A Role Model in Fighting Climate Change
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A role model in fighting climate change UN climate chief Christiana Figueres says what Singapore has done as a city on vehicle control, energy efficiency and waste management is remarkable and Its By CHEAM story can be told In a more compelling way. ST PHOTO : LIM SIN THAI T TOOK Singapore eight Her no-nonsense approach has years to accede to the breathed a fresh air of determina- world's only legally binding 66 tion to the process . She has been : "I climate change agreement - GLOBAL INVOLVEMENT known to tell negotiators the Kyoto Protocol . When it won't hear that this is impossible . did so in 2006, it was one of the Governments must make it possi- last few countries to do so . But de- Building a response to ble for society, business and sci- spiteI being "late to the party", the ence to get this job done ." the adverse effects of Republic has since become one of Ms Figueres, who is married its stars, says United Nations cli- climate change without with two daughters, points out mate chief Christiana Figueres . including all countries that a multilateral solution must The world's top climate offi- be urgently reached as there are cial, who visited Singapore for the is analogous to millions of people who are ex- first time last week, says that be- building a hospital tremely vulnerable to the effects hind closed doors at the United of climate change such as sea level Nations Framework Convention where the sick are not rises or extreme weather events on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ne- allowed in . such as floods and droughts . gotiating sessions, the country's "We have a moral responsibili- United Nations climate chief delegation has been "active and ef- - ty towards the most vulnerable of Christian Figueres, on the global fective" in the years since 2006 . the world," she declares . challenge of climate change and Singapore is now known in the Her disposition for public ser- greenhouse gas emissions climate change circles for its vice is a family trait - her father, "timely, incisive and problem- Mr Jose Figueres Ferrer, was presi- solving participation" in a process dent three times and a revolution- that seeks a global agreement that 99 ary who abolished the army, na- would legally bind every country tionalised the banks and gave to do their bit to reduce pollution many as a failure when developed women and black people the right and avoid catastrophic climate and developing countries bickered to vote . Her brother, Mr Jose change . until the very last day, resulting in Maria, was one of Latin America's Negotiators meet around the a weak Copenhagen Accord which youngest presidents at age 39 . year, but annually, they converge was not adopted as an official UN The country has set a target to for a big summit at year end for document . be the world's first carbon neutral the Conference of the Parties Ms Figueres, who is from Costa country by 2021 . (COP) under the UNFCCC . Rica and has more than a decade Ms Figueres says : "My father's Last year, in Durban, South Af- of experience in climate negotia- dedication to the country was mo- rica, a breakthrough of sorts was tions, admits that after Copenha- tivated by contributing to the wel- reached when all countries agreed gen, there was a general sense of fare of the most vulnerable, those on a "road map" that would guide malaise . at the bottom of the pyramid - them to a global deal to . cut car- "The mood was bad, and my that was his guiding light . The bon, regarded as the culprit for cli- top priority (after being appoint- work on climate change is no dif- mate change, in 2015 or earlier . ed) was to change that quickly so ferent from that." But while Singapore is per- we could progress on the negotia- She may be climate chief but it ceived as an active player in the in- tions," she recalls . does not bother her if the average ternational negotiations, its per- The UN body made special ef- person does not know who the sonal story is yet to be told in a fort in the COP meetings that fol- UNFCCC is or what the COP clear and compelling way, says Ms lowed in Cancun, Mexico, and achieves. Figueres . Durban in the next two years to "I don't think everyone needs "What it has done as a city on ensure that the process was trans- to know what the COP is . What is vehicle control, energy efficiency parent, inclusive and fair . more important is for every per- and waste management. is quite "Now there's more of the spirit son on the street to be aware of remarkable . It can be told in a of give and take with countries what their carbon footprint is, more compelling way, for other and this is why we've been able to why that's important and how cities to study," she tells The progress," she says. they can contribute to reduce it ." Straits Times in a recent inter- But critics of this multilateral Ms Figueres, who in 2001 re- view . process often describe it as ineffi- ceived the Hero for the Planet The 56-year-old has been in cient and too slow . Award from National Geographic the hot seat for two years now, To this, she admits that the pro- Magazine, highlights a recent sur- since she took over from Dutch- cess can be cumbersome . Still, it vey conducted in Singapore on at- man Yvo de Boer, who presided is crucial because climate change titudes towards climate change . over several milestones achieved is a global problem and green- The results, which showed that by the UNFCCC prior to his resig- house gas emissions do not 86 per cent felt a sense of respon- nation in 2010 . respect national boundaries . sibility in playing their part to ad- The high-profile COP meeting "Building a response to the ad- dress the problem, is "very unusu- in Copenhagen in 2009 marked a verse effects of climate change al", she says, but a "huge asset point when climate change moved without including all countries is that Singapore can mobilise be- from the fringe into mainstream analogous to building a hospital cause there seems to be broad pub- consciousness, but the conten- where the sick are not allowed lic support" . tious talks were criticised by in," she adds . ft±l jcheamCsph.comsg C M K -r-.