Pacific strategises for the Climate negotiations

21 November, Doha, Qatar, UNFCCC COP 18 - The round of pre-negotiations before the UN Climate change talks in Doha have started today for the Pacific island delegates.  Coming together for a one day preparatory meeting, the Pacific islanders discussed the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, one of the agenda issues at the coming 18^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework for the Convention on Climate Change.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) coordinated the one day preparatory meeting which included a two hour session led by the Lead Negotiators of the Alliance of Small Island States. 

Mr. Albert Williams of Vanuatu chaired the one day meeting with support from co-chair, Dr. Netatua Pelesikoti.

“We are grateful for all your support and input in abundance,” said Mr. Williams in addressing the meeting today.

“We also started something new this morning with the session from our colleagues in AOSIS and this has been very good.   My partners and colleagues from the Pacific, this is the start for us, there is a lot to happen over the next two weeks, let’s work together.”

Mr. Albert Williams, from Vanuatu addressing the meeting

The day also a media and communications session which helped build the capacity of the Pacific delegates to share their messages and plan for the Pacific Voyage to Doha, the communications campaign in Doha.  The Pacific will be showcasing national climate change work during a Pacific Side Event on the November 29 from 4.45 to 6.15 pm the region will also have a Pacific booth at the UN Climate Negotiations.

“At international environment meetings we showcase the efforts and achievements of the Pacific under our Pacific Voyage communication campaigns,” said Ms. Nanette Woonton, the Media and Public Relations Officer at SPREP.

“In this communications session we want to help equip the Pacific delegates with the skills to select their messages and then work to share these messages through the media and other communications means.  We found it a really successful communications session and look forward to the two weeks ahead.”

Over the next two days the Pacific will be taking part in the preparatory meetings of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) followed by the opening of the 18^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to the Framework on Climate change from 26 November to 7 December 2012.