COP18 UN Climate Change Conference 2012

 

The British Council is convening a delegation of accomplished eco-entrepreneurs, scientists and community leaders from its global network at the COP 18 UN climate summit in Doha, Qatar, so that they can showcase their successful green enterprises and initiatives, represent the voice of youth in the deliberations and connect with peers, social influencers and decision-makers to generate a new global vision for sustainable development and action on climate change.

 

Selected on the basis of their achievements, complimentary strengths and leadership skills, the 21 British Council Delegates to COP 18 hail from 11 countries and are member of the British Council’s ‘Global Changemakers’, ‘Climate Champions’ and ‘E-idea’ programmes. They include climate researchers, social entrepreneurs and journalists as well as a sustainable building consultant, a documentary filmmaker and the founder of an international environmental organisation. Several are veterans of previous COPs. Their projects promote sustainability and solutions to climate change in fields such as business, education, the media and the arts.

 

At COP 18, the delegates will work with their national and regional delegations, speak on panels and meet senior officials from the UK and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They will present the preliminary findings of Climate Asia, a two-year research and communications project led by BBC Media Action into public understandings of climate change across Asia, and release a report entitled ‘Green Societies: A benchmark of social responsiveness to climate change’ that examines the factors that make a country more or less likely to take action to reduce its impact on the environment.

 

The delegates will also screen documentary films about the impacts of climate change on the Arctic, Bangladesh and Nepal and host a number of side events, including one with The Earth Child Institute that will focus on engaging young people for resilience and green development, and one with the China delegation focusing on the steps young people in that country are taking to address climate change.

In addition, the delegates will visit Doha schools and universities through a joint programme sponsored by HSBC to speak with Qatari students about climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, COP 18 and the steps young people around the world are taking to promote sustainability and address climate change in their communities.

 

Moreover, they will conduct activities based on Climate4Classroooms, an online educational programme developed by the British Council in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society and Royal Meteorological Society that provides scientific data, teaching resources and expert-guided teaching activities on climate change and sustainability. The delegates will write articles, blog, tweet and host a series of webinars from Doha featuring prominent speakers that will inform and harness ideas from youth around the world who cannot travel to the COP.

 

Dr, Claire McNulty, Head of Science and Sustainability, British Council, said, ‘Science and innovation are vital tools to address pressing challenges such as climate change and food security, but they cannot solve these problems alone, or in national isolation. If we are to achieve sustainable development, reconciling social, economic, and environmental demands, whilst at the same time protecting the rights of future generations, we need to make connections not just between scientists themselves, but also between scientists and the wider community; government, business and civil society.’

 

Dr. Jo Beall, Director Education and Society at the British Council said, ‘Our experience building cultural relations in over 100 countries to foster trust and understanding shows that climate change and promoting sustainable growth remain key issues, especially for young people.’ She added, ‘We support young people who want to bring positive change through programmes that provide access to training, UK expertise and global networks – as well as opportunities to participate in prominent global conferences. Our outstanding delegates will leverage the knowledge, contacts and experiences gained in Doha to enhance their projects, work internationally and communicate what they have learned to large audiences in their countries.’

Andrew Picken, the leader of the British Council’s delegation to COP 18, said, ‘Since half of the world’s population is younger than 30 and will inherit the consequences of a warming world, we believe that it is important to support a new generation of leaders who understand the issues and the UN process and who can bring powerful ideas and replicable enterprise models to the attention of decision-makers and social influencers who shape events like COP 18.’

The British Council delegation will include several eco entrepreneurs who will participate in the Sustainable Innovation Forum, which examines the solutions needed to develop the green economy. Andrew Picken added, ‘our eco-entrepreneurs are pioneers in what has been called a “new industrial revolution,” and our programmes that foster eco enterprise help to position the UK as world leader in the green economy, which now employs nearly 1 million Britons and generates £112 billion a year in the UK, making it the country’s sixth largest industry.’

 

Andrew said, ‘And at COP 18, we will support the purpose of the British government’s delegation in ensuring widespread agreement and support for international institutions that address environmental issues. 

 

Notes to Editors