Traditional Knowledge Bulletin

Meeting update: Climate Change COP-18, Doha

Posted: 02 Dec 2012 05:40 PM PST

Eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
26 November - 7 December 2012 (Doha, Qatar)

Over 20,000 delegates, key members from governments, UN Organizations and civil society are currently attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Doha. It includes the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18) and the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP 8).

In the first week of the meeting, indigenous peoples have called for the human rights, land rights, customary rights and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples to be recognized, respected and incorporated into any new agreement in the Kyoto Protocol Working Group, and for an overarching human rights-based approach that includes recognition of indigenous governance structures, traditional knowledge and technology in the ADP for Enhanced Action. Under the Subsidiary Body for Implementation, indigenous peoples called for a consultative technical body to assist UNFCCC negotiations.

Further information about the REDD+ and Green Climate Fund negotiations is available here…

Upcoming side events of relevance to traditional knowledge include:

Ongoing

Interviews: Climate Change Studio

The Climate Change Studio is run by the UNFCCC Secretariat during UNFCCC meetings. It provides an opportunity for high level delegates to be interviewed briefly by a professional journalist on actions, solutions, observations and issues that impact on climate change. All interviews are filmed, edited and made available on the UNFCCC website, and shown on monitors throughout the conference venue during the COP.

For more information, see: http://unfccc.int/meetings/cancun_nov_2010/items/5832.php

Wednesday 5 December

Briefing: Savanna Fire Management Event

A special briefing on the new UNU and Australian Government Savanna Fire Management and Sustainable Livelihoods initiative will be hosted in the Room 236 in the Conference Centre at 14:00. Australian Parliamentary Secretary Mark Dreyfus will provide a high-level overview of the initiative. Mr Peter Yu of NAILSMA will provide real world insight into the experience of Australia's traditional owners undertaking SFiM offset activities and developing the CFI methodology. Mr Sam Johnston, UNU-IAS TKI, will provide an overview of how the project will be rolled out globally and the long term vision of the initiative.

Download the event flyer… Download a brochure about the initiative… Read more about the initiative…

Side event: REDD+ MRV: Capturing benefits from community forest management in the tropics

A side event on community forest mangagement will be held at 16:45 in Side Event Room 6. It will showcase ongoing activities to promote robust, transparent and operational REDD+ MRV (mreasuring, reporting and verification) systems with effective participation of local communities in the framework of sustainable forest management. Like REDD+, savanna fire management also involves engaging local communities and indigenous peoples to take an active role in abatement activities.

For more information, see http://regserver.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html?session_id=COP18/CMP8

Side event: MOST side-event supported by the Norwegian National Commission for UNESCO

From 20:15—21:45 in Room 3, a side event will be held to further three diverse developing countries' common vision by sharing innovative solutions and replicable indigenous and science-based models for building resilience in Colombia, Kenya, and the Philippines to reduce climate change/disaster risks and address impacts of flooding, landslides, and drought.

For more information about COP18: Visit the meeting's website, including links to nomination proposals … Follow the IISD RS coverage of the Doha Climate Change Conference …