The Executive Secretary of UNFCCC visited UNU-GTP
The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Christiana Figueres, visted the UNU-GTP on Saturday 1. November. Málfríður Ómarsdóttir, Environmental Scientist at UNU-GTP, informed her about the Programme and it's operations. Annadís Runólfsdóttir, director, and Erla Hlín Hjálmarsdóttir, Project Coordinator of UNU-GEST, told her about the operations of the Gender Equality Studies Training Programme.
Christiana Figueres was very interested in meeting the Fellows and she met with most of the MSc and PhD Fellows and had a very interesting and lively discussion with both Fellows and staff.
Christiana emphasised the importance of scientists and engineers in developing countries focussing on environmentally friendly energy sources and said that in future there will be more focus on the
source of the energy rather than the amount. Her main message was that:
before quantity of energy = quality of life
whereas in future it would be quality of energy = quality of life
She also emphasised the importance of the Fellows seeing themselves as pioneers of new energy and that it is imperative to keep the drive and enthusiasm going for future generations. She also emphasised the importance of gender equality in the energy sector and that developing countries need to be aware that gender rights go hand in hand with energy issues. In many developing countries the presence of electricity affects females and their status and wellbeing more than men.
We thank Christiana Figueres for her visit and the very interesting discussions.