Human Security Network 
 Conference

19 February 2008
10:00 – 13:30
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
7bis, avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva 2, Switzerland

Background

This conference was organized by the Government of Greece, in its capacity as Chair of the Human Security Network and in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Established in 1999, the Human Security Network is an informal group of 13 countries that maintain a dialogue on questions pertaining to human security. Greece has committed to focus the public and political awareness-raising function of the HSN on the human security implications of climate change for the most vulnerable groups including women, children and people fleeing their homes due to climate change.

The Government of Greece has called upon IOM to be a partner in the organization of the conference. Since the early 1990s, IOM has been actively engaged in promoting concerted dialogue and action in the field of migration and the environment. At the policy level, this question has now been taken up by IOM's membership in the framework of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration, which provides a forum for governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations and experts to identify and debate the principal international migration issues of our time with a view to finding practical and cooperative solutions.

Overview

The conference sought to stimulate and sustain discussion on the most promising practices and pertinent lessons learned in forging multi-stakeholder cooperation at national, bilateral, regional and global levels to address in a sustainable way the human security implications of environmental degradation, climate change and migration.

This half-day event included keynote presentations and two interactive panel discussions, during which participants engaged in a dynamic forum for the exchange of insight and experience with respect to key issues that merit greater attention and coherence in this domain. Account was taken of latest developments in the field of migration and the environment.

Agenda

19 February 2008

09:00 - 10:00 Registration and coffee
10:00 - 10:20 Welcome remarks
  • Theodoros Skylakakis, Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation and Special Representative for Climate Change, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece, delivered on behalf of the Greek Chairmanship of the Human Security Network (Bio | Speech)
  • Brunson McKinley, Director General, International Organization for Migration (Bio | Speech)
10:20 - 10:40 Keynote Presentations
  • Kyung-wha Kang, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
    (Bio | Presentation)
  • Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization
    (Bio | Presentation)
10:40 - 12:00 Session I: Addressing the Impact of Environmental Degradation and Climate Change on Human Security and Migration
Moderator: Daniel Wermus, Director, Media21 Global Journalism Network, Geneva
  • E. Angus Friday, Ambassador of Grenada to the United Nations, Chairman, Alliance of Small Island States (Bio)
  • Michelle Leighton, Director, Human Rights Programs, School of Law, University of San Francisco (Bio | Presentation)
  • Georges-Stavros Kremlis, Head of Unit ENV D.3, European Commissioner for Environment, European Commission
    (Bio | Presentation)
  • Gordon Shepherd, Director, Regional and Global Policy, WWF International (Bio | Presentation)
12:00 - 13:20 Session II: Addressing the Impact of Migration on the Environment and the Interaction of these Phenomena with the Potential for Conflict
Moderator: Janos J. Bogardi, Director, Institute for the Environment and Human Security, United Nations University (Bio)
  • Makio Miyagawa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Office in Geneva (Speech)
  • Grégoire de Kalbermatten, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Bio | Speech)
  • Hans Jorg Strohmeyer, Head, Policy Development and Studies Branch, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
    (Bio | Presentation)
     
13:20 - 13:30 Closing remarks

End of Conference

13:30 - 15:15 Reception hosted by the Human Security Network Chairmanship

 

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