CALD hosts a COP21 Liberal Gathering

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) hosted a series of events on the sidelines of the historic UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris, France.  Held from 30 November to 11 December 2015, COP 21 concluded with a new landmark deal which committed all 195 countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will limit the global average temperature to a rise “well below” 2C (3.6F) compared to pre-industrial levels.  The final agreement can be accessed here.

Recognizing the importance of this UN conference, CALD, in cooperation with Liberal International (LI) and the International Federation of the Liberal Youth (IFLRY), organized a series of liberal coordination events in the Moroccan Pavilion through the initiative of LI Vice-President on the Bureau and Minister for the Environment of the Kingdom of Morocco, Hakima El Haité – providing a taste of what world leaders can expect ahead of COP22, which will take place in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016.

In the afternoon of 6 December, Philippine Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection and Head of CALD Climate Change Committee Secretary Neric Acosta, Thai COP21 delegation member and former MP Dr. Monthip Sriratana, and Special Adviser to the Minister of Environment of Morocco Omar Zemrag were welcomed by IFLRY Climate Change Programme Manager Tone Bjørndal to a plenary discussion on the liberal climate change agenda, as well as on the role of the youth and civil society in addressing climate change.  Participants noted how the CALD Climate Change Statement for COP21, and its broader CALD Climate Change Statement, could be incorporated in the LI Manifesto of 2017.  Secretary Acosta and Dr. Sriratana were also invited to join Minister El Haité in pushing for climate change as an LI priority area.   

At a CALD-hosted dinner on the same day, Minister El Haité addressed the audience with a thoughtful speech on the next steps after COP21: “We need to be courageous and responsible, and show solidarity and generosity and, finally, love. In Marrakech COP22 will focus on implementing the agreement we will conclude here in Paris. This fight will not end with our generation.”

“’Historic’ does not quite begin to describe the world’s adoption of the Paris Agreement…”, said Sec. Acosta.  “But for every negotiator, diplomat, official, activist, businessman, youth, and citizen of the planet, this is a dramatic turning of that consequential new leaf together. Yet the book and story of climate action, and justice, and a ‘decarbonized’ new future for the world will still have to be written – by all.”