Updates: UNFCCC COP 18/ CMP 8 participants celebrate 9 “Lighthouse Activities” to address climate change and improve the lives of urban poor

UNFCCC COP 18/ CMP 8 participants celebrate 9 “Lighthouse Activities” to address 
climate change and improve the lives of urban poor


(Doha, Qatar – 4 December 2012) As part of the UN Climate Change Conference, participants came together at COP18/ CMP8 Tuesday to celebrate the accomplishments of 9 public-private “Lighthouse Activities” selected by an advisory panel coordinated by the UN Climate Change Secretariat.

Key criteria for the selection of the initiatives are that they have proven to be effective and have the potential to be replicated in other countries and communities.

“These exceptional Lighthouse Activities, selected through a thoughtful and rigorous multistakeholder process and graciously funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are proof that we can curb greenhouse gas emissions and help people adapt to climate change. These projects both  benefit the urban poor and can be hugely inspirational for governments at all levels, for civil society and the business sector, to do more by showing what is achievable by climate action on the ground,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres.

The showcase event was also attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. “These powerful
initiatives are emblematic of an emerging phenomenon of public-private partnerships that highlight the potential for greater climate resilience,” he said.

This high-level event will be followed by three side-events on 5 December during which interested stakeholders and UNFCCC participants can meet with the activity partners of the Lighthouse Activities. The side events will include a panel on Sustainable Transport (11:30 to 13:00) an event on building resilience against climate change (13:15 to 14:45) and an event on mitigating climate change in urban communities (15:00 to 16:30). Participants can also join in via Twitter using the hashtag #m4c2012.


The nine lighthouse activities are:

- Solar Sister, a door-to-door green energy social enterprise in Uganda;

- The Ahmedabad bus rapid transit system in India, which created an integrated and accessible
public transport system;


- BioComp Nepal, who along with the myclimate foundation have developed a waste reduction
project involving composting organic waste in Nepal;

- Energy efficiency in artisanal brick kilns in Latin America (EELA) in Peru, which  promotes
cleaner-burning artisanal brick kilns, developed with the myclimate foundation;

- Carbon For Water in Kenya, which uses carbon financing to fund household level water
purification;

- Adaptation to coastal erosion in vulnerable areas, an Adaptation Fund-supported activity in
Senegal that fights coastal erosion, hosted by the Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), GREEN Senegal,
Dynamique Femmes and Direction de l’Environnement et des Establissements Classes;

- Lanka Electric Vehicle Association in Sri Lanka, who have piloted the use of electric buses
and rickshaws in Colombo with assistance from the UN Development Programme (UNDP);

- Holistic approaches to community adaptation to climate change, a Namibia-based activity from
Creative Entrepreneurs Solutions, Ergonomidesign and UNDP, that uses a six-point method to assist
local communities in adapting to climate change;

- Guangzhou bus rapid transit system in China, one of the largest integrated bus rapid transit
systems in the world.

For more information on the activities, along with a description of the advisory panel and
selection criteria, please visit the UNFCCC website.

More information is available at: http://unfccc.int/secretariat/momentum_for_change/items/6214.php

For further information please contact:
Luis Dávila, Programme Officer, UN Climate Change secretariat
momentum@unfccc.int, +49 (0) 228-815-1137





Link for the original press release document: http://unfccc.int/files/press/press_releases_advisories/application/pdf/pr20120412_mfc_cop18.pdf