The First CCAN Side Event Was Held Successfully in Tianjin

The First CCAN Side Event Was Held Successfully in Tianjin

The first China Civil Climate Action Network (CCAN) NGO side event: The Impacts of Climate Change on China Civil Society Responses was successfully held on October 4^th, 2010 at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre, Tianjin. This was also the first time for CCAN to organize a side event and it has been a good opportunity for international NGOs and delegates to learn more about Chinese NGOs' work through this event. More than 80 participants from different countries attended the side event which shows the interest and importance the international community places in Chinese NGOs' work and the issue of glacier melting in the Himalaya region.

As we know, climate change is already impacting on China in form of extreme weather events, flooding, desertification and glacier melting, and results in a wide range of social problems, such as water shortages, food security, poverty and ecological migration. The side event invited four Chinese NGOs representatives to introduce how Chinese NGOs respond to these challenges and support local communities and indigenous people in adapting to climate change.

Mr. Yang Xin from Geen RiverSichuan province gave a presentation title Witnessing the disappearance of glaciers and addressing climate change which introduced the organisations expeditions, research and awareness raising events on glacier melting and activity plan for theCOP16 in Cancun.

Mr. Zhao Yunfeng from Asia Society shared a video presentation on glacier melting. The video showed that the changes and melting has increased in recent years. Mr. Zhaxibanba from Yushu Herding Community Association introduced climate impacts on the Tibetean Plateau (e.g. shrinking of grasslands) and local ethnic communities. The nutrition value of plants has been decreasing, snowstorm frequency has increased, livestock sizes are shrinking and quantity of Yak milk is decreasing. Concluding the side event, Ms. Lai Jiarong from the China Mangrove Conservation Network introduced the impacts of climate change on Mangrove forests in Southern China.