Organised in partnership with the United Nations Association Climate and Oceans, to raise awareness about the importance of our ocean for climate and the need for urgent action and international cooperation to stop devastating climate change. Left alone to run its course, the climate crisis is likely to make our planet uninhabitable by humans and most other life forms.
Main speakers
The complete recording of the Zoom conference is now available on YouTube
Presentations by Dr Nazia Khanum OBE DL, Chair of UNA-Luton; Susan Lousada, High Sheriff of
Bedfordshire; Councillor Maria Lovell, Mayor of Luton; Gonzalo Alvarez, Chair of UNA Climate and Oceans
Statement by Faatiha Aayat, 9-year old climate campaigner from New York; Question and Answer session facilitated by Dr David Cheesman, Secretary of UNA-Luton
Sir David Attenborough's message to the United Nations Ocean Conference
A brief report of the conference will be posted soon, with an action plan. 83 delegates participated. They came from all parts of the world - from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippines - and brought a wealth of local experience and expertise to the discussion. It was agreed that the meeting should be followed up by action, as a basis for developing an international campaign, working with other climate change organisations to tackle the critical issues raised in Gonzalo Alvarez's sobering presentation.
There was particular concern about the failure of governments around the world to meet their international commitments. Those of us based in the United Kingdom were invited to contact their MPs and encourage them to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill which is being presented to Parliament by 96 MPs from all parties.
Conference on Climate change: negotiations, actions and
movements University of Bedfordshire and UNA-Luton, 6 November 2017
The event started with the raising of the UN flag to
celebrate UN Day and was opened by Bill Rammell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire and Honorary President of UNA-Luton
This
all-day multi-disciplinary event involved simulated and participatory
activities to generate effective learning
and networking opportunities. An innovative feature of the day was the
role-play 'World Climate Negotiations.' This was set up as an
international conference on climate change to negotiate carbon emission
targets. Participants were assigned to specific countries, fossil fuel
lobby groups or environmental NGO groups and given the appropriate
negotiating brief. They were not allowed to choose countries or groups
of their own preference and no prior understanding of climate change or
sustainable development was needed. Participants reported that they had
learned from the experience and found it an exciting approach to the
issues.