The Foundation welcomes Cancún Agreements

The United Nations Climate Change Conference took place in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. It has ended with the adoption of a package of decisions, dubbed the Cancún Agreements, that set all governments more firmly on the path towar

Calls for reinstatement of Gender Dimension

The United Nations Climate Change Conference took place in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. It has ended with the adoption of a package of decisions, dubbed the Cancún Agreements, that set all governments more firmly on the path towards a low-emissions future.

The Agreements acknowledge the goal of reducing emissions from industrialised countries by 25-40 per cent (relative to 1990) by 2020. and support enhanced action on climate change in the developing world.

Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), described the outcome as a “beacon of hope”, saying it had restored faith in the multilateral climate change negotiating process to deliver results.

“Governments have given a clear signal that they are headed towards a low-emissions future together, they have agreed to be accountable to each other for the actions they take to get there, and they have set it out in a way which encourages countries to be more ambitious over time,”” she said.

The Foundation welcomes the establishment of a global Climate Fund. This is a strong step towards ensuring developing countries are provided with desperately-needed assistance in fighting the effects of climate change.

The Foundation regrets however that the reference in an earlier draft of the text – that women’s needs must be addressed – was removed in the final text. With women in poor communities more likely to be at risk from the impacts of climate change, our work with our partners will continue to refocus attention on the importance of the gender dimension of climate change ahead of the next Climate Change Conference (COP17) which will take place in Durban, South Africa next year.

Further Reading:

Cancún climate change summit: Back from the brink – The Telegraph, 13 Dec. 2010

Cancún seen as interim step toward global treaty – Irish Times, 13 Dec. 2010

UNFCCC Press Release – 11 Dec. 2010

Cancun: the building blocks have been laid – Oxfam International, 11 Dec. 2010

Troika on Gender to be formed – 07 December 2010

Foundation Project: Women’s Leadership on Climate Justice

Foundation COP16 Side Event – 26 November 2010

Essential Background