It all begins with you!

Global climate change
You may not be fully aware of the effect of global climate change or how it can affect your future and the future of generations to come. These problems will, however, not be resolved nor will it get solves just because you do not know or care about it. The fact is that our world is currently experiencing issues caused by global warming and it continues to affect mankind. One of the many reasons why world leaders are now more concerned about the effect of global climate change is the fact that the predictions made years ago are occurring – the rising sea level will continue to rise if the effect of global warming is not stopped or at least slowed down.

In fact, according to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) the probability of the sea rising by as much as 1 meter can happen before the century ends. Significant changes in temperature are also part of the effect of global climate change and it is therefore expected that the weather will become warmer and warmer, likely causing the west Antarctic ice to float directly into the ocean, and in turn increase the sea levels further. This threat will continue to rise, as the temperature increases every day. World leaders are trying to negotiate: At the recent Copenhagen COP15 conference, the world leaders and delegates discussed how to resolve these issues or at least reduce the effect on the earth.

Looking at Copenhagen in particular the negotiation - or lack of it - did not turn out the way the world had hoped for. However, the frightening presence of climate change and the necessity to act defiantly dominated the agenda at COP16 that was recently held in Cancún, Mexico. Aside from what is highlighted above, the melting of the polar cap is probably the main reason why there will be a big increase in the rise of sea levels, as the Andes, Himalayas, and Greenland cap continue to experience warmer temperature. Moreover, the biggest ice kingdom is also melting really fast over the last 50 years and even the Arctic condition is worse than you can imagine. Consequently low-land areas are the first to suffer nowadays whenever there are typhoons in some countries.

The first consensus
Last Friday, the first consensus decision was taken at COP16 when parties agreed on a decision on Article 6 of the Convention which relates to “Education, training and public awareness about climate change”. YOUNGO, UNFCCC’s youth constituency as well as many other youth NGO actors have pushed the latter extensively. The most important topics of the consensus text include: the definition of Article 6, the promotion of the participation of young people and all the major groups in the processes of climate change, the development of national and regional projects of Article 6, national strategies as well as the promotion of formal, non formal and informal education.

Dominican Republic as coordinator of the G77 Group + China on this issue (the largest of the negotiating group), has managed to place on the table, the first success of COP 16, in consensus with the European Union, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the “Umbrella Group” comprising United States, Japan, Canada Australia, among others. This consensus came as a big surprise, since the agenda regarding Article 6 of the Convention, was raised only as informal consultation to obtain conclusions.

However, the G77 + China, at the suggestion of the Dominican Republic, raised the motion, supported by Guatemala, to establish a Contact Group for Article 6, and formulate a proposal for a decision to be adopted in the COP 16 by the parties. This accomplishment is a great lesson for the Delegates of COP 16: When there is a will, there is a way, and we can reach consensus in record time! This one consensus generates more expectation towards the success of the Convention in Cancún at large. However, the necessity for more consensus and successes increases rise till the next COP17 in South Africa.

It all begins with you!
One thing is the decision-making of the world leaders another thing is us as citizens and users of this planet. We as individuals have the obligation to adapt to climate change in order to slow its progression: we owe it to the children of this generation and generations to come. We may not be able to significantly change what has happened to Mother Earth but we can’t do nothing – at least something – to make sure that the conditions of the earth improves and it starts with you, your lifestyle, and the kind of products you use un a daily basis. How green have you so far chosen to become? Don’t you think your actions will benefit the world?

We all must understand that the global climate change is already at a critical level, and if the world leaders as well as you and I as individuals do not try to do something about it right away, then a global catastrophe is unavoidable. As you can already see, extreme weather conditions are already being felt in different parts of the world, and will continue to devastate homes, cities, and lives.