ARTÍCULO CLIMATE CHANGE REQUIRES US TO BE “STUBBORN” FOR THE COMMON GOOD Lecture on climate change and national well-being “Cambio climático y bienestar nacional”

Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC Executive Secretary 2016: Year of the Costa Rican and Central American Public Universities for Mother Earth

By: Gabriela Corrales Student of Sociology, Universidad Nacional

Efrain Cavallini Comunication Advisor Office of the President Climate Change Requires The event, held at CONARE’s conference hall Us To Be “Stubborn” For in San José, , was attended by the president of CONARE, Dr. Alberto Salom, and the The Common Good president of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Pedro León, among other members of the By: Gabriela Corrales academic community, government authorities, ambassadors, as well as the rectors, faculty and Student of Sociology, students of the Costa Rican public universities. Universidad Nacional Salom, who is also the president of Universidad Nacional, drew attention to the role of public universities in raising awareness about the This first of April, in the framework of the situation of the planet and climate change. He declaration of the National Council of Rectors indicated that the planet has been forced to (CONARE) and the Central American undergo warming and cooling cycles naturally University Superior Council (CSUCA) of 2016 and interrelated with the sun and its environment. as the year of the public universities for Mother Earth, a lecture on climate change and national He pointed out that it is the impact of human well-being was delivered by Christiana Figueres, action on the planet with the use of production executive secretary of the United Nations systems based on fuel, , and oil burning, and Framework Convention on Climate Change on any greenhouse gas emissions source, what has (UNFCCC), under the title “Cambio climático y placed us in this serious context threatening the bienestar nacional.” lives of the living beings. “The bad news of this is that we realize that expression, “YES, there is a difference between human beings are capable of destroying their ‘house’ and ‘home.’” Upon this, she was clearly own environment; the good news, although it is touched and unable to hold back tears of emotion. not a short-term solution, is that ‘the journey of a “We, who live, work, and travel among countries, thousand miles begins with a single step.’ Talking always take our house with us, but our home will about our house is not the same as talking about be Costa Rica always,” Christiana said. our home: talking about our home is talking about Mother Earth; it means a space of origin, The UNFCCC Executive Secretary provided an the space that has given life, the space that has overview of the differences and progress in terms sheltered humanity and all the living beings,” of the climate change negotiations conducted Salom added. between 2009 and 2015 (Copenhagen, Denmark) and how Costa Rica is involved in that vision. In addition, he highlighted the work and merit of Figueres explained that although no agreements Christiana Figueres in combining different wills to were reached in 2009, experience was gained to gather, for the first time in history, 188 countries, proceed with the formulation and coordination and achieving the signing of an agreement to start of proposals aimed at contributing with the planet the way toward mitigating the crises generated by and dealing with climate change. Among the climate change and global warming. significant changes achieved throughout the six years that followed, she mentions, in first place, “This helps us to think consciously and realize the understanding that being a “stubborn” is that we cannot be the generation that was not acceptable if your objective is common good. She able to be at the height of the circumstances also drew attention to the importance of changing our personal and global attitudes towards climate and say ‘this ends here’, ‘no more’, to look for change and stated, “The journey started here, more austere life styles, reject the consumerism aiming at the desire of an agreement by all of unbridled capitalism, and go on a quest countries.” for a more dialoguing and harmonious social coexistence; because the respect we have for each other is the same respect we have for our Mother Earth, which will allow us to preserve a home for future generations,” Salom concluded.

For his part, Dr. León said citizens want to understand how climate change will affect the national well-being of the Costa Rican people. As he indicated, it transcends politics and is no longer a merely ideological issue. “It is not a speculation of some scientists; on the contrary it is an increasingly obvious challenge in which humans assume the role, both as actors and spectators,” he added. Christiana Figueres began his presentation by thanking Alberto Salom for remembering the What else has helped? Undoubtedly, as Christiana The UN representative explained that 196 indicates, renewable energy technologies which, countries were encouraged to conduct a study for instance, only in terms of solar energy have within each country in order to identify the helped to reduce energy costs by 80 percent most appropriate way of taking advantage from thanks to technological renovation. People realize the measures to address climate change; 188 that the greatest risk was not in coping with countries responded and presented their work climate change and adjusting the course of the plan, which demonstrated their understanding global economy, but rather in not dealing with it of thinking on national well-being and beginning or promoting such technologies and policies. a global reasoning to identify the virtues and strengths of each country in taking action on this “The corporate sector is leaning towards carbon issue and thereby achieving improvements related neutral, renewable energy, carbon positive, among to transport, renewable energies, better food others, because they have realized that the risk of security, and aquifers, thus achieving a dialogue not doing so is higher than the risk of doing it. between countries. This means that the investment is focused on the well-being of humans and their environment,” Figueres indicated that, as a result of this, the said the speaker to the more than 500 people who Conference of Parties (COP 21), , was carried attended the event. out to study the work plans of the 188 countries, having a global regulatory framework which, Watch the FULL LECTURE through at first, will help to identify the contributions the following links: and differences of each country in the political, ideological, and technological spheres. In this regard, each country must agree to be part of a ENLACES: process to review the global effort for enhancing policies and technologies, and promoting higher http://www.madretierra.una.ac.cr/index.php/ investments that would have an impact on videoconferencia sustainable development; this means, knowing where they are going. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ ZfTuuOHVgOc In 2009, Costa Rica takes on the challenge of being carbon neutral by the year 2050 and http://www.ibe.tv/es/canal/ became an example that, globally, is assumed derechoshumanos/873/Cambio- as a goal. Is it possible? According to Figueres, clim%C3%A1tico-y-bienestar-nacional.htm considering today’s technology, the answer is ‘no’, but it can be done within a global economy, combining efforts and innovating with advances in the technology sector. “Translation by Hellen Varela, Office of the “From outside, Costa Rica is seen as an inspiring Deputy President, UNA”. country because, for example, the country has no hydrocarbons but natural energy resources; however, attention should be paid to other factors that must be improved, for instance the transportation sector and urban planning. The country can become an international model in developing well-being conditions for humans and their environment within a collective construction process,” Figueres affirmed.

At the end of the presentation, tears of emotion showed again in Christiana’s eyes while she thanked the participants, the young people, and the workforce of Costa Rica for their commitment to the environment and to the planet.

“We, in this conference hall, were moved as well by this beautiful feeling, and by seeing us a family willing to make our best effort for the good health of our beautiful country and Mother Earth,” said Salo