getting started

[Adam Greenberg]

Hey everybody,

Adam Greenberg from SustainUS here. I'm really excited to be working
with you all on such important topics.


Just wanted to check in. I need to take care of a few things and then
get some sleep, but tomorrow I will create a spreadsheet document
where we can fill in our names, country, delegations we will be
representing at COP-17, whether we have attended any conferences
before, and area of interest within water policy (i.e. freshwater,
saltwater, privatization, management, acidification, rising sea
levels, falling water tables, etc.) Anything else we should include?
Then we can get started on brainstorming ideas and sharing our goals.
If anyone in a different time zone wants to go ahead and make the
spreadsheet or doodle or googledoc while I am sleeping, please feel
free :D.

With hope,

Adam Greenberg

[Adam Greenberg]

Well, until I can figure out how to create a shared spreadsheet
document within this group (I'm very new to gmail)...
Let's each just post: our names, country, delegations we are
representing at COP-17, previous UN conference experience, and area of
interest within water and this group.
Starting with me:
Name: Adam Greenberg
Country of birth/residence: USA
Delegation: SustainUS
Experience: I have plenty of different experiences, but this is my
first UN conference.
Area of interest: I've been exploring water rights issues in depth for
the last year or so. I am particularly interested in freshwater
depletion, freshwater management, water rights, and the public/private
management debate.
Idea: Water issues seem to be among the biggest and most conspicuous
gaps in international climate policy and dialogue. Water also
represents perhaps the most urgent and pressing social and
environmental challenge facing the world today. I personally would
very much hope to get some language regarding water,water rights, and
policy included in climate treaties.

OK guys, your turn :)



On Aug 18, 10:32 pm, Adam Greenberg <adam.greenber...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Jamie]

Hi Adam (and everyone else!),

I am really excited to see that a water working group has been set up.
I thought that I would introduce myself to everyone and hopefully we
can get started on some work together.

Nice to meet someone from SustainUs, I have heard about you guys.


I am Jamie Peters
Country of birth/residence: Scotland, Great Britain
Delegation: United Kingdom Youth Climate Coalition
Experience: I have attended COP intersessionals in Bonn, Germany this
June and will attend Durban.

Area of interest: I've been exploring water rights issues in depth
for

the last year or so. I am fairly new to the area of water but I really
hope to get more involved in water rights and water privatisation as
well as rising sea levels.
Idea: I don't have any concrete ideas but I think that water has been
relatively neglected in climate change discussions despite its massive
importance. It would be great to raise awareness on the issue and make
it less of a matter on the fringe of negotiations.

It would be great to hear from more people and hopefully have a Skype
chat if there is enough demand for people to see how we can get
started on this issue that we clearly are pretty passionate about.

Cheers,

Jamie

[Adam Greenberg]

Hey Jamie,

Nice to hear from you. You are absolutely right, water issues are critical and represent probably the biggest gap area in international climate policy and even discussion. I would love to organize a skype chat. It might be a little bit tricker for me at this point because my computer has just completely died and I will need to get a new one. But let's find out what dates and times are good for everyone who is interested. We could also come up with a few points on email regarding what we want to get covered and what we want to do for COP 17. I think we should really push to at least get some language regarding water and water policy inserted into whatever document emerges from the conference, with the end goal being to get water firmly included in the next Kyoto protocol.

I wrote a draft water statement to add to the overall YOUNGO statement, BUT my computer has crashed and I can't seem to find it in my email correspondence. When I find it I will forward it to the group.

Now that it is September, we (in SustainUS at least) are going to start getting into the process a little bit more. I will be communicating with the other SustainUS water policy guy, Jon, also to determine our plan of action. So hopefully now this group will be getting more and more active.

Please everyone send your thoughts on what we hope to accomplish with this group. 

Best,

Adam Greenberg

[Jamie Peters]

Thanks for responding Adam and apologies for the delay in replying.

It would be great to have a look at the draft statement that you made. It seems nobody else has joined in the discussion for water yet so maybe we could get a skype call organised? Skype name is jamie.peters1 if you would like to add me. Anyone else interested in water issues please feel free to add me as well.

I am reading through the IPPC Technical Paper IV on climate change and water to get a better knowledge of the area which I believe is free online. If anyone recommends any other reading it would be great to hear.

Jamie

--
Jamie Peters | Coalition Officer Scotland/ COP17 Delegation member| UK Youth Climate Coalition | ukycc.org |facebook.com/ukycc | twitter.com/ukycc | skype: jamie.peters1 | +44 (0) 7545179818

Come to Power Shift: Youth Climate Summit 7 - 9 October. Find out more at powershift.ukycc.org

[Camila Florez Bossio]

Hey everyone, 

I'm joining this working group and I'm looking forward to discuss water issues under the UNFCCC ;) 

I am Camila Flórez 
Country of birth/residence: Perú
Delegation: Freiburg University (Germany) 
Experience: This is the first time I will go to a COP, but I have previously worked with the Peruvian delegation for COP 15 and 16. 

Area of interest: I've been working on long term mitigation paths and adaptation capacity. I've been always been interested on freshwater issues, transboundary water governance and adaptation with water basin perspectives. 

Cheers! 

Camila

[Adam Greenberg]

Awesome! Great to see this group get rolling again, and to see some new faces!

Is there anyone from last year who will be focusing on water issues this year? I know Jamie and I will be committing less time to this group this year, but we've made great relationships with other groups that we are poised to move forward with!

-Adam

--
Adam Greenberg
UNFCCC COP18 Youth Delegate | SustainUS 
www.sustainus.org | www.youthclimate.org 
adam.gr...@sustainus.org | US +1 617-922-6666 

[Jamie Peters]

Great to hear from you Adam and Camila!

I started to get involved with the Water Working Group last year for COP17 in Durban as I had a strong personal interest in the topic and felt it was not addressed properly at UNFCCC.

Aims and things we did last year:

Tried to raise the profile of 'water and climate issues' within UNFCCC and also within YOUNGO.

We established a water policy position within YOUNGO for the first time.

We created some good relationships with very relevant water groups related to the process.

Who else is keen to work on water issues or who will be in Doha for the talks? Maybe we can get a Skype call oranised and start work on this before we arrive at COP?

Cheers,

Jamie

--
Jamie Peters | COP18 International Policy Trainer| UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC)| ukycc.org |facebook.com/ukycc | twitter.com/ukycc twitter.com/jamie85p | skype: jamie.peters1 | +44 (0) 7545179818 

Check out our revamped and spangly new website at ukycc.org

[Camila Florez Bossio]

It is great to hear from you both! A skype call sound's good indeed. What are your time zones? 

Jamie, do you have a copy of the water policy position of YOUNGO that you could share with me? It would be very useful to read it beforehand.  

[Jamie Peters]

Hey Camila, sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

I believe this is the final water YOUNGO policy position that was passed. There is room to improve it though. :) Perhaps a starting point for Water WG this year?

"Changes in water systems, both fresh and salt, currently present some of the most significant impacts of climate change; however, this fact is not strongly reflected in UNFCCC negotiations. Water is an essential component of all forms of life. Access to safe drinking water is a human right . The international community must take responsibility for protecting water resources in the face of a changing climate. The management of water in all of it’s forms is a key factor in issues including but not limited to, food security, national security, health, water supply, ecosystem diversity and response to increased climatic variability. In light of this, YOUNGO asserts that water demands a dedicated dialogue within the UNFCCC. Dialogue should facilitate discussion of underlying vulnerability to water related impacts of climate change. Ths should lead to transfer of technology, expertise and sufficient finance to research, mitigate and adapt to pressing water matters as they evolve."

Time is running out for a pre COP skype call, can anyone make one? My SKype is jamie.peters1 

See you soon!

Jamie

[Camila Flórez Bossio]

Thanks!

Is everyone up for a skype call on thursday afternoon, let's say at 16:00 GMT ? 

My skype is camila.florez

2012/11/19 Jamie Peters <jamie....@ukycc.org>

[Jamie Peters]

Hey Camila! Good job on setting this up but I am on a flight to Doha then. :( Hope you have a good call.! 

[Adam Greenberg]

Hey everyone,

I'll be en route to Doha on Thursday, so I'll probably miss the call. I encourage others to be in on it if possible.

This year I will be much less active in the water group, as I have a lot more responsibilities elsewhere in COP. But you guys are awesome, and I'll be glad to support where I can!

Best,
-Greenberg

[David Gawith]

Hi All,

Sorry about my lack of activity on this. I am very interested in contributing to this working group. I am already in Doha and keen to meet up to discuss things further. 

Warm regards

David Gawith