Proposing Chapter and Working Group Topics

There was an understanding at the DPI/NGO Conference that Climate Change has to be tackled into two ways. First of course a strategy is needed to reduce the gases that cause climate change -- and therefore we need good environmental recommendations for private citizens, industry, governments, etc.

Participants also understood (and as has been pointed out by the UN) that even if the best environmental policies were enacted today, the results of previous bad policies will continue for many years, even decades, so we also need shorter term strategies to deal with the immediate and near term damage of climate change, rising sea waters, drought, poor agricultural production, etc.

With those concepts in mind, the Participants in the 60th DPI/NGO Conference cited the following topics in the Declaration as priorities for inclusion in the Report to the Secretary General.

"sustainable development, agriculture, forestry, the special situation of Indigenous Peoples, biodiversity, livestock and animal welfare, nuclear proliferation, the end of war, justice, ethnic groups, multigenerational issues, youth, gender equality, education, poverty, food and water security, culture of peace, interfaith cooperation, national and global security and economic justice, as well as mental, spiritual and physical health. "

Finally, the participants wanted to do more than simply create a report -- they also wanted to foster real action and an NGO led process to change the status quo. To do that, Working Groups are to be set up to foster each topic within the context of Climate Change. These Working Groups are expected to create a global dialogue and links to other climate change programs. They must also draft chapters for inclusion in the Report, along with specific, science-based recommendation.

While priority topics were picked at the Conference, it was understood that a post Conference report had never been done before, so the 2008 report breaks new ground. Many of the target topics were included in the 2008 report, some combined, other deferred until 2009 because Climate Caucus is intended to be a permanent effort, producing products each year. In 2009, in addition to any other topics picked, Advocacy, Sustainable Development and Sustainable energy will be important working groups.

The efforts of the Working Groups and their recommendations are retained on their individual Home Pages and will be retained after the Report is presented to the Secretary-General in order to maintain dialogue across hemispheres and between sectors of society, becoming a permanent legacy of the 60th DPI/NGO Conference.  

Proposing a Subject Chapter Working Group is simple.  

1. Submit a relevant topic to roederaway@yahoo.com  and propose a Working Group that will create a Report Chapter showing the risks of climate change and also recommend, practical, science-based solutions to reduce those. Even if the focus of your NGO's activities isn't climate change, very likely your area is affected and you will be able to propose useful solutions. Describe the problem you wish to examine in no more than two paragraphs and the general direction of your recommendations. Also list all of the initial participants with a three or four sentence bio on each and contact information.  See deadlines.
    

2. Chapter Working Groups are permanent NGO networks.   Allow participants from outside your field of expertise to participate if they can show a link. For example, Water is often cited as one of the most important climate change topics. Millions now have no access to clean water. Millions who do will lose it as new geographies warm and dry out. Water impacts gender, agriculture and small island nations. Each of those topics is large enough to warrant a separate chapter, but the experts in each could also enrich the other chapters. In addition, use the Working Group to hold public events, develop action plans, argue for political change. In other words, while the report is an important deliverable, it isn't the only one. Working Groups can remain long after the Report is published in order to causer real change.
    

3. Propose two Coordinators.   We prefer one be a woman and one be under 35 years of age, and that both southern and northern hemispheres be represented; but this is not a firm rule. The coordinators must be able to communicate with the Editorial Working group by email.
    

4. Pick a network of NGOs to work with to develop your papers.  Your partners do not need to be in association with the UN; but you must be in association with either ECOSOC or the UN Department of Public Information. We prefer that Chapter Working Groups have at least ten participants from different NGOs as members and recommend that the size be much larger.
    

5. Your proposal  might be combined with others if they are identical or very nearly the same.
   
   Follow the rules set out in the website.