MEDIA AVAILABILITY from COP21: November 30, 2015

In Paris: UNICEF Canada president attending climate change conference as part of official UNICEF delegation

PARIS/TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, global leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau, will attend COP21, the 21^st United Nations climate change conference, in Paris, France. As the UN agency for children, UNICEF will be a key player in bringing the issues of children to the forefront of these discussions. David Morley, UNICEF Canada's president and CEO, will be attending the conference as part of the agency's official delegation and is available for media interviews from the conference.

"The Paris conference can be a game changer for the world's most vulnerable children and Canada has a role to play in securing an ambitious outcome that will protect children and future generations from climate change—both at home and around the world," said Morley. "We're encouraged that Prime Minister Trudeau, along with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will be leading a delegation of provincial premiers to this conference, and we count on them ensure children are not forgotten in these discussions."

WHO: David Morley, UNICEF Canada's president & CEO

WHERE & WHEN: Paris, France, Monday, November 30

WHAT: David can speak about:

• Canada's role in addressing climate change and commitment of $2.65 billion (statement here)
• How COP21 can be a game changer for the global response to this urgent issue
• The impact of climate change on children, particularly the most vulnerable living in poverty
• Climate finance and investing to assist developing countries in mitigating climate change
• Reducing green house gas emissions to combat climate change
• How severe weather—floods, droughts and heatwaves—increasingly puts children's lives at risk
• UNICEF's new climate change report, Unless we act now: The impact of climate change on children (press release here)

LOGISTICS: David will be available to Canadian media on site at COP21, and will be available for phone, Skype and Facetime interviews with media in Canada.

**French interviews available from Canada on Monday, November 30 with Carleen McGuinty, UNICEF Canada's deputy director of international policy and programs**

About UNICEF:
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries - more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.ca.

SOURCE UNICEF Canada

Image with caption: "A child and an elderly man in Vanuatu stand on the roof of a dwelling damaged by Cyclone Pam in March 2015. The Category 5 storm damaged infrastructure and disrupted key services, putting children'’s health, safety and education at risk. (CNW Group/UNICEF Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151130_C4924_PHOTO_EN_554492.jpg

Tiffany Baggetta, UNICEF Canada, 647-308-4806 (mobile), [email protected]