Side event at UNFCC COP15 // Copenhagen

14 December 2009 // 13.00 – 14.30 hrs.

Bella center, room: Halfdan Rasmussen

Overview

The UN system is bringing together its diverse capacities into a coherent approach to assist countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change, while tackling poverty and achieving sustainable growth. This event will showcase good practices and resources developed by the system in key areas of adaptation such as integrated land and water management, disaster risk reduction, food security and data collection and analysis within the broader framework of development planning, knowledge sharing and partnership building.

Following presentations by panelists, there will be an interactive discussion with the audience. The discussion will focus on the adaptation needs of developing countries and what the UN system can offer.

Chaired by the President of the Republic of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, this side event brings on stage the Executive Heads of six UN organizations with several more participating from the floor. Attendance is open to all interested COP15 delegates and observers.

Programme

Chair: H.E. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, President of the Republic of Maldives

13:00: Introductory remarks by the Chair

Interventions from the Podium

13:10: The adaptation imperative (Presenting the UN system’s perspective on adaptation)

Miss Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme and Chair, United Nations Development Group

13:15: Sustainable natural resource management and ecosystem-based adaptation

Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)

13:18: Access to food and food security

Ms. Josette Sheeran, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)

13:21: Integrated data collection and analysis

Mr. Michel Jarraud, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

13:24: Nutrition and Health

Ms. Ann Veneman, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

13:27 to 13:40 Interventions from the floor (2 minutes for each speaker):

Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary General, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Mr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-Habitat

Mr. Jan Kubis, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE), representing the UN Regional Commissions.

Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action in the Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)

Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Ms. Sachiko Yamamoto, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific representing the Director General, International Labor Organization (ILO)

Ms. Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF)

13:40 to 14:30 Interactive discussion, facilitated by the Chair, in response to questions from the audience