[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_large”,”fid”:”1039″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”320″,”style”:”width: 350px; height: 233px; margin: 5px; float: right;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”480″}}]]

 

The authors of the 5th assessment report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stressed the need for urgent global coordinated action to combat human-induced climate change based on historical responsibility and equity. 

 

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) organized the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report Outreach Event for civil society organizations (CSOs) and other stake holders in Bangkok, Thailand last August 17 to 18, 2015. 

 

Almost a hundred representatives of governments, academe, media, and civil society organizations from Southeast Asia gathered in this event to share insights, good practices and policy response options for climate change in the sub-region. The event aims to contribute to the momentum toward the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as world leaders are expected to come up with a new climate agreement. 

 

Although the IPCC panelists are avoiding answering political questions that will zero in on individual countries, such as the United States that is most accountable to the climate crisis, the message from science is clear – that in order to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change and to limit global warming to 2°C, there is a need globally for drastic restructuring of investments, shifting to from high carbon investments to renewable energy within the next fifteen years. As Jan Pascal van Ypersele, IPCC Vice Chair, pointed out, “collective decision is crucial (to combat climate change) that is why we have so much expectation from the Paris convention.”

 

 

 

31 August – 04 September	3rd session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP)
19 – 23 October	4th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP)
30 November –  11 December	UNFCCC COP 21, Paris