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30 January 2009 - News Article
The Global Humanitarian Forum co-organized today’s panel on Climate Justice at the Open Forum Davos to discus solutions to the injustices of climate change and actions needed at the international level.
The Open Forum Davos has for the seventh time been organized by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) and the World Economic Forum. For the first time a panel has been co-organized by the Global Humanitarian Forum and the Forum’s President Kofi Annan took part in the discussion as panelist. Other lead participants included Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman and Managing Director of the Hindustan Construction Company Ltd India; Bharrat Jagdeo, the President of Guyana; Raj Singh, Chief Risk Officer of the Swiss Re; and Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Over three-quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – the principle cause of climate change – come from industrialized countries such as the EU, the United States, China, Russia, India and Japan. The 49 least developed countries account for just 1% of global emissions. Although the poor are certainly not responsible for climate change, the brunt of such impacts are borne by them, since they have the least buffer of protection and means to cope. As a general solution Mr Annan advocated that we should charge the polluter a cost and use these financial resources to help the poor adapt. Mr Annan further emphasized that “we have to have a system that is embracing equity.”
Forum co-hosts Climate Justice Debate at Davos Open Forum
Davos Open Forum panel on Climate Justice
(SEK/Flügge)
(SEK/Flügge)
The Open Forum Davos has for the seventh time been organized by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) and the World Economic Forum. For the first time a panel has been co-organized by the Global Humanitarian Forum and the Forum’s President Kofi Annan took part in the discussion as panelist. Other lead participants included Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman and Managing Director of the Hindustan Construction Company Ltd India; Bharrat Jagdeo, the President of Guyana; Raj Singh, Chief Risk Officer of the Swiss Re; and Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Over three-quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – the principle cause of climate change – come from industrialized countries such as the EU, the United States, China, Russia, India and Japan. The 49 least developed countries account for just 1% of global emissions. Although the poor are certainly not responsible for climate change, the brunt of such impacts are borne by them, since they have the least buffer of protection and means to cope. As a general solution Mr Annan advocated that we should charge the polluter a cost and use these financial resources to help the poor adapt. Mr Annan further emphasized that “we have to have a system that is embracing equity.”