Cha-am Statement on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals The participants of the International Conference on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy and Practice”, having met in Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province of Thailand during 27 to 29 June 2016 in celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Fifth Cycle Birthday Anniversary, and having recognized the moral imperative to address the new agenda for sustainable development through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realizing the interlink ages and integrated nature of these goals, do hereby pledge to advocate for key interventions which were prominently raised during the Conference to further global, regional, national and local efforts in climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and management of ecosystem services. Towards this end, the participants do commit to the following actions and aspirations: • Support global, regional and national efforts towards climate change adaptation at the watershed level, halt the loss of biodiversity, and secure sustainable ecosystem services through supporting the objectives and initiatives by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP), the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (CBD COP), as well as the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. • Promote the application of meaningful and effective public consultation and participation that will allow stakeholders a clear role in how education, policies, strategies, programs and projects are developed and implemented. • Because no country can effectively address climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem challenges alone, support partnerships and collaborations at the global, regional, national and local levels through existing formal, non-formal and informal channels, seek out opportunities to establish new partnership arrangements especially among stakeholders within the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen the interfaces of science-policy-society, at all levels of government, civil society, higher education and research institutions, and local communities and networks such as the Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). • Recognizing that effective climate change adaptation and resilience programs will often be inextricably linked with the ecological services provided by healthy, biodiverse watersheds, take steps that will lead to effective action at priority watersheds, including preparation of climate change vulnerability assessments and recommendations; effective management of national parks and other protected areas, which are often among the major land use types in our watersheds; initiation of community-based adaptation and nature conservation programs; and other actions that will maintain water quality and quantity, species diversity, climate regulation, and other vital ecological services that enhance human well-being. xiv Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
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