UNFCCC COP16, Cancun, Mexico,November 29-December 10
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 16th Conference of the Parties will convene in Cancun, Mexico, in November.
Last year, the UNFCCC 15th Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen was a spectacular failure. There was no climate accord reached when world leaders met last December. There are a few pivotal reasons why the negotiations failed.
- The U.S. failed to bring any domestic policy or plan to reduce its own emissions to the table, even though its less than 5 percent of the world’s population spews out 25 percent of GHG emissions.
- With less than 20 percent of the global populations, developed countries have emitted nearly 75 percent of GHGs. However, industrial nations dismissed the concept of “climate debt,” which would take into account this historical record of emissions when determining countries’ emission-reduction targets.
- Developed nations are unable and/or unwilling to commit financial resources so that developing countries can leapfrog over fossil fuel-based energy sources to alternative, cleaner energy technologies.
This year, at the UNFCCC 16th Conference of the Parties, the Center for Food Safety and Navdanya International will be observing the meetings and contributing to side events focusing on the critical links between food systems and climate change. Sustainable agriculture can be a major climate mitigation solution and is a vital adaptation strategy. Research shows that organic farms sequester carbon at higher rates than industrial agriculture. Additionally, ecological farming is essential to ensure food security in times of climate chaos.
Stay tuned for updates!
Links:
UNFCCC: http://unfccc.int/2860.php
