The World Climate Summit, COP26, is being held in Glasgow, Scotland from the 31st of October to the 12th of November 2021. The acronym COP stands for “Conference of the Parties”, being the latter signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – a treaty agreed in 1994 comprised of 197 Parties (196 countries and the EU). The 2021 conference, hosted by the UK together with Italy, in Glasgow, is the 26th meeting of the Parties, which is why it’s called COP26.
United Nations climate change conferences are among the largest international meetings in the world. The COP26 summit is bringing parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Having that in mind, what are ALDA’s initiatives in terms of safeguarding the planet and protection of the environment?
Let’s find it out! ALDA’s commitment to the themes and values can be testified by several projects.
ALDA’s initiatives in line with COP26
Starting with, for example, Moreover, “Climate of Change” a project that aims to “end climate change and start #ClimateOfChange!” and is a Pan European campaign to build a better future for climate induced migrants, the human face of climate change. On this project, ALDA is very much committed in mobilizing young generations, especially in France and Belgium, while raising awareness of the links between climate change and migration, and the need for a welfare economy. More in concrete, street guerrillas and circus show , from 9 to 13 November have been organised. Besides, right at the same time of COP26, a “Paneuropean Finals of the Debate contest” will also take place n Brussels
Moving on to another project, “Life Metro-Adapt” aims to foster the creation of common well-structured governance related to climate change adaptation among the local authorities, while establishing and promoting Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). Because, according to most climate models, Southern Europe, and especially the Mediterranean basin, is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, so it comes as no surprise that projects based there would be particularly concerned and active for this cause.
In addition, “LIFE BEWARE” is a project that focuses on the achievement of a global strategy for climate adaptation to flooding in order to face the risk of increasing water infiltration and storage in urban and rural areas, and does so by actively involving local communities, especially in the north of Italy. Similarly, “ENLARGE”, an already implemented project, focused on sustainable energy and bottom up policy making.
Yet, this is not everything. Project “FOREST” replies to the fragmentation of competences in forestry management at national and international levels and aims at uniforming the best practices to guarantee a better use of the resources for everyone, seeing that forests and trees are vital to keeping carbon emissions under control.
Moreover, ALDA is also involved with projects that are taking measures to contrast climate change on a broader scale with respect to their aim, such as “LIFE Falkon” which promotes public awareness concerning an endangered species of bird (the lesser kestrel) and biodiversity conservation because ongoing climate change is expected to result in terrible damage on flora and fauna as well.
Last but not least, ALDA is very active in different countries in north Africa, developing a great amount of project in the region. Among those, one can consider “AUTREMENT“ project, addressing sustainable mobility in Tunisia, especially involving the cities of Kairouan and Mahdia. Within the project, people from the municipality of Kairouan joined a “cycling parade“, with the idea of raising awareness on bicycle as a sustainable and alternative mean of transportation.
Finally, as readers can see, ALDA is as committed to the principles and guiding values of UN Agenda 2030, working to turn SDGs into concrete actions. Thus each project above-mentioned, a well as all others, are targeting specific Sustainable Development Goals. With great enthusiasm and interest ALDA follows the ongoing debate on COP26.
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Useful links related to ALDA & COP26:
Sign the “Clime of Change” petition and stop climate change