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POP Papers
​​Issue 5. Sep 2016


Message from Our Chief Mentor

The Paris agreement on climate change has been signed by 191 countries and at last count 62 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change had deposited their instruments of ratification. But for the agreement to come into force, a total of 55 Parties, which account for 55% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to ratify it. At last count those Parties which have ratified the agreement account for only 52% of global GHG emissions. There is little doubt that the agreement will be ratified reasonably soon, but meanwhile it is essential for the global community to initiate action by which they would be able to not only fulfill their own targets as committed under their respective Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), but address in concert the global goal of limiting temperature increase by the end of this century to 2 degrees C, relative to pre-industrial levels. As of now the trend in growth of emissions is far above the pathway required to keep within the 2 degree target in 2100.
 
The global community should also keep in mind that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is carrying out an assessment to prepare a "Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5°C above Pre-Industrial Levels and Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emission Pathways in the Context of Strengthening the Global Response to the Threat of Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Efforts to Eradicate Poverty (SR1.5)". The report will be delivered in 2018, in time for a “facilitative dialogue” that will take place that year to take stock of progress under the Paris Agreement. It is not possible, nor proper, to speculate on the contents and findings of the report at this stage, but there is every reason to believe that there will be adequate knowledge contained in it to promote an informed dialogue for possibly tightening the 2100 goal for limiting temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, rather than the currently specified goal of 2 degrees. In the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, which was completed in 2007, an important finding showed that even with a temperature increase of around 2 degrees C sea level rise due to thermal expansion alone (not including the contribution of melting of ice across the globe) would be between 0.4 to 1.4 metres (Table SPM 6). If we add to this the effect of melting ice, we would have much higher sea level rise even if we are able to limit temperature increase to 2 degrees by 2100. There would be many other impacts which it is hoped that the proposed Special Report will highlight to focus on the risks associated with even the 2 degree limit.
 
In other words, as a measure of effective risk management, the world has to move quickly towards implementing the provisions of the Paris agreement, and more. This requires widespread and concerted action by the global community, in which youth must lead, because they would face in their own lifetimes the most serious risks associated with climate change. And, most importantly, they have the power to become agents of change, since they are at the threshold of defining the kind of lifestyles and economic future they want.
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This is where the POP Movement comes in as a major opportunity to lead young people and have them set the direction and pace towards a sustainable future, devoid of the worst risks that climate change would otherwise present.

Dr. R. K. Pachauri
Chief Mentor

POP At The 6th Edition of DREFF

The POP Movement’s Chief Mentor, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri and the movie, Landfill Harmonic, winner of the Green Film Network Award, the Oscar of environmental films, were the stars of the closing ceremony of the 6th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), which took place at Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo’s (Funglode) headquarters in Santo Domingo on September 18, 2016.
 
The sixth edition of the DREFF featured 140 screenings in over 40 venues in 11 cities with reach more than 10,000 people. Since its creation in 2011, the DREFF, an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and the Funglode, has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, as well as examples of best practices to achieve them, while celebrating the unique beauty and natural heritage of the Dominican Republic.
 
During the closing ceremony, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri received this year's highest recognition of the Film Festival, the Colibri Award, for his outstanding academic and professional career. In addition to receiving the award, Dr. Pachauri gave the keynote speech entitled, "Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Challenge for All”.
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Meetings with the Science Academy of the Dominican Republic
On Monday the 19th of September, the POP team held a meeting with the members of the Advisory Committee on Climate Change and the Clean Development Mechanism of the Dominican Republic (DR), convened by the Vice President, Senor Ernesto Reyna (former Minister of Environment). The President of the Republic is the President of this body.
 
In the evening, Dr. Pachauri was invited to address the members of the Science Academy of the Dominican Republic, which is supposed to be the second oldest national science academy in the world. In a very well attended event, Presidente Lic. Milciades Mejia of the Science Academy presented Dr. Pachauri a certificate honoring him as a Distinguished Visitor to the Academy.

​In the presentation our Chief Mentor highlighted the threats being faced by Planet Earth on account of human activities, the vulnerability of the DR to the impacts of climate change, and the resistance on the part of some sections of society to implementing measures for reducing the risks from climate change. He emphasized the need for intellectuals and scientists to get involved in the POP Movement for the well-being of the human species and other forms of life. It is expected that the DR, a country of over 11 million people, will launch the POP Movement in that Caribbean nation fairly soon.
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POP and Its Partners Meet the
​World Scout Bureau in Panama City
In Panama, our Chief Mentor and our partner Ms. Eleonora Isunza from Cinema Planeta held a meeting with Mr, Raul Sanchez, Director of the Interamerican Region of the World Scout Bureau. Mr. Raul Sanchez sees the potential for Scouts to take the lead in becoming agents of change and establishing lifestyles that create a sustainable future for all species on this planet. The POP Movement would be privileged to work with Scouts across the world, beginning with Mexico, and then extending this partnership to other countries of the Interamerican region, and further to other parts of the world. A memorandum of understanding is under discussion with the leaders of the Scouts in Mexico as well as with the Director of the Interamerican region.
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Visit to Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan, our Chief Mentor participated in a meeting of the members of the International Selection Committee for technologies that would be chosen for display in the Expo to be held in Astana beginning June 2017. The theme of this Expo is future energy, and it intends to display technologies and options on how in the future energy would be produced and used by humanity. A total of almost 30 different technologies were recommended for display from a shortlist which had been prepared of about twice that number of entries submitted from across the world.
 
In addition, the Chief Mentor also addressed the students and faculty of the prestigious Nazarbayev University (NU), wherein he presented key findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report, and provided the rationale and thrust of the POP Movement. It is hoped that the POP Movement will be launched reasonably soon in Kazakhstan. The presentation at the NU was made in a session addressed by Dr. Shigeo Katsu, President of NU. Dr. Charles Feinstein (formerly of the World Bank) and Dr, George Smoot, Nobel Laureate from the US. 
Peek at Our Partners

We are proud of our partners' efforts and are happy to highlight select developments with their research and activities with you each month.  

​This month we bring you some updates from GERAS and One More Generation.
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