Cha-am Statement on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals NEW

The participants of the International Conference on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy and Practice”, having met in Cha-am, Petchaburi Province of Thailand during 27 to 29 June 2016 in celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Fifth Cycle Birthday Anniversary, and having recognized the moral imperative to address the new agenda for sustainable development through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realizing the interlinkages and integrated nature of these goals, do hereby pledge to advocate for key interventions which were prominently raised during the Conference to further global, regional, national and local efforts in climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and management of ecosystem services.  Towards this end, the participants do commit to the following actions and aspirations:

• Support global, regional and national efforts towards climate change adaptation at the watershed level, halt the loss of biodiversity, and secure sustainable ecosystem services through supporting the objectives and initiatives by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP), the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (CBD COP), as well as the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
• Promote the application of meaningful and effective public consultation and participation that will allow stakeholders a clear role in how education, policies, strategies, programs and projects are developed and implemented.
• Because no country can effectively address climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem challenges alone, support partnerships and collaborations at the global, regional, national and local levels through existing formal, non-formal and informal channels, seek out opportunities to establish new partnership arrangements especially among stakeholders within the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen the interfaces of science-policy-society, at all levels of government, civil society, higher education and research institutions, and local communities and networks such as the Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
• Recognizing that effective climate change adaptation and resilience programs will often be inextricably linked with the ecological services provided by healthy, biodiverse watersheds, take steps that will lead to effective action at priority watersheds, including preparation of climate change vulnerability assessments and recommendations; effective management of national parks and other protected areas, which are often among the major land use types in our watersheds; initiation of community-based adaptation and nature conservation programs; and other actions that will maintain water quality and quantity, species diversity, climate regulation, and other vital ecological services that enhance human well-being.
• Initiate, through multi-stakeholder consultations, the formulation of national and/or sectoral strategic plans for scientific research which will provide direction to researchers and research funders in identifying the most pressing questions regarding climate change, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, and encourage actions that will result in immediate application of this research through appropriate implementing agencies.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the professional training of key government and non-government actors in climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem services through existing programs and institutions within the region and globally or, when necessary, support new training efforts, which will include not only technical and policy matters but also training in gaining access to the financing required to put actions into practice.

 

The participants will endeavor to inspire individuals and organizations to work towards attaining the SDGs by sharing examples of best practice, encouraging multi-stakeholder partnerships and co-management, promoting effective and wide leadership and public awareness of the values of climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services management, as well as the need for cooperation from all sectors.

This Cha-am Statement is adopted on the 28^th of June 2016 at the closing session of the International Conference on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy and Practice” held at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park in Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand.

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Comments on this Cha-am Statement are welcomed and can be directed to ccbes.siep@gmail.com

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