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	Climate Change: Who Will Lead? by The Elders, Mary Robinson Foundation   With the latest warnings delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over the past few weeks, no world leader will ever be able to claim that they were caught off-guard by climate change.   As former heads of state ourselves, we"ve experienced global crises from within the corridors of power. Some may take the world by surprise, but sometimes the warning signals are such that there is no excuse not to act. The IPCC report is such a signal.   The report of Working Group II of the IPCC is the most sobering assessment, to date, of the risks posed to humanity by climate change, describing a range of threats in a clear yet measured tone. Around the world, people"s crops and homes are in danger already. This will only get worse if nothing is done. Economic shocks and worsening poverty, exacerbated by a warming planet, will also increase the risk of armed conflict. It is the world"s poorest who are the most vulnerable. The report does not dictate exact scenarios but tells us, with unprecedented authority, what we must be ready for.   For this reason, it is a compelling call to action for governments. We hope it can trigger decisive action -- notably on greenhouse gas emission reduction and financing for climate adaptation -- on the road to December 2015, when world leaders will meet at a major conference in Paris to agree a new climate deal.   This week we are coming to Paris, as Elders, to help build momentum towards this deadline. It is difficult to overstate the importance of this process. Climate change ignores national borders. Multilateral negotiations remain the best approach for the world to reach a comprehensive solution. We are calling for a robust, fair, universal, and legally-binding agreement in Paris in 2015.   The IPCC report does not just describe risks, it identifies opportunities. Solutions exist. The world possesses the tools and technology needed to reduce carbon emissions, build a more sustainable economy and end our reliance on fossil fuels. Many governments, businesses and community leaders are already showing the way in promoting renewable energy and developing affordable solutions to adapt to the present impacts of climate change.   As Elders, we believe the world should become carbon-neutral by 2050 in order to keep the warming of the planet below 2°C, without jeopardizing the development opportunities of the poor. The expertise says this is feasible but requires visionary leadership and bold, concerted action. Ultimately, it is down to governments and their leaders to show the way and make sure the transition to carbon neutrality is fair.   But it would be too easy to wash one"s hands and solely blame politicians for their failure to address climate change. Any failure would be collective. Responding to climate change is everyone"s responsibility.   With Paris in December 2015 in our sights, we particularly want to stress the importance of youth movements to create the necessary anticipation and expectation that often acts as the first spark of momentum.   Furthermore, it is youth movements that determine the dedication and dynamism with which their own generations will confront these same threats when it is their turn to lead.   And with an increasingly young global population it is the youth who, by default, are the most vulnerable and directly concerned by the threats of climate change. On all counts, the youth should mobilize now.   We will hold a discussion with some of these young leaders in Paris. We will also hear from the people on the frontline of climate change, from Chad to the Philippines, and learn about the solutions they are developing to cope with its most devastating effects.   We hope that by sharing some of our experience, and having a dialogue between generations, we can encourage current leaders to seize the opportunity of the process leading up to Paris in December 2015.   Young people will inherit our planet, our successes and our failures. As Elders, we urge them not to underestimate their power, influence and responsibility to address the biggest challenge of our time.   * The Elders are a group of independent global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights, brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. The Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice is a centre for thought leadership, education and advocacy on the struggle to secure global justice for those people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change who are usually forgotten - the poor, the disempowered and the marginalised across the world, see link below.   http://theelders.org/climate-change/our-position http://theelders.org/article/climate-change-who-will-lead http://theelders.org/article/elders-climate-debate-view-twitter http://theelders.org/article/now-not-tomorrow   Geneva, 26 May 2014 (WMO)   CO2 concentrations top 400 parts per million throughout northern hemisphere   For the first time, monthly concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere topped 400 parts per million (ppm) in April throughout the northern hemisphere. This threshold is of symbolic and scientific significance and reinforces evidence that the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities are responsible for the continuing increase in heat-trapping greenhouse gases warming our planet.   All the northern hemisphere monitoring stations forming the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch network reported record atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the seasonal maximum. This occurs early in the northern hemisphere spring before vegetation growth absorbs CO2.   Whilst the spring maximum values in the northern hemisphere have already crossed the 400 ppm level, the global annual average CO2 concentration is set to cross this threshold in 2015 or 2016.   “This should serve as yet another wakeup call about the constantly rising levels of greenhouse gases which are driving climate change. If we are to preserve our planet for future generations, we need urgent action to curb new emissions of these heat trapping gases,” said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud. “Time is running out.”   CO2 remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. Its lifespan in the oceans is even longer. It is the single most important greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. It was responsible for 85% of the increase in radiative forcing – the warming effect on our climate - over the decade 2002-2012.   Between 1990 and 2013 there was a 34% increase in radiative forcing because of greenhouse gases, according to the latest figures from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).   According to WMO’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 393.1 parts per million in 2012, or 141% of the pre-industrial level of 278 parts per million. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased on average by 2 parts per million per year for the past 10 years.   Since 2012, all monitoring stations in the Arctic have recorded average monthly CO2 concentrations in spring above 400 ppm, according to data received from Global Atmosphere Watch stations in Canada, the United States of America, Norway and Finland.   This trend has now spread to observing stations at lower latitudes. WMO’s global observing stations in Cape Verde, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Spain (Tenerife) and Switzerland all reported monthly mean concentrations above 400 ppm in both March and April. http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_991_en.html http://www.worldsocialscience.org/activities/world-social-science-report/the-2013-report/read-changing-global-environments/ Visit the related web page
	Child and forced marriage - manifestation of gender discrimination by UN Office for Human Rights   “Child marriage is rooted in unequal gender status and power relations that can result in the perpetual subjugation of girls and women. In the absence of viable legal remedies, discriminatory cultural practices based on stereotypical views of women’s roles and sexuality are among the structural causes of child and forced marriage,” said Flavia Pansieri, Deputy UN high Commissioner for Human Rights.   Pansieri was speaking at a panel discussion, during the June session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which analysed the root causes and challenges of child, early and forced marriage. Panellists also discussed some of the achievements and best practises to prevent and end the practice.   “The often wide age and power differentials between brides and husbands undermine the agency and autonomy of girls and young women,” Pansieri added. “The result is exposure to physical, psychological, economic and sexual violence; forced labour; so-called “honour” crimes; domestic slavery; and restrictions on their movement.”   Violette Neubauer, Chair of the Working Group on Harmful Practices of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), said that the Convention and jurisprudence developed by the Committee set out a framework to address child and forced marriage, including the discrimination that young girls face because of their gender. In many cases, in places where the Convention is not implemented, discrimination begins with child and forced marriages.   “For millions of girls, discrimination on the grounds of sex and gender starts from their very birth. Even in countries with constitutions and laws that comply with the Convention, because of custom, tradition and/ or the failure to enforce domestic legal provisions, girls’ childhood often ends by girls becoming ‘girl brides’, by becoming the victims of discrimination.”   Kate Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director at the UN Population Fund, said that forced marriage was the thief that robbed girls of their childhood, their active participation in the world, and their exploration and realisation of themselves. She gave staggering figures on the prevalence of child marriages.   “Each day, 39,000 girls are married or joined in union without their free, prior and informed consent, without an option to do otherwise, or an understanding of the implications and contract for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “Married long before they become the adults that is indeed their right to become; married thus in violation of their human rights.”   Pooja Badarinath, Programme Coordinator of Advocacy and Research at CREA, said that the control over sexual and reproductive rights of young women and girls, and a lack of bodily autonomy are the main roots causes of child and forced marriage. Badarinath added that child and forced marriage leads to greater violation of sexual and reproductive rights of young women and girls, highlighting that they are twice as likely to experience sexual violence.   “Rigid and suffocating control over women’s and girls’ rights in order to protect their chastity and family honour, ensures that girls have no option to explore their sexuality except within marriage,” she said. “In many countries and contexts the stigma over loosing virginity before marriage is very high, leading to an increased risk of extreme violence in society and often within families.”   The Special Rapporteur on the rights of women at the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, Soyata Maiga, described the ways in which the Commission addressed the continuing discriminatory harmful practice in Africa. It recommended that States remove all legislative provisions that discriminated against women and children; harmonise national legislation with regional obligations, including the obligation to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18; and include sexual and reproductive health education in school curriculums.   Maiga stressed that in addition to legislative measures, education programmes and support to employment of educated young women were equally important. She highlighted that an all-African campaign had been launched in May 2014 calling for everyone to mobilize against child and forced marriage.   Ayman Sadek, Upper Egypt Programme Manager at Plan International, referred to his organization’s global campaign to end child and forced marriage, “Because I am a Girl”. Plan International works on three levels of change: with institutions and Government to change laws and policies; with families and communities to change social structures and challenge harmful norms; and with individuals to empower boys and girls.   “Experience in Egypt and in other regions shows that it is not enough to work with girls. Boys and men have a critical role to play in ending the cycle of child and early marriage with families,” Sadek stressed. “Men often occupy positions of power in families and communities where fathers, brothers, husbands and policy-makers hold much of the decision making power that allow the practice to continue.”   http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Childandforcedmarriagemanifestationofgenderdiscrimination.aspx http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/ http://unfpa.org/endchildmarriage Visit the related web page
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