dates: 12-13 July 2010  
venue: UN Headquarters  
location: New York (New York), United States of America  
www: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35313&Cr=climate+change&Cr1=  

He called on the more than 140 participants to act on the great challenges of our times, including by ratifying treaties on climate change, nuclear non-proliferation and economic development, and to fund these commitments. Ban underlined that global issues, such as peace and security, human rights, climate change, and the well-being of families and societies are also great local issues. He stressed the need for parliamentarians’ leadership in ensuring effective governance to address the financial, food and economic crises, which he noted are compounded by the impact of climate change.

Urging participants to “remind Governments of their international obligations,” Ban told them that “with your strong leadership, our future will be much brighter.” The Conference will conclude on 21 July 2010. [Ban's Statement] [Conference Website]

The Group discussed new public-private partnerships in support of the goals set out in a report it launched in April 2010, namely: universal access to modern energy services that are reliable, affordable, sustainable and, if possible, from low-emissions sources by 2030; and reduce by 40% global energy intensity by 2030. Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, stressed that “Governments alone will not be able to deal with the challenges.” He called for “a commitment from all sectors of society, including the private sector, academia and civil society, as well as from international organizations and NGOs.”

The meeting was co-hosted by Mexican Energy Minister Georgina Kessel Martínez and Carlos Slim Helú, a Mexican businessman and philanthropist who is also a member of the Group. The Group comprises 20 business leaders, academics and representatives of the UN and civil society. Noting that private companies already have the green energy technology and that many governments are offering financial incentives and support, Yumkella underscored the need to “forge a strong public-private partnership” to tackle the goals set in the Group’s report. [UN Press Release] [UNIDO Press Release] [Climate-L.org Story on the Launch of the Group's Report]

date: 15 July 2010  
location: Mexico (Distrito Federal), Mexico  
www: http://  

The meeting was attended by the 21 principal members of the Advisory Group on Financing, as well as its two Co-Chairmen. In a press conference held at the conclusion of the meeting, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recalled that the Advisory Group is seeking to identify the sources of longer-term financing for developing countries’ efforts in mitigating and adapting to climate change promised by world leaders in Copenhagen in 2009. He also highlighted the agreed goal of scaling up support to reach 100 billion dollars per year by 2020, in addition to 30 billion dollars until 2012.

Ban said several Group members had met with representatives from member States, civil society and private sector, and added that he had also participated in the “very stimulating discussions.” Ban stated that he expected the Group will provide him its final recommendations in October 2010, and that its report will feed into the discussions at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 16) in Cancun, Mexico. The UN Secretary-General underscored the importance of delivering on the climate finance pledges, noting it would strengthen trust between developing and developed countries, and build momentum in the global negotiations.

The UN Secretary-General outlined the challenges ahead for the Co-Chairmen, including: identify the sources of resources; package these resources in a politically viable, economically sound way; and bring this matter into the formal negotiation process. The UN Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing is scheduled to hold its third meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. [Ban's Press Conference] [UN Press Release]

The Advisory Group is tasked with drafting practical proposals to boost both short- and long-term financing for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in developing countries. It was established by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 12 February 2010, for the duration of ten months.

The Group will study potential sources of revenue to match the pledges made during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009, and, in particular, that of developed countries to mobilize jointly US$100 billion a year by 2020, for mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries. [UNCTAD Press Release] [Climate-L.org Story on the Launch of the Advisory Group]

In an opening address delivered on 4 July, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the region for its leadership and advocacy leading up to, and during, the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009, noting that the Caribbean community had conveyed an important message to the world as to the urgent and growing threat of climate change. He expressed hope that more financial support will be given to the region in its bid to increase mitigation and adaptation measures by the 16th session of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 16) in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of 2010.

According to the final Communiqué, Heads of Government agree to expedite the regional programme in preparation for COP 16. Recognizing that the Copenhagen Accord was disappointing, they agree that CARICOM negotiators must adhere to the principles of the Liliendaal Declaration on Climate Change and Development of 2009, and to the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS) Heads Declaration of September 2009. They point specifically to the stabilization of the global temperature increase at 1.5^oC and efforts to achieve a legally binding agreement on issues related to mitigation, adaptation, research and finance.

Heads of Government express appreciation to Grenada for its role as Chair of AOSIS and agreed to collaborate with the Alliance in advancing the region’s interest in the climate change negotiations. They further agree to convene a joint meeting of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development and Council for Human and Social Development in Saint Lucia in early September 2010 to consolidate the regional position on climate change for COP 16. [The Communiqué] [Summit Website] [UN Press Release]

He underlined that climate change, desertification and land disputes can be drivers of conflict. He concluded by noting that Security Council efforts to address the additional challenges will be “the best way of bringing about real protection for civilians.” [The Statement]

The report recommends urgent action to assist pastoralists cope with the rising impacts of climate change, including strategies by governments to facilitate safe passage across borders in the Horn and East Africa region. Key findings include that the effects of climate change and its impact on pastoral communities are now more conspicuous than ever, with evidence pointing to increasing levels of migration and conflict over often scarce resources. According to the report, vulnerability, a lack of preparedness, and appropriate, timely and relevant responses to natural disasters have left millions in need of humanitarian assistance.

The Security Mobility Initiative is an inter-agency partnership among the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Institute for Security Studies. [IISD RS Sources] [UN Press Release] [Link to Synthesis of the Report]

To achieve a sustainable re-balancing of the global economy, the report calls for closer coordination across the trading system, the new regime for international financial regulation, the global reserve system and the mechanisms for mobilizing and channeling development finance and climate funding. The report recommends that the international community consider establishing a global economic coordination mechanism that goes beyond the Group of 20 (G20). [UN Press Release] [The Report]