SIXTH SESSION OF THE UNFCCC CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES (COP 6)

The Hague, The Netherlands, 13 - 24 November, 2000

At the COP6, the BCSD-LA will present the web site www.climategateway.com, developed by the INNOVA Center for Sustainable Development of the Monterrey TEC.

Climategateay.com is the first web site developed in Latin America that provides a very careful and exhaustive selection of materials and essential information to understand the climate change problem and its possible solutions.

Among other purposes, the web site is designed to disseminate the effort carried out by the Latin American private sector in its mitigation process of green-house gas emissions. It also aims to make accessible to the non- expert public the most relevant information about climate change, which up to now has been restricted mainly to climate change specialists. The design of the web site allows a friendly use, and can be utilized for pedagogical purposes.

The dynamism and quality of this website relies on the fact that it links and interrelates points of view, and work style from diverse society sectors from Latin-American countries and the rest of the world; such as Governments, NGO’s, IGO’s, private institutions and Universities.

A great advantage of Climategateway.com, is that it will allow users to learn, experience, and interact with each other through an open forum. They will be have access to the latest information, obtain specific data from qualified experts; and acquire knowledge on the subject through an online course titled as "ABC of the Climate Change"; which will be offered soon through http://www.tec.com.mx/ec/cursos/cambio_clim/. Climategateway.com will be formally introduced at the COP6 on November 17-18. At first, it will be available in Spanish as well as in English, and soon in Portuguese.

The launching of this site will take place during COP6, at the Netherlands Congress Center.

During the COP6, the Business Council for Sustainable Development – Latin America presented the Latin American Business Decalogue of the Climatic Change, a document that reveals the present position of Latin America’s private sector on the issue.

The Decalogue states the following:

LATIN AMERICA BUSINESS DECALOGUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

  1. The BCSD-LA’s mission is to promote Sustainable Development through business leadership via the implementation of business strategies that respond to business and community needs, while protecting Natural Resources and preserving the Environment for future generations.

  1. Encompassed within this framework and the Agenda XXI, the BCSD-LA recognizes that the Climate Change challenges unfolds an unprecedented global effort of coordination, institutional development and markets creation, among governments, civil society, and the business sector. This effort should be directed through cost effectiveness, and efficiency principles, as well as shared but differentiated responsibility approaches.

  1. The BCSD-LA understands that the complexity of this global phenomenon requires a systemic vision. Therefore, it is indispensable to focus on environmental, social and economic problems that affect the necessities of sustainable development of the world.

  1. It is necessary to find a balance among the decision process based on scientific certainty, and precautious approach, which is recognized by the international environmental law; thus advocating a greater flexibility to uncertain situations.

  1. The BCSD-LA requires an appropriate valuation of the technological aspects associated to different control and mitigation proposals, to guarantee success in its design and implementation.

  1. The BCSD-LA impels the development of information and environmental education programs, that incorporate the climate change thematic to them.

  1. We believe the business sector should assume an active role by focusing on its wealth generation, and resource transformation capacities, as well as participating with creative contributions for solutions and opportunities of the climate change problem.

  1. The private sector, through a permanent dialogue with the different social actors, should increase its commitment and participation in the design, formulation and implementation processes linked to environmental policies, including those on Climate Change. Therefore, it is important to create the necessary conditions to stimulate and facilitate these actions, through well-designed and applied market instruments.

  1. The company members of the BCSD-LA voluntarily assume the commitment of incorporating the topic of Climate Change in the decision process linked to their business strategies, thus ratifying one more time their commitment to the sustainable development challenge.

  1. Finally, we are firmly convinced of the necessity of building a Latin American cooperation strategy that effectively takes advantage of the derived opportunities of the unique resources of our region.