Regional Forum on Climate Change at AIT to give ASEAN a voice at all-important Paris COP 21

This year, France will host the
all-important United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 21)
meeting, which will aim to reach an international climate agreement
that’s applicable to all countries after 2020. Yet even though our
planet is at great risk from increasing temperatures, arriving at a
consensual agreement to halt the rise is easier said than done.

Recent events have underscored the need for a broader framework of
dialogue among the vast array of stakeholders – scientists, civil
societies, governments, private sector – to unearth shared
understanding of relevant issues, which would then lay the foundation
for more meaningful global level talks between countries.

The “Regional Forum on Climate Change (RFCC) – Low Carbon and Climate
Resilient Societies: Bridging Science, Practice, and Policy”, which
will be held from 1-3 July 2015 at the Asian Institute of Technology
(AIT) in Pathumthani province, seeks to propose interventions that
would influence climate policy in this region, and inspire ASEAN
positions for consideration at the global scale climate change
negotiations set for Paris in December.

The forum is organized by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT),
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, ASEAN
Secretariat, and the European Union. Germany and the United Kingdom are
key partner countries. Other supporting organizations are the
Asia-Europe Foundation, CIRAD, IRD, CNRS, LoCARNet, IWA, GIZ and Canal
France International. Partner United Nations agencies include UNESCO,
UNEP, UNDP and FAO.

According to the organizers, the RFCC will bring together 400
scientists and policy-makers to discuss the translation of science into
practice and policy, and offer ASEAN negotiators a venue to build
positions of increased ambition prior to the pivotal COP 21.

A who’s who of regional and European experts will evaluate the latest
scientific approaches to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and
panel discussions will focus on “Cities and Climate Change” and
“Climate Financing”.  Moreover, policy-makers and their scientific
advisors will deliberate in a roundtable ASEAN Working Group on Climate
Change, and also at the ASEAN-EU 3rd Dialogue on Climate Change.

José Ramos-Horta, former President of Timor-Leste, United Nations
Special Envoy and the 1996 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, will
highlight the first day’s proceedings with a keynote speech.

To add versatility to the event, apart from regular presentations made
by the participants on the identified themes, the forum will also
include a one-week media training program to support the development of
coverage of climate change issues across the ASEAN media landscape. The
project is designed to help ASEAN journalists and editors-in-chief
master reporting techniques on specific examples of positive local
initiatives.

A defining aspect the RFCC is the Science and Climate Change Call for
Proposals, which will be announced during the forum to fund scientific
projects led by multinational teams. Organizers expect to accept over
150 scientific abstracts on the themes of climate science, climate and
disasters, governance and policy, climate financing and business
opportunities, and cross-cutting issues.

Overall, a raft of presentations and discussions will assess
contemporary scientific research on climate change-related topics,
on-the-ground evidence and case studies of climate change mitigation
and adaptation endeavors, as well as current and proposed national,
regional and international policy initiatives. Side events and
exhibition booths hosted by leading national and international
organizations are expected to fill the confines of the AIT Conference
Center for the three-day international event.