中欧社会论坛 - China Europa Forum

2016 COP22 – Satellite Meeting, Marrakech

Facing climate change, promoting green supply chains and building an ecological civilisation （Media Statement）

The 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) took place in Marrakesh on November 7 to 18.

A satellite meeting organised jointly by the China-Europa Forum and SEE Conservation on November 16 was a key opportunity for discussing and debating future roadmaps and multi-level action involving NGOs and the private sector in implementing green supply chains and ecological education, moving towards an ecological civilisation.

Nearly 100 people from the European Committee of the Regions, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chinese-European-Moroccan enterprises and NGOs attended the event which was organised in two parts around the themes of “Promoting the Real Estate Green Supply Chain - Chinese Entrepreneurs in Action” and “The World in Action - Education and Clean Energy”. Some 20 high-level experts and representatives gave presentations and shared cases.

At the opening session QIAN Xiaohua, President of SEE Conservation; Michel Lebrun, former President of the European Committee of the Regions; Jean Jouzel, climatologist, Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Group I; Mohamed Moubdil, Minister delegated to the Head of the Government in charge of Public Service and Modernisation of Administration; Dantec Ronan, French senator (Loire Atlantique department), President of Nantes Climate Chance Summit; and Paul Tran Van Thinh, Chairman of the China Europa Forum Association, addressed the meeting.

Jean Jouzel said it was initiatives such as those taken today that would lead us towards solutions. “We have the Paris agreement but we also know that it is insufficient for the moment. If we want to stay below 2C we will have 35% to 40% too much in the way of emissions by 2030. What we hope for the Marrakesh COP is to go ahead and talk about this ambition, which must add up.” The European Committee of the Regions participated for the second time in a satellite meeting organised by the Europa China Forum after Paris COP 21 in 2015. Michel Lebrun said: “Our collaboration throughout COPs proves that our cooperation is for the long-term. It represents the willingness of Chinese and European local actors to build ties aimed at a more sustainable world addressing socio-economic development and climate challenges.”

The implementation of the International Campus for an Ecological Civilisation (CICE) project is an opportunity to promote lifelong education and cultivate talent for building an ecological civilisation so that present and future generations understand the dangers of climate change, and to explore the appropriate solutions.

Paul Tran Van Thinh, Chairman of the China-Europa Forum Association, reminded the audience that the world is exposed to explosive dangers, increasing economic inequality between generations and nationalities. Democracy was being undermined by the revolt of voters against sclerotic political systems, elites and the media. This was why the International Campus for an Ecological Civilisation would allow a re-definition of topics and paradigms towards a more open and fair world where global governance was necessary.

According to Ronan Dantec danger would not come from climate scepticism but from climate fatalism. There were increasing actions and committed dynamics across the world. The campus would help in spreading information and sharing good practices.

Brégeon Jacques, President of the International Campus for an Ecological Civilisation Association, presented the Campus project by explaining that the Campus as a platform would offer courses for different audiences, including leaders, who would need to learn about climate issues and integrate them as well as leading international projects. “We will be hosting existing organisations which will find a field of privileged experimentation. We will also welcome other activities such as companies which will demonstrate know-how - it will be a technological hall, a nursery for business projects. The Campus is also interested in building itself into a model of ecological transformation and a demonstration site.” He added that we needed to work with professionals and practitioners while respecting ethics and taking future generations into account. Education was an additional key pillar, he said. School manuals needed to be adapted in order for students to discover more about the fight against climate change.

At the panel discussion on “Clean Energy for a Transition towards Ecologically Sustainable Societies”, moderator Jacques Saint-Marc, the French economist and urban and regional planner, pointed out that we could reach 5 degrees more by the end of the century if we do not produce clean energy and reduce GHG.

Andres Jaadla, representative of the European Committee of the Regions, ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors, presented a unique success story of multi-level governance on climate at the Covenant of Mayors panel. Thousands of cities in Europe were now part of the Covenant. This initiative was steering cities and regions towards taking the lead and delivering ambition locally in order to achieve one common goal. It showed that only through governments working side-by-side at all levels could we find a long-term answer to climate change.

Stéphane Aver, CEO of the Swiss company AAqius, showed a short film about the company which is undertaking research and investment into finding a solution to bringing clean zero-carbon energy to mobility and habitat based on hydrogen-fuelled energy (e.g. in cars, bikes, heating systems, etc.). According to Stéphane Aver hydrogen generation is ready to be addressed to the whole planet.

All panellists agreed on the need to strike a balance between ecology, progressive work and economy. Sze Ping LO, CEO of WWF China, believed that the energy revolution was already happening. Chinese decision-makers were setting up key strategies to transform objectives into real action. As a country leading this new green energy revolution, wind power was now the third largest source of electricity in China after coal and hydro. “Without transiting to an economy that is 100% based on renewable energy, we are not going to be able to help this planet to avoid catastrophic climate change. Fossil fuel has no future on this planet. By mid-century we will need to decarbonise our entire global economy. Every new megawatt of coal plants being built today will be a stranded asset in the future.”

After Paris COP21 in 2015 this satellite meeting was the second time that the China-Europa Forum joined with China SEE Conservation and European and African partners in order to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement for building a sustainable society and an ecological civilisation.