Athens Declaration on vulnerable Children and Climate Change
(If you wish to add your signature to the Declaration please sign here!)
Today, the 3rd of June 2009 in Athens, Greece, senior experts from different countries working in the field of climate change came together from various research based institutions, the business sector, civil society organizations, and governmental organizations, to discuss:
- The social dimensions of climate change including its impact on health, with a particular emphasis on the most vulnerable sections of the population,
- The strategy required to promote adaptation efforts within international and national contexts,
- The role of technology development and technology transfer in this regard, and
- The importance of targeted investments that address financial needs in respect of climate change action.
We now wish to issue the following Statement:
- Significant policy challenges are implicit if we are to adequately address some of the likely consequences of climate change in the Mediterranean region such as the possibility of a significant reduction in precipitation levels negatively affecting the safety and security of our water resources, the increased likelihood of an increased frequency in heat waves, as well as a higher incidence of urban ozone and aerosol pollution events.
- Vulnerable communities in the Mediterranean region such as the elderly and the very young, especially those already suffering from chronic diseases, are likely to be among those most impacted by any destabilization of the climate system along with a consequent disruption to ecosystems.
- We urgently emphasize the need to control the intensity of human related environmental impacts on the biosphere and the need for support to efforts required to adapt to these negative impacts. Along with adaptation there is therefore an urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Mediterranean region is particularly suited to achieving this goal if it strengthens use of renewable energy resources and promotes energy efficiency and eco-friendly technologies in important sectors of the economy.
The Athens Declarations seeks to emphasize the need for urgent climate change mitigation and adaptation action. In this regard the Statement discusses the associated opportunities and constraints, taking note of the challenges for future generations and taking into account the reduced resilience of the most vulnerable and poorest sections of the population. The Statement calls for a significant strengthening of international cooperation in this context.
Koichiro Matsuura
Director-General, UNESCO
Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri
Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Director-General, TERI, India
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador;
President, Foundation for the Child and the Family, Greece
Prof. Christos Zerefos
Academy of Athens;
President, International Ozone Commission
and National Observatory Athens, Greece
Stavros Dimas
European Commissioner for Environment
Ricardo Lagos
Former President, Chile;
Special Envoy on Climate Change for the UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon
Ambassador Walter Fust
Director-General, Global Humanitarian Forum, Switzerland
Sir Magdi H. Yacoub
Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Prof. George Chroussos
Professor and Chairman of the First Department of Pediatrics,
Athens University Medical School, Greece
Prof. Aikaterini Metaxotou
Emeritus Professor of Human Genetics, Athens University, Greece
Prof. Petteri Taalas
Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland
Dr. Mary Chinery-Hesse
Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Ghana
Mrs. Anne-Marie Lizin
Former President of the Senate, Belgium
Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella
Director-General, UNIDO
Dr. Georges Valentis
Managing Director, The Institute Veolia Environment, France
Philippe Forestier
Executive Vice President, Customers and Communities Global Development, Dassault Systemes, France
Dr. Marianne Moscoso-Osterkorn International Director, Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), Austria
Girish Sethi
Director. Industrial Energy Efficiency Division, TERI, India
Prof. Walter Erdelen
Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO
Filippos Tsalidis
General Secretary for Research & Technology, Ministry of Development, Greece
Børge Brende
Former Minister for Trade & Industry & Managing Director,
World Economic Forum, Switzerland
Pieter van Geel
Chairman of the Parliamentary Party of the Christian, Democratic Alliance (CDA), former State Secretary for the Environment, The Netherlands
Prof. Andreas Α. Papandreou
Associate Professor in Environmental Economics, University of Athens, Greece
Dr. Ole Odgaard
Senior Policy Advisor,Danish Energy Agency, Denmark
Supported by
Kostas Karamanlis
Prime Minister of Greece
Dimitris Sioufas
President of the Hellenic Parliament
George Papandreou
President of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
President of Socialist International
Dora Bakoyannis
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kostis Hatzidakis
Minister of Development
George Souflias
Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
Αris Spiliotopoulos
Minister of Education
Fani Palli-Petralia
Minister of Employment & Social Protection
Dimitris Avramopoulos
Minister of Health
Antonis Samaras
Minister of Culture
Spiros Kouvelis
MP of State PASOK-Political Representative of the Socialist Party on
Environment and Planning issues
Nikitas Kaklamanis
Mayor of Athens
- 2011
- UNESCO Heads of States Forum
- There is HOPE!
- Cultural Heritage - Climate Change - The teacher's role - Presentation of the book "The country of two suns"
- International Women's Day - The Educational Institute AKMI IVT honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
- The "Pancretan Association of Athens" honours Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Woman of the year 2011".
- Excellence Awards, Greeks who are Role Models for the New Generation.
- Presentation of the Greek publication of Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis' book "Labouring with the Challenges of Female Identity: Insights into Minoan Society".
- 2010
- Presentation of the book "Labouring with the challenges of female identity: Insights into the Minoan society" at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
- The Global Forum against human trafficking.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis - ELPIDA Children's Oncology Unit.
- Makistos smiles again!
- 83000 signatures for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- 10th Annual Meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors
- An event for the "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- International campaign supporting Greece.
- The international "1GOAL: Education for All" campaign.
- First meeting of the Friends of the Aswan Heart Centre.
- 2009
- Global Campaign for the Climate Justice.
- Inauguration of the new Acropolis Museum.
- Declaration of the International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
- International Conference "Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations".
- International Conference «Crossing Borders to Protect the Children of the World» and the Cairo Declaration.
- International Conference in Bahrain "Human Trafficking at the Crossroads of East- West" and the Manama Declaration.
- Summer Deaflympics - Athens 2013.
- 2008
- The Vienna Forum against human trafficking.
- Mothers - Olympic Champions of Love.
- Universal call for the Climate Change.
- The 4th Global Youth Employment Summit on the fight against poverty and unemployment, in Azerbaijan and the Baku Declaration.
- The appeal of Ancient Olympia.
- The “Alexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies” in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis "Great Lady of the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria".
- 2007
- 2nd Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
- The Chart of Paris against cancer.
- The first Oncological Hospital for children in Greece.
- Lecture of the H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak in Athens, Greece.
- Fairuz Concert in Athens, Greece.
- International Youth Forum for Peace in Sharm El Sheikh.
- Global Humanitarian Forum.
- Makistos smiles again.
- 2006
- Round Table " The Business Community against Human Trafficking".
- Fundraising Dinner to support the “End Human Trafficking Now” global campaign.
- The "Athens Principles" in Davos.
- International Center for Peace Studies.
- Protecting youth from drugs.
- The Multicultural Children Centre “Athina” in Belgrade.
- 1st Workshop on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts.
- Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
- 2005
- Helping the children of Palestine- Fundraising dinner in Cairo.
- The UN Millennium Development Goals and Civil Society.
- The Declaration of 22 Greek organisations on the UN Millennium Development Goals.
- 2004
- Exhibition of Traditional and Contemporary Handicrafts from Jordan.
- International Conference “Women in the Service of Peace” in Paris.
- International Conference “Women defending Peace” in Geneva.
- 2003
- 2nd European Conference of Legal Practitioners on juvenile matters.
- Exhibition "Breaking the Veils", Exhibition of women artists from the Islamic World, at UNESCO.
- Exhibition “The Unity of an Unique Monument: the Parthenon”, at UNESCO.
- The Mentor Awards.
- Awards to mothers.
- 2002
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina. A wonder of the modern world.
- Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
- Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders who change our world.
- Contemporary Societies - Multicultural Co-existence- The position of the child.
- The protection of the World Cultural nad Natural Heritage.
- 2001
- The child: victim of war and messenger of peace.
- 2000
- A Model Area for creative activities in the Municipality of Ano Liosia.
- Mother: A Symbol of life, hope and peace.
- Children: Symbol of hope, will, courage.
- The Meeting of Athens and Delphi on Children and Peace.
- The Declaration of Delphi on Children and Peace.
- 1st International Conference for the Culture of Peace.
- Early Childhood Resource and Training Center in Bethlehem.
- 1999
- By the side of mothers and children behind bars.
- Juvenile disappearance and abduction.
- The Hague Appeal for Peace.
- International Conference “Family and Children in the European society of the 21st Century” in Paris.
- Support for the children - victims of war in the Balkans.
- By the side of the earthquake victims.
- International Conference “Sexual abuse of children and paedophilia in the Internet”.
- 1998
- A three-point shot for a life.
- European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions".
- Family and the mass media.
- Presentation of the Minutes of the European Forum "FAMILY - EUROPE - 21ST CENTURY: Vision and Institutions"
- 1997
- International Conference “Priority to the Dignity and Safety of the children in Europe”.
- By the side of the children of Xanthi.
- Embracing children suffering from AIDS.
- The International Convention on Children's Rights and the role of the European Union.