Cryosphere Day: Ev-K2-CNR at COP19 

BERGAMO - More evident, more intense, with immediate and direct effects on the life population: these are the specific characteristics of the climate changes taking place in mountainous regions. It is important that policy makers and the scientific community give special attention to the mountains, real "sentinels" of climate change. For this reason the Ev-K2-CNR Committee will be present at COP19 in Warsaw in November 2013 with two events: the "Cryosphere and Development: risks and solutions" event that will take place on 16 November in the afternoon, and the "Day of the Cryosphere" event dedicated to climate change in the polar regions and mountains, on November 17.

 

Last week, during the International Conference on Mountains and Climate Change “High Summit 2013” organized by Ev-K2-CNR, researchers and institutions’ delegates signed the final document called “Key Messages High Summit 2013”, which will be delivered by the Ev-K2-CNR delegation to the United Nations in Warsaw on November 16 and 17.

At COP19 – United Nations Climate Change Conference – that will take place in the polish capital city from November 11 to 22, Ev-K2-CNR researchers will attend the two events in order to present the document with the aim of focusing the attention on mountains.

Rapid climate change in polar and mountain regions: what does it mean and what can we do in this regard? The first event, organized in Warsaw by Ev-K2-CNR and ICCI (International Cryosphere Climate Initiative ) will focus on these topics and will be held Saturday, November 16 at the National Stadium from 6.30 pm. During this event, the mitigation strategies to be implemented in order to reduce global warming in mountain areas, will be explored. In particular the integrated measures that should act on CO2 and air pollution, based on new models supported by the World Bank, will be discussed. Various important personalities such as the Minister for the Environment of Canada and Bangladesh and several researchers including the Ev-K2-CNR delegates Dr. Bhupesh Adhikary and Dr. Antonello Provenzale, will take part in the event (the program is not official yet). Ev-K2-CNR delegates will illustrate some of the High Summit 2013 results and will discuss about climate change and black carbon in the Himalayan regions. While, NASA and World Bank representatives will examine economic impacts and development topics. The event’s closing remarks will be made by Dr. Riccardo De Bernardi, Ev-K2-CNR Scientific Council Chairman.

November 17 will be the "Day of the Cryosphere": a day dedicated to climate change in the polar and mountain regions. The event, organized by ICCI and Ev-K2-CNR in collaboration with ICIMOD and other agencies, will take place at the Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel, closed to Warsaw University. The effects of climate change on the cryosphere, the consequences for ecosystems and human communities and the possible actions to be taken, will be some of the topics analysed and discussed through the day. "It is clear that most climate change aspects will persist for centuries even if emissions of Green House Gases are stopped and, therefore, climate mitigation represents a multi-century commitment for human society" is written in the High Summit final document which will be presented during this event.

The seminar will be attended by important international authorities. In particular, the following personalities were invited: Dr. Rajenda Pachauri , IPCC Chairman; Dr. Georg Kaser, Cryosphere IPCC Report Lead Author; the Ministers of Bangladesh, Peru, Sweden and Canada; Dr. Drew Shindell from NASA and Dr. Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development at World Bank.

“It is very important that high altitude mountain research with focus upon water resources is strengthened and continued, to monitor, understand, and model the effects of climate change, especially with focus upon precipitation processes, and tackle adaptation strategies" is a further key remark contained in the High Summit final document. The document will be officially  presented during the "Day of the Cryosphere" by Dr. Sandro Fuzzi, member of the UNEP – ABC Steering Committee and Ev-K2-CNR delegate. Moreover, Dr. Smiraglia Claudio and Dr. Mauro Guglielmin, Ev-K2-CNR delegates, will focus their talks on the Hindu-Kush, Karakoram and Himalayas regions and on the Andes.

Online registration required at: HTTP://ICCINET.ORG/CRYOSPHERE-DAY-AT-COP19

 
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