Change for good at The Warsaw Climate Change Conference

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are performed each year and are part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties in which they evaluate progress in dealing with climate change, and since 1990 it is also the scenario to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol.

The Warsaw Climate Change Conference of 2013 took place from the 11 to 23 of November in Poland. It included the 19^th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as the 9^th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 9).[1]

Furthermore, this event also held forums, workshops and showcases in which specific topics were developed, environmental projects exposed and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions all around the world were shared, far from the debate and decision making that happens in the other meetings of the Conference.

Although meetings between countries are important and decisions, covenants and agreements about the best way to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere is the first objective of this conference, I believe these other activities have special value because of the ideas on environmental innovations and projects that are exposed. All these projects clearly show the awareness of civil society organizations for the environmental concerns around the world.

A great example is the platform of Momentum for Change, launched by the UNFCCC at COP 17/CMP 7 in Durban in December 2011. The UNFCCC objective was to build momentum for developing climate management by enhancing the visibility of successful projects that measurably improve the quality of life for the benefited people. In addition, there are so-called ‘Lighthouse Projects’ that have the potential to be replicable and taken to a greater scale. “These ‘Lighthouse Projects’ are beacons of opportunity, pointing the direction towards fulfilling the objectives of the Convention”.[2]

In my opinion, this above-mentioned initiative is the best opportunity to address ideas for climate change that may be lost amongst the challenges of limited capacity, resources and political will of each country involved. It is the perfect way of balancing the conversations, meetings and tough decisions that take place in the UNFCCC with new inspiring ideas that remind us that although climate change is a real and urgent problem, there are also organizations and people all around the world that are doing something to improve this reality.

“(…) Highlighting and enhancing the positive  developments in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation, will increase innovation, motivation, hope, passion and capacity for further change.”[3]

A great example of Momentum for Change in the finance for climate friendly investment set is the project Eco-Casa, which promotes low carbon housing in México. Rapidly expanding cities in Mexico are bringing with them increased energy demand and inefficient transport patterns. Mexico’s residential sector currently accounts for about 16 per cent of total energy use and 26 per cent of total electricity use, but sustainable housing requires investment. This activity is helping Mexico tackle climate change by unlocking financing to build low-carbon housing and increasing the amount of mortgages for low-carbon housing.[4]

The project is based in the fact that a badly designed home deteriorates the quality of life of its inhabitants and may generate an additional expense of 1,000 KWh per year, representing about a 600 kg of CO² emission into the atmosphere each year. The Eco-Casa project helped build 27,600 houses and 1,700 others funded in seven years, achieving reduced energy expenditure in Mexico.

Eco-Casa is an example of how can projects cannot only enable a global shift to environmental progress, but also gives sustainable growth. This project is also an economic strategy in which a whole community benefits from money savings while climate-friendly development is created. These kind of examples shows us that it can been done more than just agreements, we can begin acting and changing reality.

All in all, UNFCCC is a framework that bonds key performers for global change, innovations and projects that establishes satisfactory solutions to improve quality life in the world and resolutions for environmental and climate change. As Momentum for Change initiative states, is change for good.

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