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Separating Loss & Damage from Adaptation
10 Feb 2015
ECO was very pleased to hear the excellent interventions from AOSIS, LDCs, AILAC (together with Mexico and the Dominican Republic), LMDCs and Africa Group yesterday, emphasising that Loss and Damage needs to be a separate item within the Paris agreement. As explained by AOSIS, anchoring the Loss and Damage institutional arrangements in the agreement will […]
Not on track
10 Feb 2015
The Structured Expert Dialogue (SED) finished up yesterday. The EU delegate surmised things aptly: “We are not on track.” With over 19 presentations, the message was loud and clear. We are, unfortunately, on a path that sees warming going well above 2˚C. And there were 70 presentations many of which documenting that even 2˚C warming […]
Finance: What to put (back) into the text
9 Feb 2015
Negotiations will shift to the finance section of the elements text today, and there are several key items still missing—partly due to the weak outcomes in Lima—on climate finance. Here are a few examples of areas where the text must be strengthened. The idea of global collective targets for finance appears here and there in […]
“Speaking on behalf of the EU & Norway”?
9 Feb 2015
Norway likes its image of the good student who always completes its homework, and is on time at that. And so too with its INDC. Last Friday, we saw the Norwegian government publish its new emission reduction targets for 2030. The idea is, surprisingly, to start negotiations with the EU, with the goal of being […]
Do the math: 0 fossil + 100% renewables = 1 convention-compliant mitigation goal
9 Feb 2015
The final meetings of the Structured Expert Dialogue (SED) have begun! There are two life or death questions on the table: 1) “Is below 2°C enough to fulfil the goal of the convention?” and 2) “Is enough progress being made to achieve the goal?” The SED’s message is clear: science says warming of 2ºC will […]
Loss and Damage requires institutions and finance up to the task
9 Feb 2015
Dear delegates, perhaps you’ve lain awake at night wondering how you will feed your family now that your livestock has died in the most recent drought? Or perhaps you’ve wondered if your family can rebuild your home yet again after two typhoons in a row? Or how long your children will be able to live […]
To: G20 Finance Ministers | Subject Line: “Friendly reminder: Phase out fossil fuel subsidies”
9 Feb 2015
As we get into the nitty-gritty of ADP negotiations here in Geneva, it is always important to keep in mind the events and discussions happening outside of the UNFCCC process. For those unaware, finance ministers from the G20 are gathering today and tomorrow in Turkey to discuss G20 priorities, two of which are climate change […]
No Backsliding on the Road to Paris
9 Feb 2015
Switzerland was right to remind Parties yesterday afternoon that as countries achieve higher levels of development they should, over time, move towards economy-wide emissions budgets. This will help us stay within the remaining global carbon budget and also make the required infrastructure and other structural changes needed to phase out all fossil fuel emissions as […]
A conversation about differentiation: How about Tuesday night?
9 Feb 2015
ECO hates to spoil the fun — and yesterday’s plenary was great — but we can’t help but wonder about the disconnect between the Lima compromise on CBDR&RC and the framing on differentiation throughout the current elements text. The Lima compromise says “CBDR&RC, in light of national circumstances”. This, just to state the obvious, is […]
Where are the bunkers?
9 Feb 2015
In the final years of negotiations for the new climate agreement, it’s still not clear if it will include the fastest growing emissions sources—international aviation and shipping, also known as bunker fuels. CO2 emissions from international shipping and aviation were about 950 MT and 705 MT respectively in 2012; combined they account for as much […]