Blog
Search blog
Avoidance is no solution to the finance gap!
6 Jun 2015
The topic of long term finance, and pathways to the US$100 billion commitment by 2020, were conspicuous only in its absence in the Workshops on Long Term Finance this week. So how did we reach this sorry state? In fact, discussion of how to meet the $100 billion goal has degenerated steadily over the years. […]
Conflict avoidance
6 Jun 2015
During these processes, finance negotiators have become better and better at avoiding any controversial discussion of pathways, sources or scaling up. This week’s sessions were a perfect example of how to fill 6 hours of workshop time with nice presentations and polite discussions worthy of the finest side event. And not once going within a […]
From #DivestNorway to #NorwayDivests!
6 Jun 2015
Shockwaves are being felt far and wide: global investments in renewable energy capacity have outpaced investments in new fossil-based power generation for the last 3 years. Yesterday, the Norwegian Parliament decided that the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund will divest from coal. Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), a US$900 billion petroleum-fed piggy bank, will […]
French cuisine
6 Jun 2015
ECO is quite the food buff, and hence has been salivating in anticipation of the spectacular cuisine later this year in Paris. Much like turning snails into escargot, thoughts of Paris should inspire negotiators to turn a slow start at the facilitated meetings here in Bonn on Workstream 2 into meaningful work on a COP […]
G7 leaders must stop climate change from making people starve!
6 Jun 2015
As G7 leaders gather in Schloss Elmau, ECO has a few concrete thoughts on how their work can nudge the UNFCCC process towards an ambitious agreement in Paris. The first step is to move from “do as we say” to “do as we do”. G7 members have become quite comfortable telling other countries to follow […]
Paper Chase: How to find your way in staying below 1.5ºC
6 Jun 2015
As we emerge from the first week in Bonn, negotiators have been busy trekking through the text. Here’s some guidance for those who may be missing the forest for the trees on mitigation. At the start of every hike you should know where the trail goes. At the UNFCCC, the destination is to achieve the […]
INDCs: The promised land?
6 Jun 2015
The land sector offers significant potential for climate change adaptation, and opportunity to reducing emissions. As highlighted in the SBSTA workshops this week, actions in this sector are crucial for protecting food security and livelihoods, particularly adaptation actions for vulnerable, small-scale food producers. At the same time, the land sector accounts for about a quarter of […]
Could methodologies unlock hidden superpowers within climate finance?
6 Jun 2015
Much as the Incredible Hulk, Thor and Black Widow come together to join their super powers in the fight for good – the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF), SBSTA and SBI are joining forces to discuss methodologies to improve the reporting of climate finance. The evil they battle is a lack of transparency leading to […]
Good grievance and CDM
6 Jun 2015
Anyone remember that Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) pickle we’ve been moaning about for an eye-wateringly long time? Clearly, the Panamanians have been rummaging through the old ECO archives and taken the hint. In February 2015, the construction of the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam, a project registered under the CDM, was suspended by Panama’s national environment […]