Media Advisory – Webcast Notice

[Doha – Qatar] – November 28, 2012 –  International experts from NGOs organized in the Climate Action Network (CAN) - a network of more than 700 organisations from over 90 countries – will brief the media on the latest developments in the climate negotiations at Doha, Qatar, tomorrow.

On youth and future generations day at the climate talks, Reem al Mealla, from the Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM) will outline plans for the first climate demonstration in a Gulf state which will call for Arab leaders to make a pledge to reduce carbon emissions.

Liz Gallagher, senior policy advisor at E3G, will to provide an update on the difficult negotiations over the LCA track's chair's text as well as any breaking developments at COP18.

The briefing takes place in Press Conference Room 2 in the Qatari National Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar on Thursday 29 November, at 11am local time (8am GMT). It will be webcast live.

·      What: Briefing on the UNFCCC climate negotiations in Doha.

·      Where: Press Conference Room 2, QNCC, Doha, Qatar

·      Webcast Live at: http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop18/templ/ovw_live.php?id_kongressmain=231

·      When: 11am local Doha time, Thursday 29 November, 2012

·      Who: NGO experts on UNFCCC negotiations

Contacts

Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 700 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.

For more information, please contact CAN International Communications Coordinator Ria Voorhaar, email: rvoorhaar@climatenetwork.org, local mobile: +974 33 38 6907.

With warming at just 0.8 degrees, devastating consequences of climate change have already hit many countries this year, including Hurricane Sandy in the Americas and droughts in the US and Russia.

“The door to staying below the internationally agreed 2 degrees temperature rise is still open, but we need developed countries to increase their commitment to reducing carbon emissions more quickly so that this door does not slam shut,” Mr Hmaidan said. 

If the talks do not produce a work program that is concrete and meaningful, then the talks' ability to produce a fair and legally binding agreement to deal with climate change after 2020 will be impacted.

“The Qatar COP presidency – the first for the Middle East - needs to build trust by making an emissions reduction pledge, or risk losing political momentum in the talks,” Mr Hmaidan said,

But recent political developments would be positive for the talks. The reelection of President Obama should allow more concrete action from the United States, according to Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy and Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists.

“We need the US to hit the reset button on their existing negotiating positions and to make a real commitment to keeping temperatures below 2 degrees,” Mr Meyer said.

"Specifically, the US negotiators should be more forthcoming in Doha on just how the US will meet its pledge to reduce its emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, as well as how it will achieve the near-total decarbonization of the US economy needed by mid-century to meet the 2 degree goal."

Archived video footage from the press conference can be found at:

http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop18/templ/ovw_onDemand.php?id_kongressmain=231

More information on CAN-International's asks for Doha can be found at:

http://climatenetwork.org/publication/doha-milestones-and-action

Contacts

Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 700 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.

For more information, please contact CAN International Communications Coordinator Ria Voorhaar, email: rvoorhaar@climatenetwork.org, local mobile: +974 33 38 6907.

UNFCCC CLIMATE TALKS IN BANGKOK:

NGO BRIEFING ON THE NEGOTIATIONS

[BANGKOK, THAILAND] Civil society groups attending UN climate talks in Bangkok, Thailand, will host a media briefing, webcast live, on the last day of the negotiations to assess the Bangkok outcome.

International experts from NGOs organized in the Climate Action Network (CAN) will discuss the role of different countries in the talks, and the outlook for COP18 in Doha at the end of the year. Specifically, they will discuss the dynamics here at the Bangkok negotiations and what needs to happen between now and Doha to achieve a successful outcome at COP18, in Qatar.

The briefing takes place in the Theatre Room in the UNESCAP conference centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, 5 September, at 3pm local time (8am GMT)

It will be webcast live at: http://ustre.am/Oa9D Online viewers can ask questions via the webcast page using the chat feature. 

NGO experts on the panel will include Wael Hmaidan from CAN-International, Tove Ryding from Greenpeace International, Alden Meyer from Union of Concerned Scientists, and Tasneem Essop from WWF.

-       What: Briefing on the UNFCCC climate negotiations in Bangkok

-       Where: Theatre Room, UNESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand

-       Webcast Live at: http://ustre.am/Oa9D (footage will be uploaded to the CAN website: www.climatenetwork.org) 

-       When: 3pm local Bangkok time, Wednesday, 5 September, 2012

-       Who: NGO experts on UNFCCC negotiations

About & Contacts:

Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 600 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.  For more information, please go to www.climatenetwork.org and contact CAN International Director Wael Hmaidan, email: whmaidan@climatenetwork.org, local mobile: +66 (0)8 9210 4796,

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