EMILY LEWIS-BROWN - News & |
|
Speech at the Wilton Park Conference on the High North Emily gave a presentation to this high level conference, attended by Ministers, Ambassadors and the polar explorer Pen Hadow. Focussing on climate change, Emily facilitated a working group on priority actions for communicating high north issues. Wilton Park Conferences were established by Winston Churchill as a forum for democracy building, reconciliation and international dialogue.
The Impacts of the Oceans on Climate Change While at WWF, Emily commissioned and co-authored a groundbreaking report which concludes that a warmer ocean can accelerate climate change and that in some cases, this may already be happening. This means that we may need to cut greenhouse gas emissions faster and by more than currently forecast. Lead by Prof Reid and co-authored by over 30 international experts, the report has been published in the journal ‘Advances in Marine Biology’. It has been described as an ‘IPCC of the Oceans’, The Plymouth University Press release is here.
Emily arranged for Lewis Pugh to join Desmond Tutu & a host of other Elders on the panel for Climate Hearings in South Africa, in a similar vein to the Peace and reconciliation hearings whichTutu also chaired. The Climate Hearings are organised by OXFAM. Emily fought hard the very strong temptation to attend, but could not justify the flight.
Lewis Pugh will swim 1km on Everest and call world leaders to action to seal a deal in Copenhagen this December to reduce global warming to below current levels. (This means getting greenhouse gas levels back down to 350ppm). Lewis also appeals to each of us to cut our carbon by 10% in 2010 The expedition was announced at the Clinton Global Initiative.
New Research role at University of Surrey Emily has started a new research role with the Food and Climate Research Network at the University of Surrey, working to reduce the impacts of UK food consumption on the climate. This work is lead by Tara Garnet and supervised by Prof Tim Jackson.
Sing film ranked alongside major climate leaders Sing for the Earth entered a ‘Climate Thought’ for the Danish governments web based climate discussion. It has been ranked top 10 along with Al Gore, Paul McCartney, the head of UNEP, former EU President, Danish Climate Minister and Head of Woodland Trust.
Award for Polar Defense Project Tony Blair’s Beyond Sport awarded the Best sports project for the Environment to the Polar Defense Project. Lewis Pugh and Robbie Hedgus, the kayakers who battled across the Arctic Ocean to raise the flags of 192 UN Nations, received the prize.
The UN hear our children Sing for the Earth The UN and many delegates from around the world loved the Sing for the Earth film, which I showed to them at the June UN Climate talks. Nearly every national delegate I met has children and our film visibly touched the hearts of many. Meeting as many national delegates as possible, I showed the film to a wide range of delegates, including delegates from the USA, UK, EU, India, Togo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, China, India, Brazil, Kenya, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Iran, Bolivia, Nepal, Denmark, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Costa Rica, Uganda, UNEP, UNFCCC secretariat. It was shown to national representatives, NGOs, scientists, modellers, press and at two side events. Images of the children holding the earth were also posted on boards in the talks. We will develop the concept further and bring our message to the climate forthcoming talks.
Sing for the Earth supported the Global Day of Climate Action
Today, over 4000 events took place in over 139 countries across the world to call world leaders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 350 parts per million in the air. The global community is vibrant, creative and determined that we must and will secure a legally binding new climate deal this year. This deal must be fair to all and courageous enough to protect everyone. Sing for the Earth is also re-scripting the sing film, ready for our next trip to the UN talks. Find out more about 350.org |
