Oxfam Hong Kong

Chief Negotiator of China Delegation and Oxfam present in Durban

2011-12-02

Su Wei, China's chief negotiator at the UN climate talks in Durban, joined Oxfam at the International Forum on Climate Change Communication on December 2nd in Durban.

Representatives of the United Nations, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Global Campaign for Climate Action and Earth Journalism Network attended the Forum, co-organised by the Journalism and Social Development Research Center of Renmin University (located in Beijing), and Oxfam Hong Kong. The Forum confirmed the influential role of communications in the international negotiations and in global climate change action.

Su Wei, Director General of Climate Change, National Development and Reform Commission, relayed the Chinese Government’s determination in the international negotiations. He also stated the importance of dialogue between government, media and NGOs, “Personally, I agree to the pressure from media and NGOs to negotiators that a consensus is of paramount importance. The China delegation will continue dialogue with media and NGOs.”

"Since the Copenhagen talks, the Chinese Government has exchanged information with the media every day during the talks, and delivered daily briefings as well. I think this is a crucial step for the Chinese Government’s climate change communication work. Last year, in Cancun, we arranged for specialised media officers at the talks. This year, we also have a specialised media delegation to exchange information with the media and NGOs, working hard to build a climate change communication strategy.”

Tim Gore, Oxfam climate change policy advisor, said, “Climate change is a very complicated and specialised discussion topic. Oxfam uses clear and direct language in our communications with the public so that everyone can understand how climate change is affecting the lives of tens of millions of poor people.”

Timothy Juliani from the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions discussed climate change communications in the United States, and Kelly Rigg of the Global Campaign for Climate Action, an international network of about 300 organisations, reinforced the importance of presenting climate change facts to the public to arouse awareness and gather support. Dennis Pamlin, Director, Low-Carbon Leaders, UN Global Compact Global Policy Advisor, and Founder and CEO of Global e-Sustainability Initiative, discussed three phases of climate change communications since before 2007, and James Fahn, Executive Director of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and Global Director of Environmental Programs, confirmed the media’s key role in climate change communications.

The “general public” is a key stakeholder,in the climate change crisis and superstars can be influential in reaching and inspiring them: the role of celebrities should not be underestimated. Hai Qing, a popular actress in China and an Oxfam Ambassador participating in the event, said “I visited a poor community in northwest China affected by climate change, and afterwards, I spread the word far and wide to friends and to the media on all sorts of occasions, inviting more people to think about the issue.”

Professor Zheng Baowei of the Journalism and Social Development Research Center said, “The Center has been working with Oxfam Hong Kong since early 2010 to establish the China Climate Change Communications Research Group, a forerunner of climate change communication studies in China.”

The Journalism and Social Development Research Center of Renmin University presented its publication Theory and Practice of Climate Change Communications at the Forum. The book (in Chinese) outlines the development of climate change communications in China, and presents case studies. Published with support from Oxfam Hong Kong, the publication is the first of its kind in China.


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About Oxfam Hong Kong
Oxfam Hong Kong is an independent development and humanitarian organisation working against poverty and related injustice. We recognise that much poverty is caused by injustice and that poverty alleviation requires economic, social and structural change. We work with people facing poverty and with partner organisations on development, humanitarian, policy advocacy and public education programmes. Founded in 1976, Oxfam Hong Kong has worked in more than 70 countries.

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