assistance programme, will enhance the development of a fact base for developing sound climate change adaptation strategies in the region.

Since the launch of the project in February, a team composed of Caribbean Risk Managers on behalf of CCRIF, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (5C’s) and other regional partners, has been intensely involved in data collection and

analysis for a number of countries with analytical support provided by McKinsey & Company and Swiss Re. The workshop, which was held at the Caribbean Development Bank, provided an introduction to the Economics of Climate Adaptation approach and its application in the Caribbean and focussed on sharing the findings of the study with the participants examining the key insights and results for wind, sea level rise/coastal flooding, inland flooding and salinisation of groundwater.

The final outputs of this study will include a risk baseline which will provide transparency about current and future expected
losses from climate risks under three climate change scenarios; and assessment of adaptation measures – identification of feasible and applicable measures to adapt to the expected risks based on quantitative analysis of total cost and expected benefits of risk mitigation and transfer measures.

The results of the study will assist decision makers throughout the Caribbean region in defining and developing sound adaptation strategies and business cases which can be incorporated into national development plans. The recent Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen reconfirmed the commitment to provide funding and technical assistance for climate adaptation
to developing countries. The ECA study will help Caribbean leaders develop programmes that will be strong candidates for adaptation assistance.

The innovation of the ECA methodology lies in its positioning across different knowledge sectors, spanning climate science, the financial industry and economic research. The analysis is based on joining four main elements:
1. Climate change scenarios based on the most recent available scientific evidence.
2. Hazard models forecasting the occurrence of hurricanes or other damaging events.
3. Economic damage functions linking the intensity of events to economic impact.
4. Value distribution models describing each country’s economic and population exposure to hazards in a granular, precise way.

Hurricanes can be dangerous, listening to the hurricane warning messages and planning ahead can reduce the chances of injury or major property damage.
BEFORE:
Know your Emergency Shelters Contact the National Disaster Office for the closest shelters. Have disaster supplies on hand
Flashlight and extra batteries; Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries; First aid kit; Non-perishable (canned food) and water; Non-electric can opener; Essential medicines; Cash and
credit cards; Sturdy shoes Protect your windows: Permanent shutters are the best protection. A lower-cost approach is to put up
plywood panels. Trim back branches from trees: Trim branches away from your home and cut all dead or weak branches
on any trees on your property.

Check into your Home and Auto Insurance: Confirm that policies are valid and coverage is appropriate.

Make arrangements for pets and livestock: Pets may not be allowed into emergency shelters for health and space reasons. Contact your local humane society for information on animal shelters.

Develop an emergency communication plan: Make sure that all family members know what to do. Teach family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water. Teach children how and when to call police or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.

Hurricane Watches and Warnings:
A hurricane watch is issued when there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours. A hurricane warning is issued when hurricane conditions (winds of 74 miles per hour or greater, or dangerously high water and rough seas) are expected in 24 hours or less.

DURING A HURRICANE WATCH:
Listen to the radio or television for hurricane progress reports
Check emergency supplies
Fuel car
Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys, and garden tools and anchor objects that cannot
be brought inside
Secure buildings by closing and boarding up windows
Remove outside antennas and satellite dishes
Turn refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings. Open only when absolutely necessary and close
quickly
Store drinking water in clean jugs, bottles, and cooking utensils.

DURING A HURRICANE WARNING:
If you need to evacuate your home, lock up home and go to the nearest shelter
Take blankets and sleeping bags to shelter
Listen constantly to a radio or television for official instructions
Store valuables and personal papers in a waterproof container on the highest level of your home
Stay inside, away from windows, skylights, and glass doors
Keep a supply of flashlights and extra batteries handy
Avoid open flames, such as candles and kerosene lamps, as a source of light
If power is lost, turn off major appliances to reduce power “surge” when electricity is restored.

We have received the following Earth Conscious Magazine File from our UNEP – Caribbean Contacts and thought this is a worthwhile Magazine that will be liked by our readers. This posting is intended so that we transmit the link to the Magazine File.

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2010
 http://ipsterraviva.net/UN/currentNew.as…

Q&A: “There Is Almost Total Impunity for Rape in Congo”
Jennie Lorentsson of IPS/TerraViva interviews MARGOT WALLSTRÃ-M, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 28 (IPS) – Sexual violence against women has become part of modern warfare around the world. In some countries, women cannot even go out to draw water without fear of being attacked and raped.

On Apr. 1, Margot Wallström became the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Her job is to investigate abuses and make recommendations to the Security Council. The appointment of Wallstrom, currently a vice president of the European Commission, comes amidst continued reports of gender violence, including rape and sexual abuse both locally and by humanitarian aid workers and U.N. peacekeepers, mostly in war zones and in post-conflict societies.

The incidents of sexual attacks, both on women and children, have come from several countries, including Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Haiti, Burundi, Guinea and Liberia. One of Wallstrom’s first assignments was a trip to the DRC, a nation she calls “the rape capital” of the world. Excerpts from the interview with Wallström follow.

Q: Tell us about your trip.

A: Congo has attracted attention in the media [as a place that is suffering] systematic rape in war. One statistic quoted is 200,000 rapes since the beginning of the war 14 years ago, and it is certainly an underestimate.

When in Congo, I met government representatives and particularly women who had been raped and violated. It was interesting but also disappointing – nothing is getting better and more and more civilians are committing rapes.

But I should be fair and say that there has been progress, the government has introduced laws against rape, it has a national plan and there is political will. There is a lot to do to implement the legislation, but now there is an ambitious legal ground to stand on to be implemented by the police, judiciary and health care.

Q: What are the roots of the problem?

A: The sexual violence in Congo is the result of the war between the many armed groups. To put women in the front line has become a part of modern warfare.

Men often feel threatened in times of conflict and stay inside, but the women have to go out and get water and firewood and go to the fields to find food. In many cases they’ll be the first to be attacked. Especially if there is no paid national army that can protect civilians, rape is a part of the looting and crimes against the innocent. In addition, there is almost total impunity for rape in the Congo.

Q: The U.N. has its own force, MONUC, in Congo to protect civilians. What is being done to help women?

A: MONUC has had to adjust their operations after the conditions in the country. For example, MONUC has special patrols which escort women to health care clinics and markets.

Q: The U.N. and the Congolese government are discussing when the U.N. should leave the country. What would happen if the U.N. left the Congo now?

A: We have reason to be worried if the United Nations would leave the Congo. It is still unsettled in some parts of the country and the U.N. provides logistics for many of the NGOs operating in the country, and they rely in the U.N.

What is happening right now is that [the government] wants to show that it can protect the country itself – it’s a part of the debate on independence.

Q: How do feel when you hear about U.N. peacekeepers committing atrocities?

A: Just one example is too much. It destroys our confidence in the U.N.’s ability to do great things.

Q: There is criticism that the U.N. is a bureaucratic and inflexible organisation. Do you agree?

A: In every large organisation there is critisism like this. After 10 years in the European Commission, I can recognise such trends here, there is always. But basically, there are high hopes and great confidence in the U.N. and the energy and passion that exists for the U.N. is very useful.

Q: The Security Council has promised to focus even more on the issue of violence against women. Which countries should be focused on?

A: Congo is a given, also Darfur and a number of other countries in Africa. We will also focus on Liberia, where it is more a post-conflict society which has been brutalised and where rape is the most common offence. We cannot be in all countries with conflicts, we will comply with the Security Council agenda. This is a problem that not only exists in Africa.

Q: What can your staff do on site?

A: Our team of legal experts can help a country to establish a modern legislation. Impunity is the foundation of the problem, the women have to go with guilt and the men go free. We must try to understand how such a culture is created and how it can be a method of warfare. Then we can stop it.

Probe at UN climate talks after Saudi sign smashed

Saturday, 12 June 2010 10:06
author:Reuters
POLITICS & ECONOMICS / NEWS
by Reuters, Saturday, 12 June 2010

SAUDI STANCE: Saudi angered many by blocking study of global warming. (Getty Images)

UN climate negotiators agreed to an investigation on Friday after protesters smashed a sign emblazoned “Saudi Arabia” and dropped it in toilet after Riyadh blocked a study of deeper cuts in greenhouse gases.

Many countries condemned the protest, after Saudi Arabia blocked a request by small island states at the May 31-June 11 talks for a study of tougher cuts in greenhouse gases to help slow a rise in world sea levels.

Mexico’s delegate Luis Alfonso de Alba, whose country will host the main climate talks in late 2010, said he was initiating an investigation by the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat.

UNEP leads 27 countries of the Wider Caribbean on  “land-based pollution” at an International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting in Panama City based on the ISTAC of Kingston, Jamaica (Interim Scientific, Technical and Advisory Committee to the Cartagena Convention. Will they touch nevertheless the menacing Deep-Water Oil-Well Blow-Out?

from: James Sniffen <sniffenj@un.org>

UNEP/CEP PRESS RELEASE: REGIONAL GOVERNMENT POLLUTION EXPERTS MEET IN PANAMA.

Panama City, 24th May, 2010:

Over 50 pollution control experts from 27 countries of the Wider Caribbean
gather today (Monday 24th May) in Panama City at the invitation of the
United Nations Environment Programme’s Caribbean Environment Programme
(UNEP CEP) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The gathering of experts for the 5th Meeting of the Interim Scientific, Technical and Advisory Committee (ISTAC) to the Protocol concerning pollution from land-based sources, commonly known as the LBS Protocol, will last for five days.  The CEP is the Secretariat for this Protocol and is based in Kingston, Jamaica.

The LBS Protocol is one of three agreements under the Convention for the
Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in the Wider Caribbean
Region (the Cartagena Convention).  It establishes regional guidelines and
standards for reducing the impact of pollution on the coastal and marine
environment, and on human health.   Over 80% of the pollution of the marine
environment of the Wider Caribbean is estimated to originate from land
based sources and activities.

Panama, the host country, is one of only six countries to have ratified the LBS Protocol.  The others are Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Saint Lucia, France and the United States.  Discussions during the meeting will focus on measures to increase the region’s commitment to ratify the Protocol, and have it enter into force and become international law as soon as possible.

In support of regional cooperation, UNEP CEP is partnering with the IMO and their joint Regional Activity Centre for Oil Spills (RAC REMPEITC) to bring together experts from environmental agencies, maritime authorities and port administrations for this 5th LBS ISTAC.

Delegates are expected to identify practical measures to improve the implementation of marine environmental agreements including the IMO London Convention on the control of pollution from dumping of wastes at sea and the MARPOL Convention on the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships.

According to Nelson Andrade, Coordinator of UNEP CEP”   “It is vital that
Governments adopt a more integrated approach to reducing pollution from
land and marine based sources”.  He noted that the continued partnership
between UNEP and IMO will help to effectively implement the Cartagena
Convention and its three Protocols and to reduce marine contamination.

Meeting Participants are also expected to review recent achievements of the
UNEP CEP to reduce and control marine pollution and to endorse a new work
plan and budget for 2010-2011.

For additional information, please contact:

Christopher Corbin,Programme Officer,
Assessment and Management of Environment Pollution (AMEP),
Regional Co-ordinating Unit, UNEP CEP
Kingston, Jamaica
Telephone: (876) 922-9267 — Fax: (876) 922-9292
http://www.cep.unep.org; cjc@cep.unep.org;

About UNEP’s Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) -  The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) in 1976 under the framework of its Regional Seas Programme.   It was based on the importance and value of the Wider Caribbean Region’s fragile and vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems including an abundant and mainly endemic flora and fauna,

A Caribbean Action Plan was adopted by the Caribbean countries and led to the adoption, in 1983, of the only current regional, legally-binding agreement for the protection of the marine environment, the Cartagena Convention.  The Convention and its first Protocol (Oil Spill) entered into force in 1986.

Two other protocols were developed by the region – the Protocols on Special Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) and the Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources (LBS) in 1990 and 1999 respectively.

The SPAW Protocol entered into force in 2000, whereas three ratifying countries are still needed for the LBS Protocol.

The Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP-CAR/RCU) serves as the Secretariat to the Cartagena Convention and is based in Kingston, Jamaica.

Each Protocol is served by a Regional Activity Centre.  These Centres are
based in the Netherlands Antilles (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency
Information and Training Center for the Wider Caribbean, RAC/REMPEITC) for
the Oil Spills Protocol, Guadeloupe (RAC/SPAW) for the SPAW Protocol, Cuba
(Centre of Engineering and Environmental Management of Coasts and Bays) and
Trinidad & Tobago (Institute of Marine Affairs) for the LBS Protocol.

ENERGY
The Sun Lights Up the Night in Haiti.
By Peter Costantini, IPS

ENERSA workers making photovoltaic cells Credit:Courtesy of Richard J. Komp

PORT-AU-PRINCE, May 18, 2010 (Tierramérica) – There are shortages of lots of things in Haiti: clean water, arable land, trees, living-wage jobs, housing, schools, fuel, reliable sources of electricity and Internet access. But one thing Haiti has in abundance is sunny days.

The sun beats down relentlessly on Port-au-Prince: on the tin and plastic roofs of the shacks in the neighborhood of Cité Soleil (not without reason named “Sun City”) and on the red tiles of the mansions in the hills in the suburb of Pétionville.

Even when clouds roll in from the Caribbean, the sun heats the water droplets and turns Haiti into an enormous sauna.

Haiti’s solar potential is an estimated six sun-hours in the dry season, about the same as that of Phoenix, Arizona, the sunniest U.S. city. In the rainy season it’s not much less.

For the poorest country of the Americas, one with no oil, a crippling dependency on imports, and a landscape denuded in part by charcoal production, harnessing an abundant and free resource to generate power would seem a no-brainer.

And no doubt this idea has occurred to many people. But it took Jean Ronel Noël and Alex Georges to turn the obvious into reality. Starting six years ago, after graduating in engineering and business administration, respectively, from Canadian universities, Noël and Georges put their heads together to find ways to bring jobs to Haiti.

Thus was born Energies Renouvelables S.A. (Renewable Energies, Inc.) – ENERSA – the first Haitian company to produce photovoltaic modules and solar-powered streetlights.

The idea behind ENERSA originated with a friend they had in common. His mental “light bulb” turned on while standing with Noël under a broken streetlamp.

In addition to the benefits of clean energy, the two Haitian entrepreneurs hoped to employ and transfer skills to young people in a country where the jobless rate is estimated at 70 to 80 percent, and where, for those lucky enough to have a job, the minimum wage was raised last year from 1.75 to 5.50 dollars per day.

They were also doing their part to reverse the brain drain that has long plagued their country. “We don’t just make solar equipment here,” Noël told Tierramérica. “We make citizens. People have to feel they have a future in Haiti.”

The firm began as a research and development effort in a business incubator that provided a low-rent space for three years and guidance in how to run a business in Haiti. This support came from the faith-based non-governmental organisation Haitian Partners for Christian Development, located in Varreux, an industrial area of Port-au-Prince.

Despite the political upheavals in 2005 and 2006 that forced them to close temporarily, in September 2009 they were able to move out on their own to their current location. The factory is a modern concrete-block warehouse with a steel frame and 930 square metres of floor space, located in the capital’s outskirts.

The business, which reported just 40,000 dollars in sales in 2007, is projected to see sales totaling 2 million dollars for 2010. ENERSA sells to the government, NGOs and the private sector, but so far only in the domestic market.

To date, ENERSA has installed more than 500 solar streetlamps, which run about 1,400 dollars each, in 60 towns. But their long-term target is 35,000 streetlamps in 500 municipalities.

A pile of concrete rubble sits in the factory’s parking lot, a reminder of the Jan. 12 earthquake that wreaked havoc on Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, leaving a death toll of more than 220,000 and damages worth 7.8 billion dollars.

One exterior wall of the warehouse and all of the interior rooms, which had been built of concrete block, were destroyed. But all of the employees survived unharmed.

Despite the destruction, many of ENERSA’s streetlamps shone through the night.

“People formed their own refugee camps around those streetlights before the outside aid groups ever showed up,” Richard J. Komp of the U.S.-based Skyheat Associates, told Tierramérica. Komp is a global expert in solar energy who mentored Noël and Georges.

Three months after the quake, ENERSA had risen from the ashes, rebuilding the factory, and once again producing solar streetlamps – and now looking to expand the products the company offers.

ENERSA’s 22 employees are mainly young men from nearby Cité Soleil. Most of them have had little schooling, so Noël and Georges train them for several weeks in technical skills. Without these jobs, Noël says, their most likely alternative for making a living would have been to join a gang and sell drugs.

According to Noël, ENERSA is the only firm that manufactures solar streetlights in Haiti, although two other firms distribute them here. Steel tubing and sheet metal for lamp poles and mounts are sourced from Haitian suppliers, along with any other parts they can find domestically.

Komp trained the ENERSA staff how to manufacture their own photovoltaic modules, the solar panels mounted on rooftops that convert sunlight to electricity. The firm has to import the components from the United States.

ENERSA also builds its own simple inverters, devices that control the voltage for cell-phone charging circuits.

A recent innovation is a box with electrical outlets, mounted near the bottom of the streetlamp post. There, people can recharge their cell phones, which are ubiquitous in Haiti.

Last Christmas, ENERSA gave motorcycles to four of its outstanding employees. Now they are circulating through Cité Soleil as proof of the possibility of making a decent living at a good job in Haiti.

(*This story was originally published by Latin American newspapers that are part of the Tierramérica network. Tierramérica is a specialised news service produced by IPS with the backing of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank.)

The SIDS just cannot be told that their consumption is a reason for their suffering from climate change. If their islands go under it is not because of their sins, but because of our way of life – right here in New York, in Beijing and in Brussels, Johannesburg, Tokyo, New Delhi, Sao Paulo and in most developed and developing countries. The Commission on Sustainable Development makes sense for them only if it is ready to talk about climate change. For the SIDS, the avoidance of global warming caused by us is a matter of survival for them. That is why they practically walked out from the G-77 – this because the concept of development – if not sustainable – is poison to the SIDS. On the other side, some of the developing countries still think in terms of “development for us” is an indisputable or inalienable right.

Vanuatu, the Maldives, and Grenada are breaking the UN taboo that keeps Sustainable Development and Climate Change on different tracks, and will burst into the proceedings on Monday May 10th. Will UNSG Ban Ki-moon listen to what they have to say? Will he listen to their advice when picking his new Climate Chief?

We will not be there because the UN DPI is not interested in our coverage. In effect, some three years ago, when Ambassador Angus Friday of Grenada brought me in to this same kind of Press Conference, as the SIDS and AOSIS had at that time, he was reprimanded by UN officials Ahmad Fawzi and Gary Fowley who did not think that coverage has to go beyond the few UN journalists they blessed with their accreditation. Climate change or sustainable development was just a matter for the unruly NGOs they thought. Luckily not all the world goes by censorship rules of Egypt or China, but the success of this kind of rules brought down the UN to its present low relevance and when it comes to reporting on what goes on in this world.

Nevertheless, we bring here the announcement of that Press Conference as interested readers could follow on the webcast, what eventually will be said by the Small Islands, and we will have also material on the SIDS position that we will try to obtain directly from them.

————————

Press Conference on the challenges facing Small Island Developing States
18th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development – 10 May 2010

WHAT:         Commission on Sustainable Development to discuss challenges facing Small Island Developing States

WHO:       The Honorable Sela Molisa, Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Republic of Vanuatu;

H.E. Amjad Abdullah, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives

H.E. Ambassador Dessima Williams, Permanent Representative, Grenada

WHEN:                 Monday, 10 May 2010 at 1:00 p.m.

WHERE:                 Library Auditorium, United Nations Headquarters

BACKGROUND :

Small Island Developing States are very vulnerable and face unique and special challenges. Their social, economic and natural systems are among the most at risk in the world. The main question being discussed at the current session of the Commission on Sustainable Development is how to move from disaster management towards sustainable development.

The press conference will focus on the special vulnerabilities of SIDS, such as those to climate change and natural disasters. They will also focus on ways to address these challenges through international cooperation efforts, platforms and mechanisms, such as those offered by the five-year review process of the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation.

Leading up to this meeting, one full day (10 May) during this Commission on Sustainable Development will be devoted to discussing preparations and ensuring that the key issues at the heart of the sustainable development challenge of SIDS are addressed.

Live webcast: www.un.org

The following is a letter of recommendation for Senator Elizabeth H. Thompson in her application for the job of Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC that we received from India and we were asked to forward it to the UN Secretary, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

We followed up by sending it to his spokesman – Mr Nesirky.

Dear Mr. Nesirky,
Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General

I just received to our Media outlet the following letter from SEEM,
India and its Energy and Environment outlet. As I was asked to forward
the attached to the attention of the Secretary-General, it occurred to
me that the best way to do this would be to pass it on through you. I
think this would be completely appropriate.

Sincerely yours,
Pincas Jawetz
Editor, and correspondent covering the UN,
The Sustainable Development outlet – www.SustainabiliTank.info

As our contact from India suggested, we are also posting the letter on our website:

————————–

Mr. Ban Ki-moon

Secretary General                                                                       April 17, 2010, INDIA

United Nations Secretariat
New York, NY 10017, USA

Honorable Secretary General Ban Ki-moon:

It gives us immense pleasure to learn that the Government of Barbados have nominated Senator Elizabeth H. Thompson to contest for the post of Executive Secretary of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This good news has been well received by our publication ‘energy manager’ as well as its publishers The Society of Energy Engineers and Managers (SEEM) from India.

In the last leg of April 2008, I read an important news ‘Winners of UNEP Champions of the Earth Awards 2008 Call for Urgent Action on Climate Change – Catalysts for the Global Green Economy Honored at Gala Evening in Singapore Singapore/Nairobi, 22 April 2008 – Seven leading lights in the battle against global warming who are also catalyzing the transition to a greener and cleaner global economy were today acknowledged as the 2008 Champions of the Earth.

Within minutes I sent out our invitation on email to all the seven winners to send us their good wishes to our July 2008 issue commemorating ‘The Year of Planet Earth’. But only one winner, Senator Thompson had the courtesy, heart and the attitude to send us a thought-provoking message. Since then she was kind enough to contribute article and also act as the Guest Editor of our October 2008 issue. And, Senator Thompson has maintained that good relations with us until today, despite her time constraints.

What is amazing is not only Senator Thompson’s devotion towards the subjects of climate change, energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, but also the excellent spirit she has always exhibited by sharing her wide knowledge with publications like ours in India with 1.3 billion people.

Let me quote a tiny paragraph that I had read and preserved from a news report during April 2008: “Liz Thompson, the winner for Latin America and the Caribbean whose many achievements include inspiring and pioneering a response to a major challenge for small island developing states-improved solid waste management-said: “You go to work every day and do something you are passionate about. But do not think anyone is taking notice at this level“.  It really reflects Senator Thompson down-to-earth attitude and simplicity.

We, from India, most sincerely recommend her nomination to the post of Executive Secretary as she will be an asset to UNFCC. We wish Senator Thompson whole heartedly all success in her pursuit to become the next Executive Secretary of UNFCCC.

Before concluding, we also wish to record our great appreciation towards your dynamic leadership in running the UN Council most successfully. Also, we wish best of luck to outgoing Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer.

With best regards,

Sincerely,

M.R.Menon

Sub-Editor

===========

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Isada Chambers
Date: Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 9:32 AM
Subject: Re: Barbados’ Candidate for UNFCCC

Dear Sir,

Your most recent posting which queries whether the Government of
Barbados would nominate an Opposition member for the post of UNFCCC
has been drawn to our attention. We can confirm that Senator Thompson
of Barbados has in fact been nominated by the Government because of
her experience and qualifications, the importance of climate change to
Small Island Developing States and the opportunity to place a well
qualified Barbadian in a critical post.

You may wish to note that while Ms Thompson is an Opposition Senator
she has long experience in  environment having been a Minister of
Environment since 1994. She  led the Barbados delegation to Kyoto and
was one of the Ministers in the closed door negotiations who crafted
the Bali Action Plan. At various times, along with the environment
portfolio, she was Minister of Energy, Housing and Lands, Physical
Development and Planning, and Health. She has also acted as Attorney
General. In recognition of her work in environment, in 2008, UNEP
awarded her the prestigious Champion of the Earth Award. Other
awardees include His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Monaco, and
several former high level leaders, Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Mikhail
Gorbachev, Prime Minister Helen Clark, now UNDP Administrator, Al
Gore, and former American Senator Tim Wirth Director of the UN
Foundation. Since leaving office she has led a legal and policy
practice specialising in energy and environment in which capacity,
working for agencies such as the OAS, Ms Thompson has reviewed energy
and environmental legislation and developed national sustainable
energy policies for 4 Caribbean countries. She lectures on energy and
ecology and has worked with NGOs world wide including Pew, SEEM,
CIWIL, and CCCCC. She has been endorsed by 350. Please see their
website www.350.org.

Senator Thompson holds an LLM in energy and environmental law from the
Robert Gordon University in Scotland, an MBA with distinction from the
University of Liverpool, UK, the dissertation of which was in energy
policy management, and an LLB from the University of the West Indies.
She was admitted to the Bar in 1987. She is also trained in Economics,
Renewable Energy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration and
International Petroleum Negotiations. She has been involved in
negotiations involving legal matters since 1987 and matters involving
policy, climate change, financing of projects and programmes and with
trade unions  since 1994.

In every regard, politically, professionally and academically, Ms
Thompson is well equipped and suited to be Executive Secretary of the
UNFCCC. In addition the voice of SIDS has been an important one in the
UNFCCC process, not only because of their peculiar vulnerability but
because of the very high quality attitudes and perspectives they have
brought to the negotiating table. A female, developing country
candidate from a SIDS who is as knowledgeable and qualified as Senator
Thompson would bring a lot to the table and would be a bridge builder
between North and South, developed and developing countries.

We invite you to get to know Barbados’ candidate by reviewing the
attached documents. We would also be happy to let you have others if
you wish. Alternatively, Senator Thompson’s writings for Our Planet,
SEEM and other papers, journals and organisations are public and
available.

Thank you for your attention.

Respectfully,

Sonia Marville-Carter

–
Isada Law Chambers
“Saverne”
Monteith Gardens
Barbarees Hill
St. Michael
BB 12059
Barbados
W.I.
(246)435-4008 / 435-4009

The word Isada is taken from the vocabulary of the Arawaks, one of the
indigenous tribes of the Caribbean; pronounced ee-sah-duh, it means
“to do what is right and just.”

============

Download:

Senator Henrietta Elizabeth Thompson Bio – HET-BIO-mfa.pdf
Senator Henrietta Elizabeth Thompson CV – HET-CV-mfa.pdf

Download load in PDF format: UNEP-PR

Embargoed – Not for publication or broadcast until after 5am GMT on 28 January
Climate change links 2008 Champions of the Earth award winners
Green achievers from Bangladesh to New Zealand will be honoured at
international award ceremony in April in Singapore.

Nairobi, 28 January 2008 –From protecting the unique biodiversity of Yemen’s islands
to piloting climate-proofing strategies in Sudan and boosting conservation in Barbados,
the 2008 Champions of the Earth are making their mark across the planet.

Prince Albert II of Monaco, former US Senator Timothy E. Wirth and New Zealand’s
Prime Minister Helen Clark – whose country will host World Environment Day this year
with the theme ‘Kick the Habit: Towards a Low Carbon Economy!’ – are among the
seven environmental achievers chosen for this year’s awards, the United Nations
Environment Programme announced today.

The Champions of the Earth prize, which will be given out at a ceremony in Singapore
on 22 April, recognizes individuals from each region of the world who have shown
extraordinary leadership on environmental issues.

The other 2008 Champions of the Earth are: Balgis Osman-Elasha, a senior researcher
at Sudan’s Higher Council for Environment & Natural Resources; Atiq Rahman, the
Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies; Liz Thompson, the
former Energy and Environment Minister of Barbados; andAbdul-Qader Ba-Jammal, the
Secretary General of the Yemen People’s General Congress.

All the winners have spearheaded outstanding initiatives in many different areas from
environmental policy to cutting-edge research, with a particular focus on sustainable
development and the fight against climate change.

The announcement comes on the eve of the 10th Special Session of the UNEP
Governing Council, which will bring together over one hundred ministers from around
the world inMonaco on 20-22 February. This year’s Governing Council will also focus on
the urgent challenge of climate change – specifically, the issue of mobilizing finance to
realize a low carbon world.

Achim Steiner, the UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director said:
“Today, we face environmental challenges of unprecedented magnitude. More than
ever, our planet needs committed leaders and achievers like the 2008 Champions of the
Earth who spur real, positive change and fuel innovative solutions to environmental
problems. In doing so, these inspirational individuals demonstrate not only that action
and different development paths are possible but also the abundant opportunities arising
as a result of a transformation towards a green economy.”

———-
2008 Champions of the Earth

UNEP SPECIAL PRIZE

Rt. Hon. Helen Clark
By setting a carbon neutral goal for New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark has put
her country at the forefront of today’s environmental challenges. Three major policy
initiatives launched by Miss Clark are also blazing new trails for sustainability and the
fight against climate change: the Emissions Trading Scheme; the Energy Strategy; and
the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.
Miss Clark’s policies champion renewable energy and energy efficiency across key
sectors of the economy. Her government is also achieving substantial work on
environmental protection, from forestry and agriculture to improving public awareness
and boosting private sector involvement in sustainability.
New Zealand will be hosting this year’s World Environment Day –one of the principal
vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the
environment and enhances political attention and action. The event will take place on 5
June 2008 with the slogan ‘Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy’.

AFRICA
Dr. Balgis Osman-Elasha
Dr. Balgis Osman-Elasha, a senior scientist from Sudan, is at the forefront of global
research on climate change. A leading author of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) reports, she has produced groundbreaking work on global
warming – the defining challenge of our era – in Africa, with an emphasis on northern
and eastern Africa.
Dr. Osman-Elasha’s emphasis on global warming and adaptation in Sudan is vital given
the strong interlinkages between climate change and conflict in the country. Her work as
a prominent researcher on climate change makes her a true role model for women in
Africa.
The award also recognizes Dr. Osman-Elasha’s efforts to educate Sudanese university
students about the issue of climate change, thus raising awareness among the country’s
new generation.

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Dr. Atiq Rahman
Dr. Atiq Rahman is an eloquent advocate for sustainable development from Bangladesh
– a country highly vulnerable to climate change and flooding. As one of the top
specialists in his field, the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced
Studies (BCAS) transformed the NGO into a leading think-tank in South Asia on
sustainable development issues.
Dr. Rahman’s extensive publications on the subjects of environment and development in
Bangladesh are a reference for his peers, and he has also developed an innovative
post-graduate course on sustainable development and North-South dialogue.
With his national and international experience in environment and resource
management, Dr. Rahman’s expertise remains vital throughout the Asia Pacific region
and beyond as he helps to raise awareness of the hazards of global warming.

EUROPE
H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco
One of Prince Albert II’s first acts as sovereign of Monaco was to sign the Kyoto
Protocol – an eloquent sign of his longstanding commitment to the environment. Prince
Albert has been a prominent voice on environmental issues since the early 1990s and
he has been strongly involved in raising awareness on climate change, leading an
expedition to the North Pole in 2006 to draw attention to the consequences of global
warming.
ThePrince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which he created in 2006, works actively on
protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development, with a focus on
biodiversity loss, water and the fight against climate change. Prince Albert is also a
patron of the Billion Tree Campaign, which successfully led to the planting of well over a
billion trees across the planet in 2007.
Prince Albert has also shown remarkable commitment to sustainable development on
his home turf of Monaco. Under his leadership, Monaco is now applying an exemplary
policy on CO2 reduction in every sphere of society as well as in the business sector.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
H. E. Liz Thompson
Ms. Thompson has become one of the recognized leaders on environmental issues of
the Small Island Developing States.
During her time as Minister of Energy and the Environment of Barbados, she enacted a
range of progressive policies for sustainable development and environmental protection.
She also became a key voice to raise awareness of global warming in Barbados – a
country where the challenges of climate change and conservation are of particular
relevance.
Ms. Thompson has also played a role in environmental awareness and protection
across the Caribbean region. She has encouraged small island states to diversify their
economies, undertake sustainability assessments, and promote community-based
programmes that have positive environmental impacts.

NORTH AMERICA
Timothy E. Wirth
For the last thirty years, Timothy E. Wirthhas been an advocate for environmental
issues in the United States. As the president of the United Nations Foundation and
Better World Fund, Mr. Wirth has established the environment as a key priority and is
mobilizing strong resources to address crucial issues from biodiversity to climate change
and renewable energy.
A strong supporter of the Kyoto Protocol, Mr. Wirth was instrumental in raising
awareness and calling for policy action on global warming during his time as US
Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs.
Mr. Wirth was also a steadfast advocate on environmental issues during his time as a
member of the US Senate, when he engaged in a number of conservation and natural
resource issues in his state of Colorado. Mr. Wirth authored the Colorado Wilderness
Bill as well as other successful legislation on energy, conservation and environmental
protection.

WEST ASIA
H.E. Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal
Mr. Ba-Jammal has had a truly pioneering influence on environmental protection in
Yemen – a country which faces acute challenges from water scarcity to desertification.
During his time as Minister and then Prime Minister, he established Yemen’s Ministry of
Water and Environment and Environment Protection Authority, solicited national and
international funding for environmental conservation and sustainable water
management, and implemented a series of groundbreaking environmental policies in
Yemen and its region.
Mr. Ba-Jammal also orchestrated conservation efforts for the Socotra archipelago, a site
of global importance for biodiversity. The Socotra conservation fund came into being
under his patronage, and the archipelago was listed as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere
reserve in 2003.
Among other achievements, Mr. Ba-Jammal also supported the declaration of several
marine and land protected areas in Yemen and established a state agency for the
development of Yemeni islands with a focus on marine resources conservation. Along
with Mr. Ba-Jammal’s work on Yemen’s water sector, all these projects serve as key
examples of environmental awareness in a region where water and conservation issues
are of vital importance – increasingly so in a climate-constrained world.
Notes to editors
Champions of the Earth is an international environment award established in 2004 by
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The annual prize rewards
individuals from around the globe who have made a significant and recognized
contribution globally, regionally and beyond, to the protection and sustainable
management of the Earth’s environment and natural resources. Candidates are judged
by a senior UNEP panel with input from UNEP’s regional offices.
Past Champions of the Earth winners include among others: Ms. Massoudeh Ebtekar,
the former Vice President of Iran; H.E. Mikhail Gorbachev of the Russian Federation;
H.R.H. Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan; Jacques Rogge and the International
Olympic Committee; and Al Gore, the former Vice President of the United States.
The Champions of the Earth are invited to accept their award at an international
ceremony which will be held in Singapore on 22 April 2008. The event will be hosted in
conjunction with the Business for the Environment Summit (B4E), details of which can
be found on the UNEP website.
No monetary reward is attached to the prize – each laureate receives a trophy made of
recycled metal especially designed by the Kenyan sculptor Kioko and representing the
fundamental elements for life on earth: sun, air, land and water.
Background on the Champions of the Earth award and all the laureates can be found at
 championsoftheearth at unep.org.

——–
UNEP’s 10th Special Session of the Governing Council /Global Ministerial Environment
Forum will take place at thePrincipality of Monaco on 20-22 February 2008. More
information can be found at http://www.unep.org/gc/gcss-x/
For information on World Environment Day 2008, please visit
 http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/Abo…

For More Information Please Contact
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson, on Tel: +254 20 7623084, Mobile: +254 733 632755,
or: +41 795965737, or e-mail:  nick.nuttall at unep.org
Anne-France White, Associate Information Officer, on Tel: +254 20 762 3088, Mobile:
+254 738 652793, or e-mail:  anne-france.white at unep.org
UNEP press release 2008/01

=========

The final list of candidates to the office of Secretary-General of the UNFCCC – as submitted by the March 31st, 2010 deadline:

Barbados has nominated Ms. Elizabeth Thompson,

Costa Rica has nominated Ms. Christiana Figueres,

Ecuador has nominated Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinoza,

Hungary has nominated Mr. Janoz Pasztor,

India has nominated Mr. Vijai Sharma,

South Africa has nominated MR. Marthinus van Schalkwyk,

and Pakistan has nominated  Mr.Tariq Banuri.

One of these three ladies and four gentlemen, will be charged with taking over the helm of UNFCCC from wherever Mr. Yvo de Boer will leave it on the eve of July 1, 2010. We wish the unlucky winner – GOOD LUCK!

———–

The great majority of these people are very well qualified and we are tempted to make the mistake of providing a first look at what an analysis of their chances when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sits down with this list and gets both-ears-full of advice from the 192 (or is it 194?) members of the UN, and the several hundreds of other would be helpers – from the UN staff, from International Organizations, from the NGOs, from the strong industry arm twisters (yes – there is a UN Global Compact that ranges from Coca Cola to heavy steel) and so on.

Let’s start!

The “North” has officially here just one name – Janos Pasztor from Hungary – all said he is from the North East. He is less of an affront to the G-77 then the previous two UNFCCC Chiefs that hailed from the Netherlands – a country very friendly to the South but geographically part of the UN North. Mr. Pasztor also has the inside track for another reason – he is the right-hand New York based Climate-man for UNSG Ban Ki-moon while having come to New York from the UNFCCC founding staff back in Bonn. We assume now that he and his staff will have to recuse themselves from the selection process. If the UN were to wish continuity – he would be the man – but will the 192 advise the UNSG to go for continuity? That is a very open question, as when the Copenhagen participants took their planes on the trip back home, they seemed to say that the process has changed, and it will revolve rather around that magic G2 + IBSA formula – (China, US) and (India, Brazil, South Africa) – to which the ALBA and others, including many members in what used to be the larger G-77 including the SIDS, had clear opposition.

There is no G-2 member among the 7 finalists, that would have been impossible, but two IBSA – India and South Africa are there. Will the rest of the G-77 agree to be lead by one of the newly created Super-group of 5 major emitters? Add to this the proverbial opposition of Pakistan to India, and the fact that some may say that a Dutchman from the South is not really different from a Dutchman from the North – sorry to make this remark but we read some internal opposition in South Africa to the nomination of Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk – justified or not – we do not know – but that this will be an argument about his confirmation – we are sure.

Pakistani Tariq Banuri is another UN insider as he is head of the Sustainable Development desk of UN DESA. He took over a moribund organization after the Zimbabwe debacle caused by a South African Government slap on the Sustainability concept, and revived  somewhat the deliberations of that body. He even worked nicely with the Israeli deputy Chair of the CSD. Will now the G-77 say – wait a minute – can we finally put climate into Sustainable Development? Just an interesting idea for an aside. Uniting back Sustainable Development with the UN efforts on Climate Change could be a welcome synergy – balsam to the G-77.

This leaves us with Latin America and the Caribbeans who might be over-represented. They have three candidates.

Let’s see – Costa Rica and Ecuador will split the Latin American interest – and it explains why the third IBSA – Brazil – did not present a candidate at all. On the other hand, the appearance of Barbados on the list of 7 is quite interesting. Besides having a good candidate, that has a track record of interest and involvement in the topics at hand, it seems they figured that a CARICOM endorsement of 14 countries of the Caribbean enhanced to the full figure of 43 when it comes to AOSIS, might amount to the beginning of a pressure group based on suffering rather then power – yes, we all know, the Island States will be the first to go under because of global warming – perhaps they indeed should be allowed to pull these negotiations out from the UN mud they are stucked-in at present time.

To the best of our knowledge – the UN upstairs still keep the information about the candidates close to their vests – no official announcement yet of anything we write here – but seemingly they will allow for a press conference this coming Thursday – April 15th – two weeks into the time that they should have released the above names according to minimum transparency – but did not release them as yet. Did you expect more transparency from the UN? You do not really mean that!

—————-

We have here some further information about the Candidate from Barbados:

Senator Elizabeth Thompson of Barbados has been nominated by the Government of Barbados because of her experience and qualifications, the importance of climate change to Small Island Developing States and the opportunity to place a well qualified Barbadian in a critical post.

Considering the high interest about the future of the UNFCCC and the financing methodology of the Copenhagen non-binding promises that we noted in the Indian press, the fact that there is an Indian candidate for the office of the UNFCCC chair, our quote today of an article in the Hindustan Times and our subsequent realization that similar quotes appeared also in other Indian papers, this of statements made by the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, and the further fact that the Chef de Cabinet of the UNSG is from India, we are now further surprised by an e-mail we got from an Indian Journalist – as follows:

“What do you think on the chance of Senator of Barbados Elizabeth H. Thomson becoming the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC effective 2nd July 2010?”

I looked up Google and found:

Hon. H. Elizabeth Thompson M.P.  Minister of Energy and the Environment in the 2006 government – now she is in opposition – a Senator.

We wonder if a government would suggest a member of the opposition, though we clearly would welcome a nominee from AOSIS. Further, as the UN is not releasing the full list of candidates, and even thumbs the collective UN nose at us, I do not have a grape-wine indication about a Barbados nominee.