June 1-11 – Darrel J. Danyluk, FEC, P.Eng, FEC, P.Eng., Vice-President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations , Chair of the WFEO Committee on Engineering and the Environment (WFEO-CEE) and Chair of the Engineers Canada PIEVC, together with David Lapp, FEC, P.Eng., Practice Lead, Engineering and Public Policy, led an eight-member WFEO delegation that participated in the 42nd Meeting of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The meetings were held in Bonn, Germany, and were a precursor to the final negotiations that are scheduled for COP-21 (also known as the 2015 Paris Climate Conference) in Paris in December 2015 to agree on country-based, post-2020 climate change commitments on greenhouse gas reduction targets and climate change adaptation efforts.
WFEO-CEE was very active in the Bonn meetings: operating an information booth, delivering a successful side event, organizing an informal meeting of engineers attending the negotiations, engaging with Canadian government negotiators, as well as contributing the engineering perspective at several policy and subject matter meetings. The profile of engineering and an understanding of its role within the UNFCCC were increased through efforts over the past eight years.
The WFEO delegation included a senior transportation engineering professor from the University of Krakow, Dr. Lidia Zakowska, as well four engineering students sponsored by the University of Calgary Dean of Engineering. The students included two undergraduates, Connor Scheu (Engineers Canada 2015 Student Gold Medal winner) and Jorge Zapote Costilla, and two graduate students, Andrea Orellna Abreu and Armand Hemmatti. Their energy and willingness to pursue the opportunities bodes well for their futures as well as well as the future of the engineering profession.
The information booth was located in the midst of the high traffic area in the UN Conference Centre. Information on the WFEO and its committees, the climate change work of the WFEO-CEE and upcoming events of interest to delegates and observers complimented the presence of WFEO CEE representatives to answer questions or discuss feasibility and implementation of solutions to mitigate GHGs and adaptation strategies.
On June 10, the WFEO delivered a side event entitled “Infrastructure Assessment: Implications for Adaptation Planning, Policy and Implementation” to 25 country and NGO delegates. The presentations covered the need and rationale for climate assessment, introduction to the principles and details of the PIEVC Protocol, examples of public Policy, adaptation Planning and implementation of resilient infrastructure from a policy and engineering perspective. As noted by one attendee: “I really enjoyed your presentation – your slides were very powerful. The potential for failure of infrastructure and the lack of understanding of the risk is profound”.
It was apparent that there are more engineers attending these meetings as delegates and observers. For the first time, WFEO organized an informal meeting through the UNFCCC Secretariat calling all engineers attending the conference. The turnout was modest, but those attending strongly supported an engineers’ constituency meeting at all future UNFCCC conferences.
Two key recommendations in the upcoming trip report are 1) Encourage Canadian universities to sponsor Canadian engineering undergraduates and graduates to participate as observers in future UNFCCC meetings; and, 2) Encourage Canadian engineers and engineering companies to offer their skills and expertise to Canadian and foreign governments as the international agreements move into the implementation stage over the next five years.
