Conference Programme : Conference Documents : Acknowledgements
A ground breaking event organised by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and BTCV Scotland
The United Nations has identified 2009 as a crucial year for climate change, culminating in the UN Climate Change conference Copenhagen on 7 – 18 December. This prestigious and unique Scottish conference will be held in Glasgow on 23 November 2009. It aims to bring the human cost of climate change into sharper focus, to put human rights and social implications at the heart of policy thinking and to provide Scottish Ministers with new perspectives to take to the table in Copenhagen.
“The Copenhagen conference probably represents the world’s last chance to bring climate change under control before it’s too late. The Road to Copenhagen Initiative, which I co-chair together with Mary Robinson and Gro Harlem Brundtland, is calling for the achievement of climate justice, and ultimately sustainable development.”
EU Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, July 2009
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/wallstrom/climate-justice/
The conference partners want to bring together key policy makers, influencers and activists from the social, environmental and economic sectors in Scotland to share ideas and develop proposals for action that can help give Scotland a leading role in the global debate.
“To address climate change effectively will require a transformation of global policy capacity - from information-gathering and collective decision-making to law enforcement and resource distribution.... Human rights make clear that government obligations do not stop at their own borders”
Mary Robinson
Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
The keynote address will be delivered by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth. The Programme will also include perspectives from experts in environmental and human rights issues at national and local level. The theme of ‘climate justice’ will inform the debate and we hope the event will stimulate firm commitments for action as well as new and lasting contacts for delegates. The event will have a strong emphasis on interactive networking and discussion sessions.
The conference aim is to stimulate interest and inspire action by:
