May 28, 2013

José María Figueres, Chair of DARA’s Board of Trustees

Letter from José Maria Figueres, Chair of DARA’s Board of Trustees

Dear Friends,

Allow me to share with you important and significant developments that over the past few months have been taking place within DARA.

In line with what he had been sharing with us for some time, Ross Mountain, who led the organisation during its recent years, decided to step down. While we are very thankful to Ross for his work, we are thrilled to share with you that a seamless hand-over to Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop, DARA’s new Chief Executive, has taken place. Ed comes to DARA with extraordinary knowledge and experience in the humanitarian field, and with fresh ideas regarding DARA’s thought-leadership role in this space. I am also very proud to announce a number of important changes in the composition of our Board, which emphasise the international nature of our organisation. With new leadership and an enhanced Board, we are engaged in a strategic review of all our activities. A new and exciting phase in the life of DARA is under way, reinforcing its unbending commitment to humanitarian issues.

As part of these changes we conclude our programme on climate vulnerability in a way that enhances its many contributions towards the future. On the one hand we will integrate those aspects of climate change that affect the humanitarian agenda into our work across the organisation. On the other hand, we have been instrumental in the creation of a new institutional framework into which we are delivering the Climate Vulnerability Initiative (CVI). With the support of Bangladesh and Costa Rica, a Trust Fund has been established at UNDP for the CVI, from where it will continue its good work.

Many of you may be familiar with the CVI, which during the past three years grew to become a leading international policy research and advocacy programme on climate change. The Initiative helped raise institutional support for the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), a global partnership of countries disproportionately affected by the consequences of global warming and climate change. As a part of that programme, DARA also developed and published two editions of the widely recognised Climate Vulnerability Monitor report, commissioned by the CVF. The latest Monitor is perhaps the most comprehensive global assessment of the current impact of climate change and the carbon economy ever made public. Its full data set remains accessible on our new and comprehensive data portal at www.daraint.org/cvm2/data.

The establishment of this Trust Fund marks an important shift in the institutional support for all of this work to go forward.  As of its creation, it becomes the principal means of organising and funding these activities, including future research, policy coordination and advocacy work. A number of UN agencies – the UNDP, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – have signed agreements with the Trust Fund in view of the implementation of future activities. A number of other civil society partners with whom we have been in touch, are also looking to be increasingly active in the future work of the Forum. We would specifically like to thank the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) for offering to help advance this initiative.

We wish to thank the many experts and senior authorities who have served on the Climate Vulnerability Initiative’s tremendously helpful and supportive Advisory Panel and Peer Review Committee. Finally, let me express a special word of gratitude to Matthew McKinnon, who with passion and conviction headed DARA’s dedicated work on climate change, in addition to acting as Editor of the first and second editions of the Climate Vulnerability Monitor. Matthew is now working with UNDP in support of the CVF and  will continue to be involved in these activities as they receive support from the Trust Fund. He can be contacted at matthew.mckinnon@undp.org

In closing, allow me to thank you for your friendship and support of DARA. As we move forward amidst challenging global circumstances, we stand as committed as ever to our mission:  to improve aid effectiveness for vulnerable populations around the world.

Sincerely,

José María Figueres
President of the Board of Trustees and Former President of Costa Rica