Nairobi,
20 June 2008-There are now more than 11
million refugees worldwide, the United Nations
refugee agency has warned as the world celebrates
World Refugee Day.
A new report by the
UN High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR)says
conflicts, climate change and rising food
prices are some of the factors leading to
the rise in global displacement to 11.4
million refugees worldwide-up from 9.9 million
last year.
World Refugee Day will
be marked by a whole range of events taking
place around the globe today, with a focus
on the fundamental need for protection.
Meanwhile UN High Commissioner for Refugees
António Guterres is on mission in
Kenya, where he visited a refugee camp on
the Kenyan-Somali border and a camp for
internally displaced Kenyans in the town
of Naivasha.
The International Federation
of Red Cross says climate change disasters
are currently a bigger cause of population
displacement than war and persecution.
The global impact of
the environment on human livelihoods is
creating a new kind of casualty-the environmental
refugee. Rising sea levels, increasing desertification,
weather-induced flooding, and more frequent
natural disasters have, and will increasingly
become a major cause of population displacement
in several parts of the world.
According to a report
published by the United Nations University,
there are now about 19.2 million people
officially recognized as "persons of
concern"-that is, people likely to
be displaced because of environmental disasters.
This figure is predicted to grow to about
50 million by the end of the year 2010.
These forecasts are not inevitable and will
hinge on whether the international community
can pull together and deliver a decisive
and meaningful agreement on climate change
at the UN climate convention meeting in
Copenhagen in 2009, alongside more intelligent
management of the planet's nature-based
assets.
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson, Office
of the Executive Director,
+ More
The Ninth Meeting of
the Conference of the Parties (COP9)
The ninth meeting of the Conference of the
Parties(COP9) to the Basel Convention on
the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal begins
Monday, 23 June 2008 in Bali, Indonesia.
The theme of COP9 is
Waste Management for Human Health and Livelihood,"
which will be considered during the COP's
high-level segment on Thursday and Friday,
26 and 27 June respectively.
The key issues to be
considered by COP9 include: the 2009-2010
programme of work; a budget for the Basel
Convention trust funds for 2009-2010; a
recommendation for improved cooperation
and coordination between the Basel, Rotterdam
and Stockholm conventions developed by the
Ad Hoc Joint Working Group on Cooperation
and Coordination; initiating a process to
develop a successor arrangement for the
Strategic Plan beyond 2010; agreeing to
an approach towards reaching an agreed interpretation
of paragraph 5 of Article 17 of the Convention(and
entry into force of amendments); and initiating
a process leading to an evaluation of the
effectiveness of the Convention at COP11,
in accordance with paragraph 7 of Article
15 of the Convention.
Global TV Campaign on
Public Transport and Climate Change Awarded
by Advertising Industry
The TV advertising campaign
conducted by the International Association
of Public Transport (UITP) and the United
Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) won
a prestigious award from the European Association
of Communications Agencies(EACA). The award
was handed out yesterday evening at the
European Parliament in Brussels.
The 'CARE Awards' were introduced for the
first time this year by EACA to highlight
the most successful and creative social
marketing campaigns, and to recognise excellence
in promoting care for people, resources
and the environment.
The UITP/UNEP ad-produced
by McCann Erikson and animated by Tandem-won
an award in the 'Non profit organisations
and non governmental bodies' category. Other
short-listed campaigns in the category came
from organisations like Greenpeace, Amnesty
International, the World Health Organisation
and UNICEF.
The prizes were awarded
by Ruth Hieronymi, MEP, and judges included
a mix of media, the advertising industry
and politicians.
The advertisement, called
'The voice of reason (Aged 6)', is in the
style of a child's drawing and gives a little
girl's perspective on how our mobility choices
affect the planet."This ad is so powerful
because it manages to transmit a very serious
message in a simple, clear and positive
way," commented UITP Secretary General,
Hans Rat.
The ad, which has some
20 language versions, was aired on BBC World,
CNBC, CNN, EuroNews, Sky News, E Entertainment,
TV5 and Bloomberg. In addition about 60
organsiations have integrated it in their
own national or local communications campaigns
in countries such as Australia, Belgium,
China, Denmark, Greece and Iran.
The internet version
of the advertisement is available on www.uitp.org/theworldisyourhome.
It is also available on a free-to-air basis
for local adaptation and use.
-UITP is the international
network for public transport authorities
and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific
institutes and the public transport supply
and service industry. It is a platform for
worldwide co-operation, business development
and the sharing of know-how between its
3,100 members from 90 countries. UITP is
the global advocate for public transport
and sustainable mobility, and the promoter
of innovations in the sector. For more information
on UITP and public transport, visit www.uitp.org.
-UNEP is the voice for
the environment within the United Nations
system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate,
educator and facilitator to promote the
wise use and sustainable development of
the global environment. www.unep.org
UITP press contact
Cara McLaughlin,Director of Communications
