This year, France will host the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 21), whose main purpose will be the conclusion of a new international climate agreement, applicable to all countries after 2020. However, as was evident in the Warsaw Conference (COP 19), arriving at consensual agreements is easier said than done. There is a need for a broader framework of dialogue among the vast array of stakeholders - scientists, civil societies, governments, private sector - to unearth shared understanding of relevant issues, which would then lay the foundation for more meaningful global level talks between countries.

The Regional Forum on Climate Change (RFCC) - Low Carbon and Climate Resilient

Societies: Bridging Science, Practice, and Policy strives to enhance this channel of communication among the gamut of stakeholders, primarily among ASEAN countries.

Organized by the Asian Institute of Technology in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, ASEAN Secretary General, and the European Union, the Forum seeks to propose interventions that would influence climate policy in the region, and inspire ASEAN position for climate change negotiations at the global scale.

The forum invites scientists in both climate change mitigation and adaptation sectors, in 5 thematics (Key Climate Science; Governance and Politics; Climate Finances and Business Opportunites; Climate and Disasters; Cross Cutting Studies)� and 3 broad categories

• Contemporary scientific research on climate change related topics (Category A)
• On-the-ground evidence (case studies) of climate change mitigation and adaptation endeavors (Category B)
• Current and proposed national (or regional and international) policy initiatives (Category C).
  

Political events:
ASEAN policy makers and scientific advisers will meet in closed sessions to discuss their positions, concerns, and prospects for COP 21.

The third session of UE- ASEAN Dialogue on Climate Change will held on the last morning of the Forum.

Side contents:
Ten (one from each ASEAN member state) young professionals and civil society candidates from the media community, ranging from bloggers to newspapers editors, will be selected to be trained to report on COP 21 and climate change during the Forum. Training will be provided by French Regional Attach�s for Audiovisual Cooperation. The best candidates will be selected to report on the COP 21 in Paris in December 2015. CFI, the French operator for media cooperation, will finance their trip and provide training in Paris.