Abstract de el Texto de ALy C a ser presentado en la Conferencia COP-15

IT IS ALL ABOUT THEM

Climate Change talking is everywhere: Newspaper, TV shows, Internet blogs, Politicians’ speeches, Priests’ sermons and even kindergarten lessons’. Your neighbor talks about it. Your family discusses it. Even politicians and corporate know. No matter in which “annexes” your country is or the numbers and stats you use. We all know it is serious.

Climate Change fighting technologies’ are everywhere. From traditional techniques, preserved by indigenous populations all around the world, to most futuristic alternatives energy sources supply came from Universities. We know how to change it.

Climate Change consequences are everywhere: Economy production, water supply, land use, food price, energy consumption, rains distribution, viruses’ outbreaks and each single aspect of human life. The poor and the most-vulnerable, as the children, already are impacted and will be more affected. The poorest always pays the bill without having even being part of the meal. We are aware of the impact.

We expect changes come from everywhere: From our neighbors, our peers, our leaders. We expect changes from organizations and corporate. A minority even expect changes from themselves. We also expect changes from the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Copenhagen.

But, despite our knowledge since the first UNFCCC (Rio 1992), the CO2 emissions had raised about 30%. Our awareness did not prevent us to produce more than 50 millions of new private vehicles were added. The know-how was useless to avoid the extinction of almost 150 species. And, the planet had lost forests equivalent to 3 Frances. Regardless our good expectations, taking into consideration some progresses made, at the current pace, we will still melt ice-sheets, rising sea levels, spreading floods and droughts beyond our capacity to manage it. We did know and we did expect to act. But, we did not change.

Change is more complex than listing consequences, more intricate than talking, broader than knowing, goes beyond the know-how to do it. Change is not trigged by expectations only. There is a long distance between mind and arms.

Changes required to reverting the situation demand present costs against future gains. Change is an investment, not a response. There is no investment without confidence. There is no investment without hope. Change is not about past.

The change required in the current global environmental crises is far beyond the decarbonisation of the economy. The global warming is not collateral of industrialization. It is in the very hart of a misleading development paradigm founded in economic growth based in individual interest, non-essential consumption, and profound inequality (among countries and inside each society).

The change we need calls for a developing model transformation. It implies revolutionizing values, promoting inclusion thru equality and establishing a long-term commitment agenda. It reaches all aspects of human life, from micro relations to global governance.

The change requires a new development model therefore, a new generation. For the deepening and extension of the changes required, the children must be the leading in this change.

At COP-15 it is urgent demanding governments, multilateral organisms and major economic players to take their responsibilities. We owe it to the next generation. However, our responsibility with the future furthermore demands calling the children to the center of the debate and to the core of the solution implementation. It implies goes beyond a, even valid, pro-child agenda. It is about be committed with a child-focused changing program. Instead of trying to save the planet in behalf of the children, it is being engaged in recognizing their ownership in the changing process and facilitates its realization.

A child-focused changing means more than just give children voice in this debate. It goes beyond enhance our dialogue with them. It reaches ahead of engage them in environmental friendly activities. It involves setting a changing agenda having them as primary agents of transformation. They need to become the transformation we need.

Change is all about Children.

Eduardo Nunes,
OPs &  IM Director, Latin America &Caribean Office, World Vision International