UAE to take part in women's climate change forum in New York

ABU DHABI // The UAE will be represented at an influential women's climate change forum to be held in New York this month.

Razan Al Mubarak, secretary general of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, will take part in the International Women's Earth and Climate Summit and join female political and business leaders and scientists from more than 35 countries to craft a Women's Climate Action Agenda.

It will call for action, more funding and policy changes to ensure humanity avoids the worst effects of climate change.

Also attending will be Christiana Figueres, executive secretary to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams; and influential marine biologist Dr Sylvia Earle.

The event aims to increase momentum on climate issues as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN's scientific body investigating the issue, prepares to release its much anticipated assessment report.

The fourth assessment report, published in 2007, established scientific consensus that human actions were responsible for the changes to climate.

The fifth report, expected this autumn, will answer important questions such as how individual regions in the world will be affected by climate change.

Osprey Lake, co-founder of the International Women's Earth and Climate Summit, said women had an important part to play in addressing the climate challenge.

"Nature will not wait while politicians debate," Ms Lake said. "Women around the world are facing the impacts of a changing climate every day, and we are coming together to say enough is enough and it is time for action that addresses the roots of this crisis and fosters just solutions."

The summit runs from September 20 to 23.