MBB Press Release

Mediators Beyond Borders Press Release

Mediation can help now to stop the consequences of climate change: wars, starvation, and displaced populations.

we are calling on all delegates to include a mediation provision in the climate change treaty to be negotiated in Copenhagen in December. If conflicts around climate change cannot be resolved peacefully,there will be increased armed conflict, many deaths,and children will starve.A new report states: We find strong historical linkages between civil war and temperature in Africa, with warmer years leading to significant increases in the likelihood of war. When combined with climate model projections. Of future temperature trends, this historical response to temperature suggests a roughly 54% increase in armed conflict incidence by 2030, or an additional 393,000 battle deaths. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences http://www.pnas.org/Another report states: climate change's impact on agriculture predicts 25 million more malnourished children around the world by 2050, compared to a scenario with no global warming. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa are particularly vulnerable. International Food Policy Research Institute http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/pr21.pdf

Kenneth Cloke, president of Mediators Beyond Borders, says, “Conflict over climate change policies and programs is inevitable. Allowing the conflicts to persist without resolution, however, is not an option. Mediation is a superior, cost-effective, and efficient process for resolving these kinds of conflicts. We cannot let populations die and children starve over these disputes.”
Cloke went on to say, “Mediation is a process where respected, trusted, and experienced neutrals assist parties in negotiation make the best decisions and choices they can. Mediation usually results in better agreements and working relationships than arbitration or even straight diplomatic negotiation.” Currently, the Kyoto Protocol includes negotiation, conciliation, arbitration, and judicial options, but not mediation .

Over 40 international Mediation organizations from every continent, and 200 prominent mediators from around the globe support MBB’s language. Article 14 of the 1992 UNFCCC negotiated in New York and Rio de Janeiro, which is reaffirmed in Article 19 of the Kyoto Protocol, states: “… in the event of a dispute between any two or more Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, the Parties concerned shall seek a settlement of the dispute through negotiation or any other peaceful means of their own choice.”

Mediators Beyond Borders is proposing: Reaffirming the principles set forth in Chapter IV, Articles 33-38 of the UN Charter governing the peaceful settlement of disputes, the parties agree that the parties to any dispute resulting from the interpretation or implementation of this treaty “shall first seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.”

In the event that efforts to reach a solution are unsuccessful, parties are encouraged to use mediation to settle their disputes at all stages, including before, during and after conciliation, arbitration, and actions before the International Court of Justice.

Mediation shall be conducted in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties as soon as practicable, in an annex on mediation.”

MBB is seeking to actively engage in conversations with delegates in order to understand their concerns about adopting the suggested language and welcome the opportunity for dialogue