The Ministers and Heads of Delegation attending the twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP20) held in Lima, Peru, from 1 to 12 December 2014 adopted the Lima Declaration on Education and Awareness-raising.
Recalling the importance of the importance of Article 6 of the Convention and Article 10(e) of the Kyoto Protocol, the countries reaffirmed that public participation, access to information and knowledge are crucial for developing and implementing effective policies to combat climate change and adapt to its impacts, as well as to engage actively, as appropriate, all stakeholders, including children, youth, the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, indigenous and local communities and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of these policies.
The declaration also stresses that education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, knowledge and international cooperation play a fundamental role in meeting the ultimate objective of the Convention and in promoting climate-resilient sustainable development.
Moreover, the delegates reaffirmed their commitment to promote and facilitate, at the national and, as appropriate, at subregional and regional levels, and in accordance with national laws and regulations, and within the respective capacities, the development and implementation of educational and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects, of public access to information on climate change and its effects and of public participation in addressing climate change and urged all Parties to give increased attention to these matters.
Access the Lima Ministerial Declaration
Preliminary document of the future regional agreement
In the Santiago Decision, adopted at the fourth meeting of the focal points appointed by the governments of the signatory countries of the Declaration on Principle 10 in Latin America and the Caribbean, it was agreed to request that ECLAC prepare a preliminary document on the regional instrument.
At the same time, it was agreed to invite the signatory and non-signatory countries and the public to submit input for the preliminary document of the regional instrument by 31 December 2014.
The Technical Secretariat is thankful for the input it received from governments and the public. The preliminary document will be available at the web page of the process on 31 March 2015.
Dates of the meetings of the Negotiating Committee
At the request of the co-chairs of the Presiding Officers, please note that the meetings of the Negotiating Committee for 2015 are tentatively scheduled for:
· 5-7 May 2015, at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago
· 27-29 October 2015 (venue to be determined)
Kindly save these dates in your agenda.
Election of representatives of the public to maintain a continuous dialogue with the Presiding Officers
In the Santiago Decision, the signatory countries of the Declaration invited the public to designate two representatives to maintain a continuous dialogue with the Presiding Officers.
To honour this agreement, all members of the Regional Public Mechanism are invited to send proposals on how to elect the two representatives to principio10.lac@cepal.org by Friday, 30 January 2015.
Highlights
Visit the Principle 10 website in Latin America and Caribbean
8 http://www.cepal.org/rio20/
