038 - Promoting biodiversity preservation through environmentally friendly energy transformation measures

038 - Promoting biodiversity preservation through environmentally friendly energy transformation measures

Latest version in this language: Version for electronic vote | Published on: 01 Sep 2020

ALARMED by the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Reports on Global Warming of 1.5°C (2018) Climate Change and Land (2019), and The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (2019) that the damaging effects of climate change are more serious and more imminent than previously contemplated, that greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing rather than decreasing since conclusion of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and that its signatories are failing to meet their registered Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) goals;

MINDFUL of the “energy-for-all” mandates of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 7 and 13, and that the 2017 United States Environmental Protection Agency Climate Assessment determined that the burning of fossil fuels accounts for 77% of US GHGs;

HIGHLIGHTING that the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) concluded that “Climate change is a direct driver that has contributed to widespread impacts in many aspects of biodiversity, ...”; and

CELEBRATING that a number of state and political subdivisions have committed to the phasing down of fossil fuels, among them Costa Rica by 2021, New Zealand by 2050, the United Kingdom by 2050, California by 2045, New York 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2050, while the G7 nations have pledged to end inefficient fossil subsidies by 2025;

The IUCN World Conservation Congress, at its session in Marseille, France:

1. REQUESTS the Director General to cooperate with Commissions, Members, Committees and affiliates in providing guidance and technical cooperation;

2. URGES Commissions, Members and experts to assist governments, municipalities and industries:

a. to design and implement plans proposing to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050, using mechanisms such as: (i) eliminating all fossil fuel subsidies; (ii) eliminating use of coal for energy; (iii) reducing other fossil fuel consumption; while (iv) compensating low-income families for their transition costs;

b. to design and adopt extensive but, environmentally friendly renewable energy measures and energy efficiency programmes for all residential, business and industry buildings and operations; and

c. to repeal laws and policies that obstruct energy efficiency and renewable energy use while working to ensure that environmental and social impacts of such measures are effectively and equitably managed; and

3. REQUESTS Members to share successes and lessons learned in developing national and sub-national targets and plans, so as to assist others in the creation and implementation of successful strategies.

From its beginnings, IUCN has focused entirely on biodiversity preservation, with outstanding programs on forest and species protection. With respect to the threat of climate change, it restricted itself to preserving the role of forests, agriculture and oceans in absorbing carbon. It has explicitly excluded involvement with the energy causes of climate change, despite the findings that the burning of fossil fuels for transportation, electricity and industry constitutes the overwhelmingly large and principal cause of greenhouse gases (in the U.S. the EPA finding that the burning of fossil fuels was responsible for a yearly average of 77 percent through 2017).

Our Pace Center for Environmental Legal Studies has attempted to urge IUCN, its Members, Commissions and experts, to take the leadership as well in addressing the principal energy causes of climate change, passing resolutions to this effect most recently at the Barcelona, Jeju and Hawaii Congresses; but none were ever implemented, in part alleging that energy was not a part of the Programmes passed at the Congresses. So in Hawaii, we attempted to accomplish these objectives by offering a Resolution to amend the Programme 2017-2020, which was defeated without even an opportunity for discussion.

The urgency of action on climate change, and the severe threat to biodiversity and species survival highlighted by the IPBES , were clearly recognized at the start of the proposed Programme 2017-2024 draft. It emphasized the burning of fossil fuels as a prime cause of greenhouse gasses and declared it an essential part of the IUCN mission for Members to take urgent action to persuade their governments and private sector organizations to adopt programs to significantly reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. As a result of these factors and the interest of the Chair of the new IUCN Council Climate Change Task Force, we are offering this motion to seek Member action and a second motion to amend the Programme, after having submitted a Consultation on the Programme, and having submitted a Forum Session proposal on the best additional actions IUCN should take to mitigate the energy causes of climate change.

IUCN should demonstrate its leadership in preserving biodiversity, forests and species by acting to thwart its esitential threat from climate change and its principal energy cause.

We will greatly appreciate consideration of the Members of these initiatives.

  • Center for Environmental Legal Studies [United States of America]
  • Center for Large Landscape Conservation [United States of America]
  • Centre international de droit comparé de l`environnement [France]
  • Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental [Mexico]
  • Environmental Law Program at the William S. Richardson School of Law [United States of America]
  • International Council of Environmental Law [Spain]
  • Natural Resources Defense Council [United States of America]
  • Paso Pacífico [United States of America]

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