Engagement
Climate Law & Governance Initiative
Biodiversity Law & Governance Initiative
Developed in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat, BLDG held at COP 13 brought together CBD Parties, leaders from academia, legal practice, expert institutions, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, civil society, and indigenous peoples and local communities to discuss legal interlinkages and sharing experiences on mainstreaming biodiversity into legislation. The role of comprehensive biodiversity legislation in achieving the Aichi Targets was also a central issue in the discussions. A special emphasis was placed on identifying links between the Aichi Targets, Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement, and on building capacity to engage, share experiences and design partnerships for action. The results of the BLGD were presented in an Official COP13 Special Event hosted by Prof. John Knox and chaired by the CBD Secretariat together with CISDL, CEMDA and University of Nairobi. The proceeding of the event is available here: BLGD 2016 proceedings final 20.04
Voices of Future Generations (VoFG)
The Fireflies After the Typhoon by Anna Kuo (Asia), illustrated by Siri Vinter
Typhoons and earthquakes are real life experience in Taiwan. To breathe simultaneously with typhoons and earthquakes is the ultimate homework for Taiwanese people. This book, “Fireflies after the Typhoon”, speaks of exactly that dependency relationship between people and the natural environment. These upcoming years are crucial as world leaders will agree on a new sustainable development framework for the next 15 years. The proposed 17 Sustainable Development Goals include targets to end poverty, to ensure healthy lives and quality education and to combat climate change, among others. The decisions taken will undoubtedly have a huge impact on children’s lives and rights today as well as the lives and rights of future generations.
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The Great Green Vine Invention by Jona David (Europe/North America), illustrated by Carol Adlam
The “Great Green Vine Invention” illuminates how children care about growth, what it means, and its limits. Our Child Author offers a vision of development that is in harmony with others and with nature. In the face of a changing climate, the destruction of global resources, the pollution of our environment and injustices in our human family, the younger generation represented in this volume offers a playful, creative voice, which carries hope for a better future. It is a gentle reminder that courage, kindness, innovation and responsibility are the keystones on which civilization flourishes.
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The Sisters’ Mind Connection by Allison Lievano-Gomez (Latin America), illustrated by Oscar Pinto
Who better to advocate for the rights of children with disabilities than children who share with them the joys and challenges of everyday life? This is the spirit of “The Sisters’ Mind Connection”. Inspired by her experiences with her sister Daniela, who has autism and Down Syndrome, Allison Liévano makes a powerful appeal about the importance of education as a human right to ensure the dignity and inclusion of every child. These upcoming years are crucial as world leaders will agree on a new sustainable development framework for the next 15 years.
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The Forward and Backward City by Diwa Boateng (Africa), illustrated by Meryl Treatner
Young Diwa Boateng’s book “The Forward and Backward City,” tells a story that is all too real in our contemporary world. It is about two children of the same age growing up in the same city in starkly different social and economic circumstances. It reminds us of the important promises that are contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the road we still have to travel to deliver on those promises. Achieving a world in which the rights of all children are protected and fulfilled is a task for this and future generations. Diwa Boateng’s story reminds all his readers that we cannot shirk this task. These upcoming years are crucial as world leaders will agree on a new sustainable development framework for the next 15 years.
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The Voice of an Island by Lupe Vaai (Pacific Islands), illustrated by Li-Wen Chu
The story of Lupe is highly relevant and becoming increasingly common. These upcoming years are crucial as world leaders will agree on a new sustainable development framework for the next 15 years. The proposed 17 Sustainable Development Goals include targets to end poverty, to ensure healthy lives and quality education and to combat climate change, among others. The decisions taken will undoubtedly have a huge impact on children’s lives and rights today as well as the lives and rights of future generations.
Available for Download | Purchase
The Visible Girls by Tyronah Sioni (Pacific Islands), illustrated by Kasia Nieżywińska
This book is a wonderful example of a child’s brilliantly insightful and creative comment on gender equality issues in her home region. Tyronah’s story of Sine and the work she does to create and mobilise support for a gender equality programme is an important comment about the pledge in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to eliminate violence and discrimination against women and girls.
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The Mechanical Chess Invention by Jona David (Europe/North America), illustrated by Dan Ungureanu
Chess is known as the Game of Kings. In Jona David’s story, however, chess also becomes an unlikely saviour of the world and an insightful challenge to the fads and fashions of our society. “The Mechanical Chess Invention” is about two brothers and their friends who uncover a dastardly plot to take over the world and find a whimsical way to win. This book is a creative, courageous and caring insight into the troubles and triumphs of a child’s world.
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The Tree of Hope by Kehkashan Basu (Middle East), illustrated by Karen Webb-Meek
This book introduces Khadra to us, a young girl living in a desert landscape and describes how she turned her home into an oasis. “The Tree of Hope”, written by our Youth Ambassador Kehkashan Basu, is an inspiring story of a girl who makes a difference, rising beyond conflict and drought, by planting and caring for trees, to benefit her whole community.
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The Epic Eco-Inventions by Jona David (Europe/North America), illustrated by Carol Adlam
Science plays a key role in a more sustainable world. In this book, a little boy and his brother illustrate how science, when used in a just and honest way, could change the world for the better. With their creativity, commitment and hopeful visions, the child authors can inspire us all to find the necessary will and resources to cooperate for sustainable solutions. These upcoming years are crucial as world leaders will agree on a new sustainable development framework for the next 15 years. The proposed 17 Sustainable Development Goals include targets to end poverty, to ensure healthy lives and quality education and to combat climate change, among others. The decisions taken will undoubtedly have a huge impact on children’s lives and rights today as well as the lives and rights of future generations.
High Climate Ambition Commitments to Sustainability in Regional Trade and Investment Treaties
According to recent reports, current EU trade negotiations risk conflicting with EU climate change commitments, sparking concerns among many Members of Parliament. As the EU’s international economic negotiations agenda intensifies post-covid and increasingly, seeks to include specific provisions on climate change and the green economy, a pressing need arises for current timely legal analysis and expertise. Across the EU, new legal insights and engagement can promote more ambitious, binding climate change provisions as prominent features of updates to existing EU trade agreements and any new treaties.
This project aims provide legal analysis and informed, engaged communities of practice to promote the highest level of climate ambition and sustainable development in the negotiation and update of EU trade and investment agreements. It generates technical analysis of EU economic agreements, comparing key provisions to global best legal practices, evaluating ongoing negotiations and encouraging meaningful, binding new climate commitments.