Dialogue between Europe and Its Southern Partners on Agricultural Research and Climate Change

Start:1 7/12/2009 00:00

End: 17/12/2009 00:00

Organizer: SCAR and ERA-ARD

Type: Other initiatives

Location: Brussels

The conference will bring together 150 key policy-makers and research experts in the fields of agriculture, research and international cooperation, members of SCAR and ERA-ARD and partners from Southern countries. Background Agriculture is greatly exposed to climate change and consequences are already visible: e.g increased variations in crop yields, adaptation of new plant species, re-emergence of parasitic and zoonotic diseases, shortage of water resources, expension of areas of salinization.

The critical role that agriculture can play in fighting poverty and hunger and ensuring food safety have been highly compromised, especially in Southern regions such as in Sub-Saharan Africa. A major food crisis in these regions will have a direct impact on Europe. Therefore, the consequences of climate change on agriculture must be addressed at a global level. For Europe, it means that agricultural research programmes must not be coordinated only among European countries, but in close interaction with the Southern regions.

Over the last couple of years, significant progress has been made in terms of improved coordination and cooperation between European national programmes in agricultural research through SCAR (Standing Committee for Agricultural Research) and, more recently, ERA-ARD (an EC FP6-funded project) for its agricultural research for development (ARD) dimension.

The European countries participating in ERA-ARD, with a special support of CIRAD, the French agricultural research centre for international development, its Coordinator, SCAR and EIARD members co-organise an international conference entitled: « Dialogue between Europe and its Southern partners on agricultural research and climate change »

This conference aims at facilitating the identification and initiating coordination of European agricultural research programmes for mitigation and adaptation actions to climate change for mutual benefit of Europe and its Southern partners.

The conference will focus on 3 major themes:

-- What are the challenges and why a dialogue between Europe and its Southern partners is necessary?

-- Initial mapping of on-going and planned agricultural research programmes related to climate change in Europe and the Southern regions.

-- iorities for the future: What are the research priorities and coordination mechanisms to be put in place for reducing the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector? What could be the agenda of a European joint programme initiative in this field? Venue Centre de Conférences Albert Borschette (CCAB), 36 rue Froissart, Brussels, Belgium.

Date: The international conference will take place on 17th December 2009.

Participants: The conference will bring together 150 key policy-makers and research experts in the fields of agriculture, research and international cooperation, members of SCAR and ERA-ARD and partners from Southern countries.

Risks, insurance and investments--supporting low carbon energy technologies (Copenhagen - DK)

Start: 17/12/2009 08:30

End: 17/12/2009 13:30

Organizer: UNEP, WWF & RSA/Codan

Type: UNFCCC

Location: The WWF tent at Nytorv in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WWF and RSA/Codan invites to participate in a high level roundtable debate on the barriers and opportunities in relation to ensuring the development of low carbon technologies in the emerging markets and the developing world. The goal of the roundtable is to bring together a number of key stakeholders representing private and public investors, donors, beneficiaries and the insurance industry as well as many others to discuss how to develop a framework that can remove the barriers hampering investments in low carbon energy technologies.

The conclusions from the roundtable will be presented by UNEP at a side event at the COP15 negotiations later the same day.

Note: This roundtable discussion is by invitation only. Please confirm your participation before December 4 by e-mail to: Nicolaj Egerod atnicolaj.egerod@hillandknowlton.com

(China.org.cn December 4, 2009)