UQ student Hugh Jorgensen will have the opportunity to present an important message on climate change at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) currently underway in Poznan, Poland.
Attending the conference as a Green Cross Australia representative, the dual Economics and Arts student is charged with the important task of presenting Green Cross Australia’s recommendations made by the Green Cross Citizens’ Panel.
He will deliver his message in a number of forums at Poznan, including a Green Cross International panel event which stresses the need for governments to act responsibly during economically uncertain times.
Mr Jorgensen will also contribute to a side event hosted by the United Nations University to present the findings of a collaborative research report – “Towards a Convention for Persons Displaced by Climate Change: Key Issues and Preliminary Responses”.
As well as being an active volunteer, Mr Jorgensen is a firm believer in the United Nations as a vehicle for improving the world, and will co-convene the 2009 Asia Pacific Model United Nations Conference to be held at UQ in July next year.
“Australia has one of the highest rates of youth volunteering in the world and it's important that we continue to work on improving the world that we and future generations will inherit,” he said.
“The bulk of my time has been occupied with developing the model United Nations concept in Australia.”
Mr Jorgensen said the conference would attract up to 600 participants from around the world and will address a range of issues related to climate change such as the spread of global disease, renewable energy access in developing countries, and the problem of climate “refugees” in the South Pacific.
The Asia Pacific Model United Conference has recently received a Q150 grant of $10,000 as part of the Queensland Government's 150th anniversary celebration fund, with the event also supported by UQ, The School of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) and The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.
Media: Dr Marianne Hanson (07 3365 3112, m.hanson@uq.edu.au) or Naomi Smith (07 3365 1524, naomi.smith@uq.edu.au) at POLSIS, or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
