Saturday, 22 March 2014

United Nations Partners on Climate Change

Climate change affects us all. Here are tips on how you can personally make a difference.

At Home – reduce, reuse, recycle!
  • Buy minimally packaged goods
  • Recycle paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Reuse, mend, and repurpose things to save money and divert waste from your local landfill
  • Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency
  • Adjust your thermostat, lower in winter, higher in summer
  • Replace old appliances with energy efficient models and light bulbs
  • Save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use
  • Wash clothes in cold or warm water
  • Run dishwashers only when full and don’t use heat to dry dishes
  • Eat less meat, poultry, and fish
  • Plant Trees – Enter tree planting pledges online, then plant indigenous or locally appropriate trees where you live. View results of tree planting efforts globally.

 

United Nations Partners on Climate Change

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World Meteorological Day 2014, March 23.

Message on the occasion of WMD 2014 "Weather & climate: Engaging Youth" by Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of WMO. 


Recognizing the strong stake that young people have in the future, WMO has chosen “Weather and climate: engaging youth” as the theme for this year’s World Meteorological Day.

Today, people between the ages of 15 and 24 make up a sixth of the world’s population. About 85 per cent of these 1 billion young men and women live in developing countries. Compared to their peers of only 50 years ago, the young people of today are on average healthier, more educated and skilled. Technologies permeate their lives, enabling them to better interact with the world around them. Yet many young people still suffer from poverty and discrimination, inequality and exploitation; many of them still lack access to education, health and other basic services.
These problems are exacerbated by the hazards of climate change and extreme weather, which characterize the lives of young people today and will have an even greater impact in the decades to come. Atmosphere and ocean temperatures continue to increase, ice caps and glaciers around the world are steadily declining, sea level is rising and a number of extreme weather and climate events are becoming more frequent and/or more intense.
Human influence on the climate system is unequivocal. The global concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere keeps growing unabated and is reaching unprecedented levels in human history. Maintaining our current dependence on fossil fuels will lead us to a significantly warmer planet: by the end of the century the temperature could be up to
4 degrees Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times. Limiting the warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius can still be achieved, but it will require a rapid significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Achieving this objective demands urgent, decisive and courageous action. The world’s youth can be a powerful actor of change in this regard. Climate action is not just about CO2 emissions, it is about people, about the values we share and what each of us is ready to do to promote them. Young people are a source of innovation and of fresh insights into problems and their possible solutions. They call for just, equitable solutions.
As the next generation prepares for changing weather and climate, young people can play an active role in monitoring, understanding and responding to the weather and climate of today and tomorrow. They have the capacity to promote climate awareness, mitigation and adaptation, but in order to unleash the youth’s full potential for addressing climate change, we need to be able to involve them in the formulation and implementation of the policies that affect them today and will concern them tomorrow.
Scientific understanding of how the atmosphere, ocean, land and water interact to generate weather and climate is improving, making it increasingly easier to generate seamless weather and climate forecasts. The WMO community has already developed tools for understanding and forecasting the weather and climate, and over the coming decades these tools will become more skillful, more widely shared and used. Information products and services based on climate predictions will strengthen our ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as to pursue sustainable development — making us better prepared to face coming storms, floods and heatwaves; helping farmers to better organize planting and harvesting; and increasing the safety of ship and air navigation... Young people who choose a career in meteorology, hydrology or climate science will be able to play an increasingly important role, and thus make a vital contribution to the safety and well-being of their communities and countries.
Climate change makes us more uncertain about our future and yet, despite this uncertainty, one thing is clear: our society bears a responsibility not only to itself but also to future generations. The youth of today will live through the second half of this century and, if we do not act urgently, they will witness the severe impacts of climate change foreseen by the latest assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As a result of the choices we are making in the present, young people will have a major role to play in shaping the Earth’s future. While the challenges facing the next generations are enormous, the opportunities for addressing them have never been greater.




Climate and Weather : Engaging Youth

A carrear in Meteorology

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Thursday, 20 March 2014

World Water Day 2014, March 22

Join the Forum : World Water Day - March 22



Water is at the core of sustainable development.
This year’s observance of World Water Day 2014 focuses on the links between water and energy.
Both are critical for eradicating poverty.
And they interact with each other in ways that can help – or hinder – our efforts to build stable societies and lives of dignity for all.
Climate change driven in great part by the unsustainable use of energy will exacerbate water stress and scarcity in many regions. Efforts to provide universal access to water and energy will be undermined if the current warming trend continues.
The many strong links between water and energy demand coherent, integrated policies and innovative strategies. Water must be used -- and electricity must be generated and distributed -- equitably and efficiently, so all users get a fair share.
These are the goals of the ongoing work of UN-Water and of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.  These issues are also crucially important elements in our discussions on the post-2015 development agenda.
On World Water Day, let us pledge to develop the policies needed to ensure that sustainable water and energy are secured for the many and not just the few.

Ban Ki-moon






UNESCO Director-General's Message for World Water Day 2014 

Water is fundamental to life and is the common denominator of all sustainable development challenges. We need water to produce food and we need water to produce energy. Improving access to freshwater is about enabling millions of girls to go to school instead of walking kilometres to fetch water. It is about improving maternal health, curbing child mortality and preserving the environment.
We need to better understand the complex interactions between resources that are closely interlinked, such as water, food and energy. And we must acknowledge that it is impossible to manage these resources sustainably if we treat them in isolation. Each mode of energy production has implications for the quantity and quality of water available. The choices made in one sector have repercussions on the other, for better and for worse. The World Water Development Report released today confirms, for example, that people who lack electricity are also those who lack water. This is no mere coincidence – water is required to produce energy, and energy is required to sanitize and convey water. Both are essential to human wellbeing and sustainable development.
Sustainability depends on our ability to understand all these connections and to develop more relevant policies that take an integrated approach to interconnected resources. The challenge is all the greater as the demand for water and energy is soaring, particularly in emerging economies, where agriculture, industry and cities are developing at a tremendous pace. We must find ways to ensure access to water and energy in sufficient quantity and quality, in a sustainable way.
Sustainability also requires better cooperation between all water stakeholders – policymakers, scientists and businesses, both public and private, who all too often ignore each other while in reality they depend on each other. The International Year of Water Cooperation in 2013 set important milestones. The initiative on sanitation of Mr Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, also calls for greater collective action for the better management of human waste and wastewater. Poor sanitation has devastating consequences, particularly for children, and the key to the problem includes energy.
There is enough water in the world for everyone. What we continue to lack is better governance and the collective courage to craft fair compromise solutions. These should be based on research results and reliable data. UNESCO will continue to commit its resources to this cause, in particular through our International Hydrological Programme, the Institute for Water Education in Delft, our centres and Chairs specialized in water, and the data from the World Water Assessment Programme, which are all ways of building capacity, carrying out research and sharing good practices. Together, we can better integrate water and sanitation and the link between water and energy as positive levers for sustainable development.

Irina Bokova
 The energy and water sectors have different drivers behind decision-making: energy planners are more focused on diversifying sources of producing low-carbon energy, while water managers have to satisfy a diversity of water users including the environment. Cross-sector cooperation and coordination in policies and planning can maximise the supply of one resource while minimising overuse of the other.



Produced by the Global Water Partnership, 2014

 The global goal for water is supported by a coherent, cohesive and mutually reinforcing set of targets that will help countries reach the goal by 2030. To facilitate understanding of the multiple functions water plays in society, the framework is structured into five measurable and interconnected targets. The short versions of these targets are below. Under each link, you will find descriptions of each of the targets and more resource material.



° Target A: Achieve universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene

° Target B: Improve by (x%) the sustainable use and development of water resources in all countries

° Target C: All countries strengthen equitable, participatory and accountable water governance

° Target D: Reduce wastewater pollution and improve water quality by reducing untreated domestic and industrial wastewater by (x%); increasing wastewater reused safely by (y%); and reducing nutrient pollution by (z%) to maximize water resource availability and improve water quality.

° Target E: Reduce mortality by (x%) and economic loss by (y%) from natural and human-induced water- related disasters

A post-2015 Global Goal for Water : Securing Sustainable Water for All
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014

International Day of Forests 2014, March 21

How forests can be managed  profitably and Sustainably in the Future ?
Join the Forum  : International Day of Forests - March 21.

 
United Nations Secretary-General's Message  on the International Day of forest 2014.

Forests are the lungs of our planet. They cover one-third of all land area, and are home to 80 per cent of terrestrial biodiversity. They are crucial for addressing a multitude of sustainable development imperatives, from poverty eradication to food security, from mitigating and adapting to climate change to reducing disaster risk.
It is estimated that 1.6 billion people depend on forests for food, fuel, shelter and income.  The World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 per cent of people rely on medicines derived from forests as their primary form of health care.

Not only do forests provide essential economic safety nets for a significant number of the world’s poor, they underpin economies at all levels. Round wood production, wood processing and the pulp and paper industries account for nearly 1 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product. Non-monetary benefits from forests, such as water, energy, shelter and medicine, are estimated to be two to three times as great. Forested catchments supply three-quarters of freshwater, which is essential for agriculture, industry, energy supply and domestic use. 
The International Day of Forests is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of all types of forests and trees to our economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being. However awareness must be coupled with concrete action. As we deliberate on the post-2015 development agenda, let us acknowledge the vital role of forests and pledge to work together to protect and sustainably manage these vital ecosystems. 
                                                                                                                                       Ban Ki-moon




United Nations General Assembly President's Message on the International Day of forest 2014.

Celebrated now for two years, the International Day of Forests and the Tree calls on governments and other multi stakeholders to commit to reducing deforestation while promoting sustainable livelihoods for all forest-dependent communities.
Forests cover one third of the Earth's land mass and over 1.6 billion people depend on forest ecosystems for their daily livelihoods.

As we work to create a post 2015 sustainable development agenda, I urge Member States to recognize the ecological, economic, social and health benefits of our forests.
In recent years, global deforestation has spread at an alarming rate. Over 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed each year and deforestation accounts for 12 to 20 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

This day marks a worldwide commemoration to celebrate our forests and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our essential global ecosystems.
                                                                                                                                          John W. Ashe

  



                                          The new ways of monitoring and managing our forests - FAO Headquarters, Sheikh Zayed Centre
9:00 - 11:00am

Join us and celebrate the International Day of Forests 2014

° Showing of the International Day of Forests Video
° Opening address by José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General
° Results of FAO’s global remote sensing of forests, Kenneth  MacDicken, FAO Senior Forest Officer
° Highlights of FAO’s forest monitoring work, Eduardo Mansur, FAO Forestry Division Director
° Brief statements by key resource partners
° Closing remarks by Eduardo Rojas, Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department, FAO
° Refreshments

                                                               FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
                                                                                    José Graziano Da Silva, FAO Director-General

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World Poetry Day 2014, 21 March

UNESCO Director-General's Message on World Poety Day 2014.

Every year, UNESCO celebrates those who give life to poetry as one of the highest forms of linguistic and cultural expression. Poetry is a song of freedom, enabling us to affirm our identity through creation. Poetry is also the song of our deepest feelings; in the words of the Brazilian poet and diplomat João Cabral de Melo Neto, “even unintentionally, every word that comes from emotion is poetry”. Through its words and its rhythm, poetry gives shape to our dreams of peace, justice and dignity, and gives us the strength and desire to mobilize to make them real.
All peoples throughout history have developed and practiced forms of poetry, so as to pass on orally their knowledge, history and myths – the Vedas and Ramayana in India, the Hebrew Bible, the Iliad and the Odyssey in Greece and many other philosophical and religious texts – to express feelings, to talk about daily life, to withstand trials or to entertain. Today, contemporary forms of poetry, from graffiti to slam, enable young people to become engaged in the practice and renew it by opening the door to a new space for creation. The forms evolve, but the poetic impulse remains intact. Shakespeare described poetry as the music that each man carries inside himself and, centuries later, the jazz musician Herbie Hancock, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and 2014 Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard University, has recalled the affinities between poetry, literature and music in his lecture on “the wisdom of Miles Davis”.
As a deep expression of the human mind and as a universal art, poetry is a tool for dialogue and rapprochement. The dissemination of poetry helps to promote dialogue among cultures and understanding between peoples because it gives access to the authentic expression of a language. We see this in the inspiration of people celebrating intangible cultural heritage, mother tongues and cultural diversity, where poetry always plays a major role. That is why UNESCO encourages and calls for the support of authors and translators, the craftspeople of poetry, so that we might tap into the essence of beauty and inspiration for peace in their works.
Irina Bokova







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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2014, March 21

Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2014.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is an opportunity for women and men, along with the whole United Nations System, to renew their commitment to building a world of justice, equality and dignity, where racial discrimination has no place.
Racial discrimination violates the inherent rights and dignity of women and men. It holds back entire societies from lasting peace, and it sets obstacles before inclusive, sustainable development. Bigotry impoverishes the world, seeking to divide humanity against itself and undermine the inexhaustible strength that lies in our diversity. Equality and justice must guide us, no matter the circumstances. At this time of deep social transformation and global change, we can draw strength from the experience of the late Nelson Mandela and his determination to bridge divides despite all challenges.

On this day, we must recall that respect of others is essential to respect for ourselves and our own communities and that humanity is a single family, brought together by shared aspirations and a common destiny. Lasting peace can only be built on the equality and dignity of every woman and man -- regardless of ethnic, religious, gender, socioeconomic or other background. 

This cannot be taken for granted. There has been tremendous progress in making real the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – but racial discrimination and hatred, including hate-motivated actions and crimes, remain far too prevalent across the world. These threats are compounded by deepening inequalities, and rising exclusion and marginalisation, which weaken the fabric of societies.
Respect and tolerance are liberating acts, whereby the differences of others are recognized as the same as our own and whereby the riches of another culture are taken as the wealth of all.
This needs to be taught, because education remains the most powerful way to prevent racism and uproot discrimination. This is why UNESCO is advancing human rights education across the world, and developing new forms of education for global citizenship. In the classroom and outside, we need to start early, in teaching the values of respect, tolerance and solidarity -- by promoting sports and youth engagement, by safeguarding the common history of humanity, including the history of slavery and places of memory, and by fostering new alliances to challenge discrimination wherever it takes root.

UNESCO is acting all of these levels, through the Slave Route Project, through the safeguarding of cultural heritage of universal significance, as well as through such initiatives as the International Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination.
The fight against discrimination is one we must all lead, everyday, through our own actions – but, together, we can multiply our efforts to build a more just, equal world of dignity for all women and men. This is UNESCO’s message on the 2014 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

© UNESCO / Natacha Vasilenco


Organized jointly with the French Federation of UNESCO Clubs (FFCU), this day will aim at fostering discussion about how to fight against discrimination whilst respecting the individual identity of each and everyone among us.

Discrimination occurs on several grounds – race, ethnical origin, gender, class, age, sexual orientation, etc. – and often different forms of discrimination can take place at the same time. This means that every individual has a different experience of discrimination and therefore a different manner in which she or he expresses her or his identity in society. Boys and girls will have different experiences because of their gender, but there will also be differences based on other criteria.

So how are we to fight against these multiple types of discrimination? How are we to find, in these different and individual characteristics, signs of equality and recognition of the right to dignity of everyone?

Details

Type of Event Category 3- Non-governmental conference
Start 21.03.2014 09:30 local time
End 21.03.2014 17:00 local time
Focal point Scarone Azzi, Marcello
Organizer UNESCO
Contact Marcello Scarone Azzi, m.scarone@unesco.org
Country France
City Paris
Venue UNESCO Headquarters
Street 7, Place de Fontenoy
Room Room XI
Language of Event French
Estimated number of participants 250
Link 1 Programme (PDF in French)
Link 2 Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the Day
Link 3 UNESCO and the Fight against Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia
Link 4 Learning to Live Together


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International Day of Happiness 2014, 20 March

 
Join the Forum of discussions : 20 March is International Day of Happiness.


United Nations Secretary-General's Message for International Day of Happiness 2014  2014

The twin concepts of happiness and well-being increasingly feature in international discussions of sustainable development and the future we want. 
Many countries are going beyond the rhetoric of quality of life to incorporate practical measures to promote these concepts in their legislation and policy-making.  These good practices can inspire other countries so that measuring and accounting for broader well-being, and not simply national income, becomes a universal practice.
Happiness may have different meanings for different people.  But we can all agree that it means working to end conflict, poverty and other unfortunate conditions in which so many of our fellow human beings live.
Happiness is neither a frivolity nor a luxury.  It is a deep-seated yearning shared by all members of the human family.  It should be denied to no-one and available to all.  This aspiration is implicit in the pledge of the United Nations Charter to promote peace, justice, human rights, social progress and improved standards of life.
Now is the time to convert this promise into concrete international and national action to eradicate poverty, promote social inclusion and inter-cultural harmony, ensure decent livelihoods, protect the environment and build institutions for good governance.  These are the foundations for human happiness and well-being.



Watch the Happy Planet Index

 Watch an introduction to the Happy Planet Index – the leading global measure of sustainable well-being – by its creator, Nic Marks.

  
How is the HPI calculated?

The HPI blends subjective and objective data to build a picture of progress within a country. The Index uses global data on
life expectancy, experienced well-being and Ecological Footprint to rank countries. It asks the question: “how much well-being is achieved per unit of resource consumption?”

Happy Planet Index ≈ 

Experienced well-being x Life expectancy
---------------------------------------------
Ecological Footprint

• Well-being : If you want to know how well someone’s life is going, your best bet is to ask them directly. In this year’s HPI, experienced well-being is assessed using a question called the ‘Ladder of Life’ from the Gallup World Poll. This asks respondents to imagine a ladder, where 0 represents the worst possible life and 10 the best possible life, and report the step of the ladder they feel they currently stand on.
Evidence indicates that this is an effective measure of overall well-being.

• Life expectancy : Alongside experienced well-being, the HPI includes a universally important measure of health – life expectancy. We used life expectancy data from the 2011 UNDP Human Development
Report.

• Ecological Footprint : A society that achieves high well-being now, but consumes so much that the same resources are not available for future generations can hardly be considered successful. The HPI uses the Ecological Footprint promoted by the environmental NGO WWF as a measure of resource consumption.
It is a per capita measure of the amount of land required to sustain a country’s consumption patterns, measured in terms of global hectares (g ha) which represent a hectare of land with average productive biocapacity
The Happy Planet Index (HPI) is the leading global measure of sustainable well-being.
 The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index : Tracking and improving citizens’ well-being.




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