Cooks sends 6 to COP 17
The Cook Islands is to take part in the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Climate Change convention in Durban, South Africa from 23 November - 9 December 2011.
Representatives from over 200 countries are expected to attend along with Non Government reps and reps from other organisations. In all over 10,000 people are expected making the COP the most important meeting concerning the future of mankind.
The Cook Islands involvement in the convention is vital for our survival.
The Cook Islands delegation to COP 17 includes, Pasha Carruthers, National Environment Service and Head of the delegation, Anna Tira’a, Office of the Prime Minister, Sandra Tisam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration, Ulamila Kurai Wragg, Pacific Gender Climate Coalition NGO, Linda Siegele, Environment Legal Advisor, United Kingdom NGO and Ewan Cameron, 350.Org , Samoa NGO.
As Manager of the Puna Orama, Islands Futures Division, Carruthers has been working for National Environment Service since 1999 in the area of implementing multilateral environment enabling activities and pilot projects particularly related to climate change.
Her first negotiations meeting was during COP 8 in 2002 when she followed up issues related to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment Report. These Issues evolved into new agenda items on adaptation and mitigation, and through consistent attendance enabled by the Government of the Cook Islands Pasha has become the coordinator for these issues for the Alliance of Small Islands Developing States (AOSIS).
Ana Tiraa was recently appointed Director of Climate Change, Office of the Prime Minister. Tira’a has a master’s degree thesis focusing on community fisheries and climate change, as well as extensive experience working on biodiversity related issues at national, regional and international levels. While this will be Ana’s first UNFCCC COP, she has attended several COPs under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Sandra Tisam is a Foreign Affairs officer and works in the International Division of the Ministry.
The three non-government representatives have been accredited to the delegation because all have been active in climate change activities. Ulamila Kurai Wragg and Ewan Cameron are Cook Islanders and Linda Siegele is an environmental lawyer who provides free legal advice to the Cook Islands delegation.
All non-government delegates seeking accreditation to the Government delegation are required to sign an undertaking which sets out the criteria for their participation, including speaking rights. The team will be arriving back from the conference on the 14th of December. -Tiare Ponini

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