FAST! 4th Annual meeting

Paris Agreement: Are we there yet?

A Panel Discussion to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the COP21

Friday 11th December 2020 from 2pm

Christchurch and Wellington

FAST! is organizing two panel discussions in Wellington and Christchurch with experts in climate, ecology, law and the impact of climate change on Pacific Islands. 

Join us to listen and participate in these panels in person or online on 11 December in Wellington and Christchurch. 

This free event is organized by Fast! and sponsored by the Embassy of France. It will be concluded by a wine and cheese event.

Please find the program below and REGISTER HERE   by 8 December. Or send any query to francenzst@gmail.com (please use “Fast! Panel 2020” in the Subject line).

We really look forward to welcoming you for this important event. 

On 12 December 2015, the Conference of the Parties (COP21) came together in Paris and reached a landmark agreement to mitigate climate change with the ambitious goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.  The Paris Agreement was effectively adopted on 4 November 2016 and has been ratified by 188 Parties. 

New Zealand and France both ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016.

Five years have elapsed since the COP21. However, climate change has gotten even worse: glaciers have been retracting in New Zealand, France and Antarctica amongst many places, sea level rise has become a reality for coastal communities, particularly in the Pacific Islands, and climate migration has started. In parallel, the world has been hit by a global pandemic. 

What has been achieved? What have been France’s and New Zealand’s contributions, actions and collaborative efforts to tackle the climate challenge? How has COVID-19 interfered with the progress, and what can we learn from it? These are questions worth asking, half a decade after the agreement. 

Wellington – Victoria University of Wellington

Hunter Council Chamber, Level 2, Hunter Building, Kelburn Campus

Follow us online at https://vuw.zoom.us/j/95363120801

Get the Wellington program here

The Panelists are:

• Dr Adrian Macey, Institut for Governance and Policy Studies, Victoria University
• Prof Peter Lockhart, School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University
• Prof Geraldine Giraudeau, Professor of law
• Prof Tim Naish, Professor in Earth Sciences, Antarctic Research Centre 

The panel will be facilitated by Dr. Geoffroy Lamarche, President of Fast!  and Julie Merckling

Christchurch – University of Canterbury

Engineering Core, Lecture Theatre E5

Follow us online at Launch Meeting – Zoom

Get the Christchurch program here

The Panelists are:

• Dr Sandra Lavorel, Landcare Lincoln Climate change and biodiversity, Académie des Sciences 
• Kate Brown, Executive, Director at Global Island Partnership
• Dr Alelign Gessese, Senior Energy Engineer at Lumen
• Prof Susan Krumdieck, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University & Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury

The panel will be facilitated by Mathieu Sellier, University of Canterbury and James Nikitine, Founding Director of Blue Cradle.

The FAST! organizing committee is really looking forward to welcoming you for his important event.