COP 19

The 2013 meeting of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 19) took place in Warsaw, Poland from November 11th to November 22nd, 2013.

Brighter Green, though not attending the COP in person, was still involved:

Brighter Green’s article urging the COP to address industrial animal agriculture as a driver of forest loss appeared on November 14th in the Outreach magazine, a stakeholder magazine on climate change and sustainable development distributed daily at the COP. The article was a part of a project between Brighter Green and the Global Forest Coalition. You can read the article here.

Brighter Green cosponsored a panel entitled “Land, landscapes, livestock and farms” at the Global Landscapes Forum, which focused on environmental change and development, linking farming, forestry, and other land uses. Geoff Evans from the Humane Society International [HSI] spoke on behalf of Brighter Green, HSI, and the World Society for Protection of Animals. The forum ran from November 16th to 17th in Warsaw.

Brighter Green and the Global Forest Coalition submitted policy recommendations after the side event and networking session “Land, landscapes, livestock and farms” at the Global Landscapes Forum. Policy recommendations included recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples, peasants, and pastoralists in the UNFCCC process as well as addressing the underlying causes of forest loss, including unsustainable livestock production and consumption, which cannot be addressed through REDD+ and individual projects. Additionally, recommendations contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals [SDG] included using rights-based, socially just, effective, and holistic policies to address the drivers of forest loss and ecosystem degradation as well as encouraging the SDG to recognize and prioritize the rights, needs and positive contribution to ecosystem conservation of marginalized groups like Indigenous peoples, local communities, pastoralists and peasants. The Global Landscapes Forum final statement after the COP identified a new approach to tackling climate change, food insecurity, and poverty saying “fragmentation is our enemy”.

Brighter Green published a policy document on farm animal welfare recommendations written by Brighter Green, Humane Society International, and the World Society for the Protection of Animals that was distributed at the conference. The policy document laid out a case for why the COP should address the impacts of animal agriculture on the global climate crisis. You can access the document here.