The Commonwealth has real potential to tackle climate change
Posted by AlexT - 18/09/09 at 04:09 pmThis post was written by a member of the Organising Committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Forestry Conference.
With member countries like Bangladesh, Tuvalu and the Maldives on the front-line against rising sea-levels, the Commonwealth should be a loud and respected activist on environmental issues.
The organisation is unique in that it gives small and vulnerable countries an equal voice in international discussions. By projecting the fears of these countries onto the world stage, it has the potential to be the pre-eminent global advocacy group against deforestation and for action to tackle CO2 emissions.
The current tension between poorer countries desire for economic development, and the potential harm this could do to the environment, can only be resolved through dialogue and partnership at the highest level. For instance where forests are being destroyed to make way for farming or destructive mining projects. The Commonwealth could and should be the forum for these discussions.
There are many practical examples of Commonwealth environmental action, such as the Iwokrama project in Guyana, which has created a sustainable ring-fence around an area of threatened rainforest and married this action with equitable relations with local communities. Similar projects could and should be rolled out across all member countries.
As a Commonwealth family we have the potential to learn from one another’s successes and failures. Policy should be formulated at the highest levels of government as a direct result of understanding the experiences of partner Commonwealth countries.
Meetings like our own Commonwealth Forestry Conference need to be bold and ambitious if we are to tackle climate change and restore the Commonwealth’s forests. The does not just mean environmental action. Forest restoration can help community livelihoods, address issues of food security, biodiversity, energy and governance. Many Commonwealth citizens’ lives could be impacted for the better.
If the Commonwealth is searching for a purpose in the 21st Century, then it need look no further than the role of environmental activist. Climate change is a pressing international issue which requires urgent action both now, and for the next generation of Commonwealth professionals. The Commonwealth has the raw potential to tackle this issue.
Category : Climate Change & Environment
Tags: Activist, Bangladesh, climate change, Commonwealth, deforestation, Environment, Forest, Maldives
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September 21st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Hi
I want to support all the ideas and suggestions made thus far on climate change and its effect on natural disasters and request that the members of this conversation join the call made by youth of several countries at our Natural Disasters Youth Summit 2008, to assist us in our call for a “youth constituency on climate change within the Commonwealth” this call has the endorsement of the Mayor of Port of Spain, capital city of TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
September 24th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Youth is an important aspect, to be sure. The generation currently ‘in power’ is, understandably, mired in the obsolescent ideas of the last thousand years – that our planet belongs to us, that it will last forever. Notable exceptions include HRH Prince Charles. While many of the younger generation are as much part of this as their sires, there is an increasing awareness among young people that something rather dreadful is happening to our ecosystem.
Deforestation is going to be a very, very important issue over the next century. I would suggest that one of the Commonwealth’s objectives at the CHOGM 2009 is to draft a forestry convention, which will in effect sign up all member states to not only stop deforestation dead, but work to actively ‘reforest’ areas where trees have been cut down to make way for farming, and the fragile soil is eroding from overuse and lack of root protection. This phenomenon has been observed in Brazil and, as a very poor example to the rest of the Commonwealth, in Great Britain.
The Commonwealth needs to get some serious international legislation written and agreed on. From there, foresters and environmental scientists from all member states need to be allowed free passage and unlimited funding to nurse our ecosystem back to health. Otherwise, people will start dying, alarmingly fast.
September 27th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I like the idea of Commonwealth as activist on the environment