.Page 50·THISDAY,Vol.16, No, 5_841 Thursday, April 21, 2011

e Busin~sW()R~f) development Climate Change: Parties to UN Convention Want New Fund

Parties to the United Nations (UN) climate change convention have announced the selec­tion of a 4O-member committee tasked with designing an international fund .

The fund is to manage resources mobilised to enable developing countries to address the effects of climate change, according to a UN release.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said the transitional committee will prepare operational specifications for the Green Climate Fund in time for approval by the next UN Climate Conference in Durban, South Africa in December.

"'The high level of interest among governments in contributing to the design process is a demonstration of ille great interest annong parties in the Green Climate Fund;' said Christiana Figueres,the UNFC­CC Executive Secretary. "Parties have put forward experienced and respected individuals from the fields of finance and climate change;' she said.

"The transparent, predictable and adequate provi­sion of finance in the long term is essential to ensure that the poor and vulnerable can build themselves a sustainable future in the face of climate change;' she added. .

The transitional committee will hav~ its first meeting in Mexico City on 28 April . The Green Fund is being launched in the broad context oflong­term financial support agreed last year at the UN cli­mate change conference in Canclin, Mexico, under which industrialised countries committed to a goal of jointly mobilising $100 billion per year by 2020.

The funds would be raised from both public and private sources and directly linked to meaningful cli­mate change mitigation actions and transparency on implementation.

The Canctin Agreements are a set of decisions by

Stories by Abimbola Akosile

the international cornmunity to address the long-term challenge of climate cbange collec­tively and comprehensively over time and to take concrete action to speed up global response.

The Green Climate Fund was only one of several new institutions agreed at Cancun. The others are a technology mechanism to get clean technologies to the right places and an adapta­tion framework to boost international coopera­tion to help developing countries protect them­selves from the impacts of climate change.

Meanwhile, . the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reported that nearly 200 participants of a green economy symposium met recently in South Africa with the 30 glob­al winners of the SEED Awards to look at ways to accelerate the transition to a green economy . in developing countries.

The SEED Awards, part of an initiative host­ed by UNEP, recognise inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs, whose business­es can help meet sustainable development challenges, boost local economies and alleviate poveity.

The symposium focused on policies needed to accelerate the transition to a green economy and on the environmental and social contribu­tion of community-level entrepreneurs in developing countries.

The latest SEED Award winners largely come from Africa, placing particular emphasis on initiatives from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ke!'ya, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa.

eQUrtrue character is that person we becorilewheI1p.o dn~iS watching. . . . ... :::. . '. Jealousy is the best compliment you cail receive[ ~' .. • Don't take what people say about you; take What yous'ay

about yourself. . _ .. • Friends are like a box of chocolates; you keep the g~ one

and_l;hrow the rest away. . . . ... :' ;. : • Don't blend in ..... Stand out! < .:

• Source: www.coolnsmort.com

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Together with Egypt, these are pilot countries in a joint project between the SEED Initiative and UNEP's Green Economy Initiative. which is fund­ed largely by the Europqm Union.

b~boo ~~~pplies; a Ugandan enterprise manu­facturing stationery from agricultural waste; a Chinese project producing a novel solar device that turns waste heat into electricity; and a South African female-run business making a hand­held laundry device that saves water and cuts

The winners include ii bannboo bicycle project in Ghana that makes use of the country's vast

Business Leaders Debate Green Economy in Paris

Some 200 -representatives Development. 'b~: ~~~~al~~~~~~~IS from business and indus- A high-level panel followed from business leaders to try, governments and civil with representatives from the encourage greater investment society gathered in Paris UN Global Compact, the in sustainable practices. Patrick

last week for global talks on Organisation for Economic Co- Widloecher from La Poste, a the transition to a gree. n econ- operation and Development, h · I omy. the Danish Ministry of Foreign company t at IS current y

Organised by the United Affairs and Hungary's Deputy investing in electric vehicles, Nations Environment State Secretary for Green affirmed that a green economy Programme (UNEP), in col- Economy and Climate Change. needs to be recognised as a

f th . strategic investment for busi-laboration with . the Later, membeIll 0 e pn- ness, rather than a cOst.

InC ternational dChthambFer 0hf ~aptpeo~~::' !~CUcS~~~engt: UNEP's Green Economy ommerce ar e renc Report, released in February,

postal service Le Groupe La outlined in the report with a challenges the myth that Poste, which hosted the event panel including the ICC Task investing in the environment at its Paris headquarters, the Force on Green Economy and comes at the expense of eco-two-day Business and the World Business Council for nomic growth. Industry Global Dialogue Sustainable Development. The report shows how redi-aimed to define the private The second day offered par- reeting 2 per cent of global sector's role in moving ticipants a chance to envision Gross Domestic Product into towards a low carhon, and map out their contributions

to the Rio+20 conference. ten key sectOIll - from forests resource-efficient green econ- d t fi h ' d omy. During the dialogue, Katrina an energy 0 ~es an

The event began with open- Desbie Cochran, Director of transpon - can t green CSR Initiatives at telecommu- growth and create more Jobs

ing addresses from UNEP th 'b· ai' Executive Direc tor Achim nications company Alcatel- an a USlOess as usu

Lucent, expressed the impor- model , while using the planet's Steiner, the Secretary General . tain bl of the International Chamber tance of measuring the environ- resources 10 a more sus a e of Commerce (ICC) Jean-Guy mental and economic effects of way.

Carrier and the Chief Executive Officer of Le Groupe La Poste Jean-Paul Bailly, according to a UNEP release.

Director of UNEP's Paris­based Division ofTecbnology, Industry and Economics, Sylvie Lemmet, delivered a keynote presentation on UNEP's Green Economy Report and stressed how engagement from the private sector is crucial for the scal­ing-up of a green economy on the road to 'Rio +20' - next year's United Nations Conference on Sustainable

PHaro: Ojo Mam../rwo

Be Humble Always, Nigerians Urged

By Oluwafunke Lasisi

Head of Department (HOD) Mass Communication at the Covenant University, Ottah, Ogun State, Prof. Idowu Sobowale, has wged politicians , youths and the citi­zens of Nigeria to be humble in their careers, as a way

to promote overall growth . ''Being humble in one's career would allow one to over­

come challenges in all ways easily without being biased and lay a good legacy for the coming generation", he said .

He stated this at his 70th birthday ceremony, hosted at the Chapel of Christ in Ikeja, Lagos, where the theme was 'Giace through and througn' as part of activities marking the awards bestowed on him.

Prof. Sobow<tle, who has put in effort in laying a good foundation of his career and being described· as a humble man from childhood by his family, relations and friends among others , witnessed the ceremony and had convinced many organisations in winning their awards as compensation for his well-doing in the society.

He began his career in Journalism as a trainee reporter with the Daily Times in 1965 and has to his credit more articles in reputed academic journals and books , which had placed a h igh contribution to the understanding of Journalism and Mass Communication, which had been acknowledged worldwide.

He had worked with many prominent media houses and Universities in Lagos . He bad also been appointed as a Special Adviser on education under the administration of ·Alhaji Lateef Jakande, when he was a governor and the for­mer governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and later promoted as the Hon Commissioner for education.

"He takes teaching as a calling, not just to impact knowl­edge but to build morally sound professionals".

He said that the Covenant UniveIllity and Chapel Baptist Church where he worship, had a classic ceremony for him on his birthday before he decided to had his own celebration last weekend.

The awards he had won in the past years include; Best Diploma student of University of Lagos and Chancellor's prize for the Best Student of Mass Communication in (197111973) by Daily Times, National Award for best stu­dent (1972), letter of commendation Award from chairman of the Daily Times,lateAJhaji BabatundeJose, for excellent performance as the editor of the evening Time in 1975.

There was also prize for best chapter president of the Nigerian Students Union (Syracuse·Chapter) 1978, National Honour of the officer of the order of the Niger (DON) for his contribution on his profession .