The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2.8) is reunited in Geneva for an intense week of negotiations on climate change. The so called ‘Road to Paris’ shall converge the expectations of Member States into a single agreement, to be approved at COP 21 in Paris (in December 2015), with the ultimate goal of reducing carbon emissions to zero and achieve a 100% renewable-powered world by 2050 (or at least this is the goal proposed so far).
We’re at the second day of the agenda and lot of work is still ahead. Parties have been proving their commitment after the Lima Call for Climate Change in intensifying their efforts after COP 20 and are bringing their proposals to the Elements for a draft negotiating text, section by section.
Despite the robust body of additions so far, the IFMSA delegation (Diogo Martins – LO UNESCO, Charlotte Holm – Denmark, Duygu Ozturk – Turkey, Yassen Tcholakov – Quebec) is determined to follow up on COP 20 and include health within UNFCCC negotiations, a concept yet to be included in the main text.
The WHO has been a key stakeholder in this health inclusion process. Later this week, on the morning of the 11 of February 2015, the WHO will be facilitating a briefing on Health and Climate Change at Palais des Nations and bringing together contributions from climate change, health and sustainable-development communities. Additionally, an update is expected on recent decisions made by national Governments in the WHO Executive Board, renewing their commitments on Health and Climate Change.
The IFMSA delegation could not be more thrilled for, once again, being right where the most critical decisions before December 2015 shall take place. By the end of the week, together with the WHO, YOUNGO (the youth NGOs constituency at the UNFCCC), and countries representatives, we hope to reach a final negotiating text where health is not forgotten but given the central role that it should have in the following climate agreement. You can join us this cause that goes way beyond this Geneva session. Stay tuned!
Don’t forget to follow the discussions on Twitter (@ifmsa, @UNFCCC, and #ADP2015) and on the UN WEB TV (http://m.webtv.un.org).
On behalf of the IFMSA delegation,
Diogo Martins (IFMSA LO UNESCO)
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