Objectives

The latest IPCC report, released in 2007, dispelled many uncertainties and revealed that the warming of the climate system is unequivocal and accelerating. Global warming has been directly correlated to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the impacts of which are inevitable, as these gases and their effects can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Small island developing states, such as the Dominican Republic, are already suffering from the impacts of climate change (i.e. sea-level rise, shifts in growing seasons, water availability and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather phenomena) and will continue to suffer from these impacts at disproportionate rates.

Dealing with climate change is an economic necessity. In order to avoid serious disruption of national economic and social activity, decisive and immediate action must be taken, as economic assessments clearly indicate that inaction or a delayed response will most likely exceed the costs of taking early action exponentially. By developing adaptation policies that make societies more resilient and better able to cope with the effects of climate change, small developing island  states will be more adept at confronting development challenges.

Research on climate change is fundamental to the development of adequate adaptation policies. Collecting data, gathering research and creating regional research programs to address information gaps will allow policy makers to identify effective adaptation policies and investment priorities designed to safeguard regions from the impacts of climate change.

Realizing the important role that research plays, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), in coordination with the DR Chapter of the International Center for Environmental and Sustainable Development Studies (CIEMADeS), present the National Forum on Climate Change: "Evidence of Global Warming in the Dominican Republic." The conference is the second in a series of climate change initiatives taking place during the year 2007, designed to create awareness and spark collective action. The second conference will present national case studies, testimonies, data and research findings.

The objectives of the forum are to: increase public awareness and spark collective action; enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue; gather and systematize available climate data within the nation; disseminate information to climate change professionals and policy makers; identify research gaps; bring together climate change professionals to asses regional capacity in order to better manage the impacts of climate change; and promote research and monitoring of climate change in the Dominican Republic.