COP17

Food. Water. Energy. For All. Forever

 
Why food, water and energy for all?
The resources of food, water and energy are central to our existence and the cornerstones of our economy. The dynamic interactions between water, agriculture, the environment, and energy are now more evident than at any other time in human history.

WWF’s Living Planet Report demonstrates that in failing to recognise that these resources are connected in fundamental ways and managing them holistically we have exceeded the Earth’s carrying capacity. Addressing our overconsumption begins with the recognition that these three resources operate as an increasingly interdependent nexus and that we won’t succeed in meeting our food needs unless we recognise the connections to our management of water and energy.

As the world’s population rises to an expected 9.2-billion by the middle of the century, securing food, water and energy access faces even greater challenges, challenges that can only be aggravated by climate change. Understanding the nexus between food, water and energy is essential to creating management plans that will ensure the long-term well-being of people and the planet. 

COP17 at a glance

What is COP17?
What is the UNFCCC?
The role of civil society
WWF's expectations for COP17
Latest COP news
COP17 events  

Climate Change Explained

What is Climate Change?
What causes Climate Change?
What can you do?
What is WWF doing? 
Climate Change and Food Security
Climate change will have a significant impact on food availability, food accessibility and food system’s stability in many parts of the world. Climate change poses a significant risk of increased crop failure, loss of livestock and impact on local food security. In some areas drier and warmer conditions are predicted, elsewhere wetter conditions are expected and will affect agricultural practices. It will affect human health and livelihoods, as well as people’s purchasing power, food markets and food security on a household level.

Most of Africa relies on rain-fed agriculture. As a result, it is highly vulnerable to changes in climate variability, seasonal shifts, and precipitation patterns. Any amount of warming will result in increased water stress. Roughly 70 percent of the population lives by farming, and 40 percent of all exports are agricultural products. One-third of the income in Africa is generated by agriculture, and crop production and livestock farming account for about half of household income. Agricultural production in many African countries and regions is projected to be severely compromised by climate variability and change areas suited for agriculture. In some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50% by 2020.

In addition, natural disasters will be more intense, while pest outbreaks for both crops and livestock will become more frequent. It will change temperatures and rainfall patterns, influencing plant seasons and affecting certain crop yields. Rain-fed agriculture-based livelihood systems, like most parts of Africa, are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity.

At the same time, we need to protect forests. Forests do so much: they purify our air, improve water quality, keep soils intact, provide us with food, wood products and medicines, and are home to many of the world’s most endangered wildlife.

In fact, an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide rely on forests for their livelihoods, including 60 million indigenous people who depend on forests for their subsistence.

Forests also help protect the planet from climate change by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), a major source of pollution that causes climate change.

Unfortunately, forests are being destroyed or damaged at an alarming rate by logging and burning to clear land for agriculture or livestock. These activities release huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Scientists estimate up to 20 percent of global carbon emissions come from deforestation – greater than emissions from every car, truck and plane on the planet combined. So instead of forests helping us to solve the climate crisis, deforestation is making the situation even worse.
/ ©: Kate Holt / WWF-UK
© Kate Holt / WWF-UK

COP17 & Sustainable Business

Click here for information on why businesses should participate in COP and what opportunities there are for them to engage with the issues before and during the climate change talks. 
Climate Change and Water
Rivers and lakes supply drinking water for people and animals, as well as being vital for agriculture and industry. Oceans and seas provide food for billions of people.

Climate change will have major and unpredictable effects on the world's water systems, including more floods and droughts. Extremes of drought and flooding will become more common, causing displacement and conflict and less fresh water means less agriculture, food and income.

Particular ‘hot spots’ include dry regions, areas highly dependent on groundwater, small island developing states, low-lying deltas and fragile mountainous areas.

Management of water resources is central to successful adaptation planning and implementation, and to building the resilience of communities and countries.

Like forests, oceans are vital ‘carbon sinks’ – they absorb huge amounts of CO2, preventing it from reaching the upper atmosphere. But increased water temperatures and higher than normal CO2 concentrations, causing ocean acidification, are already having an impact.

Coral reefs and shellfish are particularly at risk – sensitive coral (and algae living on it) is starved of oxygen, causing dramatic bleaching and eventual death of the coral. The increasing number of tropical storms also poses a significant risk.  
/ ©: Peter Chadwick / WWF-SA
© Peter Chadwick / WWF-SA
Climate Change and Energy
Energy is essential for poverty reduction, yet the means by which we have been producing energy is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. We have an obligation to provide energy to those who need it, but burning more fossil fuels in the form of coal, oil and gas is going to worsen global warming and threaten food and water security further. Changing the way we produce energy is an important way for us to tackle climate change.

There are a multitude of technologies already available which can help us prevent runaway climate change. By 2050, we could get all the energy we need from renewable sources. This will solve most of the problems of climate change and dwindling fossil fuel resources. We also need to increase measures to conserve energy in all sectors.

We can show that such a transition is not only possible but also cost-effective, providing energy that is affordable for all and producing it in ways that can be sustained by the global economy and the planet.

However, technologies form just one part of the jigsaw. As important is the political framework – to ensure that the relevant technologies can really thrive. Similarly, it is crucial that businesses and investors are sufficiently informed and prepared to drive forward change rather than wait until it is too late.

We need a revolution in the supply of energy to achieve this. We need to make a drastic switch from the current reliance on fossil fuel energy to a super-efficient system with new low- and zero-carbon technologies.  
/ ©: Hartmut Jungius / WWF-Canon
Alternative energy generated by wind
© Hartmut Jungius / WWF-Canon

COP17 at a glance

What is COP17?
COP17 is a United Nations meeting of governments of the world, to be held in Durban from 28 November to 9 December this year. The global relevance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) must be viewed within the context of the Kyoto Protocol, which is an international agreement that binds the 37 industrialised countries to reducing their carbon emissions. The primary focus of COP17, hosted in Durban this year, is to track the progress and implementation of strategies, adopt policies and resolutions all with a focus on combating climate change. 
/ ©: WWF-Canon / Richard Stonehouse
© WWF-Canon / Richard Stonehouse
What is the UNFCCC?
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adopted in 1992, is a framework convention to address and deal with the issue of climate change on a global level. There are 194 parties that have signed on to create and implement inter-governmental strategies; learn to multilaterally adapt to the effects of climate change and share knowledge and information. 
The role of civil society
The Civil Society Committee for COP17 (C17) includes representatives of 16 organisations including social movements, labour, environmental justice organisations, international environmental NGOs and faith-based organisations. It is a facilitatory body that will coordinate the participation of international and national movements and organisations of civil society in the common process but will not seek to represent them or to enter into negotiations with governments on their behalf.

Rather, C17 seeks to create opportunities for:
  • Civil society engagement with climate change solutions and in the climate change negotiations during 2011
  • Civil society engagement with the South African government around climate change negotiations and positions
  • A platform for the expression of diversity in civil society
  • Environmental movement building in South Africa and the region 
/ ©: WWF-Canon / Richard Stonehouse
© WWF-Canon / Richard Stonehouse
WWF's expectations for COP17
COP 17 in Durban will be a tipping point in the UN negotiation process on climate change. Government leaders can either build on the progress achieved at COP 16 in Cancun and act to prevent runaway climate change, or they can allow short-term national interests to set us on a path towards a 3° - 4° C warming world.

WWF has identified two main objectives that it expects the conference to achieve, namely the operationalisation of the Cancun Agreement, and increased ambition and basis for a future legally-binding agreement.

Key among the big issues is the future of the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. It is currently the only international commitment that binds signatories to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. While the EU has expressed willingness to continue it if other countries join in, major developed countries refuse to back the EU’s pledge unless developing countries also make commitments.

Developing countries, such as South Africa, have indicated that the Kyoto Protocol must continue and is a bottom line in negotiations for a balanced package. However, unless developing countries are also willing to signal their readiness to take on legally binding commitments in the future, it will be very difficult to find a means to avoid runaway climate change. Since many other issues rest on this decision, the stalemate is holding back other necessary agreements.

The second issue is long-term finance, to cut emissions and to pay for urgently-needed adaptation to climate impacts. This includes agreements on the management of the UN Green Climate Fund, as well the sources for the $100 billion pledge made by developed countries in Copenhagen.

For a full description of WWF’s expectations for COP17, click here. 

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Terms: Adaptation and Mitigation

The talk is of a just transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy.

'Climate resilient' refers to strengthening the capacity of our people, environment and economy to prepare for, withstand and respond to the impacts of climate change. This is called adaptation to climate change.

'Low carbon' refers to the need for us to transform our economy and the way we live so as to limit our emissions of greenhouse gases. This is called mitigation of climate change.

In most cases, adaptation and mitigation are linked and need to be considered together. For example, if people move out of a flood area, the new houses that are built must be energy efficient. 

Latest COP News

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COP17 Events

Pre-COP

2 November: COP 17 Webinar: Risks and Opportunities for Companies, Samantha Smith, Leader of WWF Global Climate and Energy Initiative, will talk about COP 17 and the possible implications for business. (9.00 to 10.00 CET and from 17.00 to 18.00 CET)

8-9 November: WWF Green Growth SA Symposium, Prospects for COP17, JHB

15-16 November: WWF media launch of report on impacts of coal mining and SA dependency on coal (final date to be confirmed)

COP17

(Durban November 28 to December 9)

WWF events outside formal precinct

29 November, 18.30 – 20.30, Nedbank Building, Durban: WWF Green Growth SA launch of the WWF-SA publication "Towards a Green Economy: Envisaging success at COP17", featuring panel speakers Jeremy Cronin, Tasneem Essop, Emily Tyler and Deon Nel.

1 December, 14.30 -17.30: Business response to climate variability in Southern Africa: focus on adaptation and water stewardship by major corporations. (WWF, NBI and WWF partners SABMiller and Nedbank) WWF-SA’s Dr Deon Nel and Dr Mao Amis speaking.

1 December, 18:30- 21:00: NBI Roundtable: Responses to future water challenges in a changing climate, Nedbank Building (SABMiller, Nedbank) WWF-SA’s Christine Colvin and Dr Mao Amis speaking

3 December, Durban / Johannesburg: Global Day of Action, WWF participating in march.

5 December, 07.00 – 19.00: WBSD/NBI/ICC Global Business Day: Keep Moving - Climate, business and growth for all. WWF Director General Jim Leape to speak.

5 December, 14.00 - 18.00, Climate Change Response Expo - Networking Marquee (Umdloti Room): Power the Future side event, with participation from WWF's Samantha Smith and Saliem Fakir.

5 December, 18.30 – 20.00, Africa Pavilion: African Development Bank side event: Green Economy in Africa. Panelists include Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Abdoulie Janneh, with WWF's Jim Leape chairing.

6 December, 08.00 - 11.30, Docklands Hotel, 40 Mahatma Gandhi Rd: Coal Water Nexus roundtable (how can South Africa move to a green economy when we've been addicted to coal for so long?), featuring speakers Steve Nicholls, Deon Nel, Bill Lamont, Christine Colvin, Dave Collins, and Saliem Fakir.  

6 December: Dialogue on Global Sustainability and Climate, with participation from WWF's Samantha Smith

6 December, 9.00 – 12.00: NBI Roundtable with WWF, Energy seminar: Clean coal, Coal and water nexus, renewable energy. WWF-SA’s Christine Colvin and Saliem Fakir speaking

6 December, 20.30 – 21.30, Botanic Gardens: Business for the Environment (B4E) Durban Dialogue, accelerating and scaling up implementation of low, or zero, footprint products and services across sectors. WWF-SA’s Ms Malango Mughogho and WWF International’s Mr Bruce Haase speaking. (Partners include WBCSD and WWF, invite only.)

7 December, 9.00 – 12.00: NBI Roundtable Responsible Investment, sponsored by Sanlam.

7 December, 6.30 (TBC): SARI (South African Renewables Initiative) MOU signing.

8 December: REPEAT: 'Food, Water & Energy for All' - Lessons from WWF's work in Africa. We will highlight the key lessons from our work in 5 regions in Africa and highlight, through case studies, how we can build food, water and energy security for all in Africa.

7 December, 7.00 (TBC): WWF Climate Savers partners’ dinner.

WWF events within official precinct

7 December, 15.00 - 16.30, Levubu River Room: 'Food, Water & Energy for All' - Lessons from WWF's work in Africa. We will highlight the key lessons from our work in 5 regions in Africa and highlight, through case studies, how we can build food, water and energy security for all in Africa.

 
/ ©: WWF-SA
The WWF stand at the exhibition space of COP17 in Durban
© WWF-SA

Climate Change explained

What is Climate Change?
Climate change is the shift of weather conditions over time. The average temperature on the planet has been increasing in recent decades (global warming), resulting in more extreme and unpredictable weather across the world. As the problem escalates, some places are getting hotter, some colder, some wetter and others drier. 
/ ©: Brent Stirton / Getty Images
© Brent Stirton / Getty Images
What causes Climate Change?
Greenhouses gases, such as carbon dioxide, trap heat in the atmosphere and regulate our climate. These gases exist naturally, but humans have been adding even more carbon dioxide by burning fossil fuels for energy (coal, oil and natural gas) and by cutting down forests. Because more greenhouse gases trap more heat, average temperatures around the world are increasing. At the same time, the Earth’s oceans are also absorbing some of this extra carbon dioxide, making them more acidic and less hospitable for sea life. 
/ ©: Edward Parker / WWF-Canon
Cooling towers letting out steam and smoke
© Edward Parker / WWF-Canon
What can you do?
Contact your representatives
Urge government and business leaders and representatives to take action and cut carbon pollution and to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Reduce energy use at home and on the road
Using less energy involves a series of small actions that all add up. Steps like switching to fluorescent bulbs for lighting, installing a solar geyser, using public transport or car pooling can go a long way to reducing your footprint. Get more tips here.

Switch to renewable energy
Solar panels and wind turbines use renewable sources of energy that are clean and safe. Consider installing solar panels on your roof, or ask your electricity provider if they have options for you to buy renewable energy power “off the grid.”

Join the movement
Make your voice heard by joining the global climate change movement and WWF’s Earth Hour, urging the world to work together to combat climate change and create a better future for our planet. 
/ ©: Ogilvy
Always use reusable shopping bags when hitting the mall.
© Ogilvy
What is WWF doing?
WWF's goal is for the world to develop an equitable low carbon economy by 2050, which is resilient to the level of climate change that is unavoidable. All efforts should be undertaken to avoid dangerous climate change.

WWF works on low carbon development and climate policy, clean and smart energy, forests and climate, climate finance, and climate business engagement.

Our work to achieve a "climate-safe" future includes:
  • Advocating a new international climate agreement – one that is just and legally binding
  • Promoting energy efficiency – the most rapid and cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions
  • Promoting renewable energy sources – like wind, solar, and geothermal power
  • Preventing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation – currently responsible for 20% of all emissions
  • Developing and promoting climate change adaptation strategies – to safeguard the most vulnerable people and the most exposed ecosystems
We also work with businesses to help them prepare for the low carbon economy.

As part of our work on conserving ecosystems and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, WWF's forest, freshwater, marine, and species programmes are developing climate change adaptation strategies.

Fast facts: Global Warming

Certain human activities release greenhouse gases. These gases heat up the average world temperature. This global warming leads to climate change, with extreme and unpredictable weather.

The most common greenhouse gas released by human activity is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is emitted when we make cement, burn wood and use fossil fuels such as gas, coal or oil. Another major greenhouse gas is methane (CH4) from livestock farts, rubbish landfills and rotting things.

Scientists do studies to predict what will happen as temperatures increase. Many of these impacts have been happening already, faster and at lower temperatures than predicted. 

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Building a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

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