Brussels, 11 July 2012/ ACP: A global conference in November will present cutting edge research, innovative solutions and future outlooks on the climate change agenda, with a special focus on the plight of Small Island Developing States. The conference is set to take place entirely in cyberspace, making it open and free to anyone with an internet connection.

Organisers at the Hamburg University of Applied Science have selected Secretary General for the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas to be Patron for the event.

“This year’s focus on the small island states is also particularly relevant for us because most of these states, if not all, are very vulnerable to the effects of climate change. We at the ACP support the unique concept of the conference, in our efforts to raise awareness about the specific opportunities and challenges faced in ACP countries, so that they are better understood,” said Dr Chambas.

Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the conference will include presentations from experts in a range of fields, on the theme Climate change, sustainable technologies and Small Island Developing States. Using a range of online tools, participants from India, to Egypt to the USA will be able to hear about the latest climate-smart technologies, concepts and current projects, including those in renewable energy. Interactive sessions will allow experts, decision-makers, and ordinary people from around the world to engage in discussions. Follow-on joint activities and projects are encouraged amongst participants.

Special honours will also be presented, with three Climate Change Doctoral Awards going to graduate students in the field, and the Best Technology Award for the three best mitigation and adaptation projects, as selected by the participants.

“After the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development, and just in the lead up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP18) in Qatar later this year, the Climate2012 e-conference is an excellent opportunity to sustain the focus and encourage productive exchanges on sustainable, climate-smart solutions, such as the use of renewable energies, both in developing countries and vulnerable small island regions, as well as more developed countries,” said conference patron Dr Chambas.

Climate2012 is part of the project "Small Developing Iceland Renewable Energy Knowledge and Technology Transfer Network" (DIRECT), organized by the ACP Science and Technology is funded programs, an EU program for cooperation between the European Union and ACP countries. This is the fifth online climate conference, building upon successive annual meetings held since 2008.

To register for free for the conference, visit: http://www.klima2012.de/en

- ACP Press

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