Climate Change in the Arctic
and Small Island Developing States
A collaborative programme to ensure the well-being, security and sustainability of coastal communities in the Arctic and Small Island Developing States in the face of climate change
The societies of the Arctic and Small Island Developing States are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in similar ways. Many Strong Voices brings the two regions together to take collaborative and strategic actions on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Programme participants include international organizations, government agencies, non-government organizations, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, research institutes, communities and individuals.
This collaboration aims to:
- Build capacity to strengthen the role of these vulnerable regions in negotiations on greenhouse gas mitigation and on climate change adaptation
- Raise awareness about the effects of climate change on vulnerable regions
- Increase understanding of needs and solutions
- Take action on adaptation
Fishing in SIDS and the Arctic
MSV News
Many Strong Voices in Bali, 3-14 December 2007
14 December 2007- Partners in the Many Strong Voices programme were in Bali, Indonesia for the 13th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 3-14 December. The goals of Many Strong Voices in Bali were to:
- push for a global agreement that keeps temperature increases as far below two degrees Celsius as possible by ensuring large cuts in greenhouse gas emissions
- call on the world’s richest countries to help the most vulnerable regions--like the Arctic and Small Island Developing States--to adapt to climate change by providing adequate financial and technical assistance.
Many Strong Voices held a joint exhibit for the entire conference period together with the United Nations Environment Programme publication "Global Outlook for Ice & Snow". Click here to see the Many Strong Voices brochure available at the exhibit.
Many Strong Voices perspectives were also voiced at the "Global Outlook for Ice & Snow" side event, with presentations from Patricia Cochran, Chair of ICC and from Ben Namakin, Conservation Society of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. Click here to view the side event agenda and presentations.
MSV Stakeholder Workshop held 27-30 May 2007 in Belize
11 June 2007- The 33 participants represented communities and organizations in the Arctic and SIDS and came from 16 countries and regions, including Alaska, the Caribbean, Fiji, the Canadian Arctic and the Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the European Union, including Greenland and French Polynesia. The goals of the stakeholder workshop were 1) to enable participants to discuss the latest research and assessments on climate change vulnerability and adaptation in their respective regions, with a focus on case studies and 2) to solicit input from participants in order to design an effective five-year Action Plan for the Many Strong Voices programme. The Action Plan is to include a comparative assessment study in the Arctic and SIDS and a communications and outreach strategy for the programme in order to fundraise, provide information at local levels, and make collective voices heard at the international policy level. The workshop was hosted by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and organized by UNEP/GRID-Arendal and CICERO.
Click here for the Workshop Proceedings. Please see the Documents page for presentations from the workshop, background documents, and a two-page summary of the workshop.
