Bridging the gap between Policy and Practice. 2nd - 14th September 2007. “To remain a recipient – out of humility. And preserve your flexibility. To remain a recipient – and be grateful. Grateful for being allowed to listen, to observe, to understand”. Dag Hammarskjold. I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the experience of attending the Bridging the Gap between policy and practice Conference. To have had the opportunity to listen, to observe, to understand, to get glimpses of the God of Mercy at work in our world has filled me with a sense of wonder and awe. I can truthfully say (a bit like Dickens) it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. The best of times in that it provided a window of opportunity to:

Walk on International ground at the U.N and to follow the footsteps of Dag Hammarskjold, Koffi Annan and many others who dedicated their lives to building just and peaceful societies.

Witness the work of Mercy Global Concern and Deirdre’s role in her ministry of influence at the United Nations.

Engage with sisters of Mercy from around the world, in addressing the concerns and challenges facing us at local and global level and seeking solutions. Seeds were sown for a future full of possibility.

Join with over 2000 participants representing over 500 NGO’s worldwide to address the growing concerns about Climate change and how it impacts on our world and us. It was inspiring to see the dedication of so many people committed to ensuring a safer and more sustainable future.

Realise the interconnection between achieving the MDG’s, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development. Eliminating world poverty and protecting the world ecosystem are two sides of the same coin.

The worst of times in that when I reflected on many of the presentations it was clear that:

Unless we change our behavior patterns both as individuals and societies, continued degradation at local and global level will have devastating consequences for the future of the planet.

Climate change will continue to have a detrimental effect on the most vulnerable people on the planet, those who live in extreme poverty.

Ban Ki-Moon, Sec. General of the U.N. in his message to the 60th DPI/NGO Conference stated that the impact of Climate change and the consequences is grave and growing. His plea to all present was “ we cannot go on this way for long. We cannot continue with business as usual. The time has come for decisive action on a global basis”. His plea found an echo in my heart, in that often in the busyness of life ..it is business as usual and I found myself challenged to stop, listen, hear and reflect on the gravity of climate change, its effect on the planet and how could I respond?

Mr. Achim Steiner in a captivating, passionate address said Climate change is an issue of such gravity that it touches on all aspects of life on the planet…political, economic, social, ecological, local and global. Environmental change, he stated binds us together more than ever before, climate change is a challenge to your existence, your life, your children’s dreams. We have never had such a challenge before. It will have a disproportionate affect on the lives of the poor. I found his words informative, challenging and deeply disturbing. Climate change has grave implications for eco-systems, our planet, the community of life and for future generations. Climate change threatens water and food security, mental health and well-being and peace on the planet.

The anthropogenic nature of climate change was reiterated again and again by many of the speakers and there were excellent examples of models of good practice that can minimize the effects of anthropogenic influences. It was heartening to hear from individuals, communities, NGO’s and government agencies developing initiatives at local and global level to achieve more sustainable societies. The overall message of the conference to me was:

You can make a difference……Together we can make a difference

I became aware of the many proactive strategies that can be implemented to manage climate change both in terms of adaptation and mitigation. The everyday choices I make e.g. buying organic food, conserving energy etc can contribute significantly in helping to reverse global warming and through a process of self reflection and awareness raising I hope to “live simply so that others might live”.

We journeyed from the macro level of the global reality of climate change with its scientific backdrop to the micro and devastating effects on the lives of peoples and bioregions at local level across the planet. There was a clarion call for the International community to pay attention to the needs of the developing countries. Africa faced with poverty, illness, issues around governance; degradation of the environment and lack of infrastructure is most vulnerable to climate change. Through the lens of the Indigenous peoples of Kenya, Samoa, Siberia, Latin America we heard that livelihoods are threatened and climate change is having a widespread negative impact on their cultures and way of life. It was of historic significance to hear that the general assembly of the UN adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples following 26 years of consultation and dialogue. A testimony no doubt to the patience and perseverance of the Indigenous peoples.

During the conference it emerged that Religious Leaders across the world were making a statement committing to reverencing the Earth,”Let the work begin, we make this pledge before the whole of creation”. The gathering stood in silence and solidarity; it was a powerful moment of stillness, synchronicity, and connection reaching right across the world. It was significant that we were gathered in the U.N. for this God moment. At the end of the Conference the participants agreed a conference declaration on climate change threats and an NGO framework for action. No doubt Mercy Global Concern will play a pivotal role in future developments. It was remarkable and astonishing to learn that the International Environmental Governance system is fragmented, complex, lacks co-ordination and contributes to the

overall lack of progress in improving the environment. Maria Ivanova advocates the need for a strengthened, more effective and coherent institutional framework for environmental governance. She stated that without a comprehensive and accurate map of the roles and resources of International Institutions in the field of the environment it would be difficult to identify gaps and the means to bridge them. She called for the initiation of a comprehensive assessment of the global environmental governance system. As Sisters of Mercy I think it would be important to support this call as it is only through partnership and collaboration with others that we and the global community will be able to address environmental and sustainable development concerns. During the second week we had some excellent thought provoking presentations from Mercy Sisters who are shaping our global future in whatever corner of the world they find themselves. I was proud to be part of the family of Mercy. Ethel Bignell gave an overview of the Mercy International Association and a global picture emerged of Mercy seeking ways of working together to address the needs of the world at this time. Pat Hartigan and Martha Milner suggested that M.I.C.could become a place for world analysis and offering in-service training. It could be a platform from which the Global Mercy community in collaboration with others can have influence on local and Global consciousness. This seems a brilliant idea and could be developed into the future. The Sister to Sister project is an excellent project. Eileen Hogan described an effective model of partnership; working with Sisters on the African Continent, to provide opportunities to share experiences of the H.I.V pandemic and to develop strategies for responding to the on-going crises. This model could be developed on a global basis to link with other continents and include support for formation of women religious in these countries. Angela Hartigan, Kenya shared her experiences with us and helped us to realize in a stark way that it is not possible for us to experience poverty with all the supports we have. To be poor is to be invisible and to sometimes endure a life of insults. She reminded us that poor countries are unable to service debt and we should advocate for debt repudiation not debt relief. She shared with us a recent partnership venture she was involved in. The civil societies of Nairobi and Italy were linked around the debt issue and their partnership had a great effect in the reduction of debt. This model has the potential to be adapted and applied by other Mercies worldwide. On my return to Ireland I became aware of a concerning development call Vulture Funds…private companies that buy up cheap, poor country debts and then sue the countries for huge profits. Zambia has been the latest victim. Carol Rittner’s presentation fostered within me a broader awareness of the realities of genocidal war and its impact on women in particular. She called us to see genocidal violence as the most urgent social problem of our time. It was a powerful presentation, which deepened my understanding of use of rape as a weapon of war, striking at the very heart of communities. I found her pictures of the children born of rape disturbing and harrowing; such innocence betrayed surely needs to be responded to. Many are silent in the face of these atrocities and I am left thinking about all the “ Unholy silences” that are evident on the global and local stage.

Denise Coughlan helped us to experience Cambodia through the eyes of the poor and shared with us best practices in advocacy. Ellen Vopicka an inspiring Mercy Associate challenged us to be Mercy in partnership, taking collaborative leadership in reaching out to those impoverished across the world. Jordi Lloport advised us to lobby our Government ministers if we wanted the Millennium campaign to be successful. Noeleen Heyzer, UNIFEM encouraged us to bring the voices of the poor to the policy tables. A highlight of the visit for me was our visit to Mercy Haven, which provides accommodation, and supports to people with a mental illness. We experienced Mercy hospitality at its best. This Mercy oasis has opened the door of possibility to many people, may they continue to tuck hope into the pockets of all they meet. Action Plan:

To continue to raise my own awareness and understanding of the relationship of climate change and its impact, particularly on developing countries.

To implement simple measures that will reduce the anthropogenic nature of climate change and contribute to sustainable development.

To work in collaboration with others to effect systemic change. To raise awareness of climate change by introducing a module in to our

workshops and to disseminate information to area groups and local communities.

To write letters to Government Ministers in the UK and Ireland. The International year of the Forests is 2011 and I hope to encourage the

planting of trees. I would like to extend a thousand thanks to Deirdre Mullan rsm for organizing such a though provoking Conference, you have helped us weave threads of Mercy, Compassion and Justice together into a tapestry of hope, promise, light and darkness..full of potential ..the tapestry is unfinished as we wend our way through life we take with us new threads, insights, to continue weaving and making a difference in our lives and the lives of others. May you continue to be blessed in your ministry of influence at the U.N. My thanks to all those who shared the journey and a special word of thanks to the funders who made it possible. Paula Carron rsm