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Saudi Arabia, Wikileaks and Climate Diplomacy
7 Dec 2010
For those with time to look beyond the boundaries of the Moon Palace and Cancun Messe, you may have come across a story about Wikileaks giving greater transparency to some internal US cables. Among those relating to climate was the observation by the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia. ‘Saudi officials are very concerned that a […]
Key Findings of the Emissions Gap Report
7 Dec 2010
Key Findings of the Emissions Gap Report United Nations Environment Programme November 2010 Studies show that emission levels of approximately 44 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) (range: 39-44 GtCO2e*) in 2020 would be consistent with a “likely” chance of limiting global warming to 2° C. Under business-as-usual projections, global emissions could reach 56 […]
Surplus AAU Solutions
7 Dec 2010
This is not the first time ECO has commented on the surplus of assigned amount units (AAU) present from the first Kyoto commitment period, and how the overflow could deliver a body blow to the future aggregate actions of annex B countries if carried over to the second commitment period. So far this issue has […]
CCS in the CDM: No Way Forward
7 Dec 2010
In Saturday morning’s session on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), ECO was shocked that the the option for keeping CCS out of the Clean Development Mechanism was absent from the text being forwarded to the CMP for a decision. CCS has many problems and is some time away from being operational for large power stations. […]
Fossil of the Day
7 Dec 2010
#1 – Canada For cognitive dissonance: won’t take a second commitment period but somehow claims, ‘no one is trying to kill Kyoto’.
¡Latinoamérica necesita una voz! Latin America needs a voice!
7 Dec 2010
Se suponía que la COP16 le correspondía a Latinoamérica, y que esto traería una oportunidad para generar no solo un diálogo en relación al tema de cambio climático, sino también para que nuestros países insertaran dentro de sus discursos y en las políticas nacionales el tema como una prioridad. Sin embargo, al pasar de los […]
Time to Make It Happen: a Fair Climate Fund
7 Dec 2010
Over 200 civil society organisations today launch a call for a fair climate fund to be established this week in Cancun. As ministers arrive to face the vital political challenges around the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol, sufficient political time and energy must be spared to ensure substantive outcomes on issues that really matter to […]
Keys to the 2nd KP Commitment Period
4 Dec 2010
It shouldn’t be too hard for Annex I countries to show needed leadership by actually agreeing emission reduction commitments in line with the top end of the IPCC 25-40% range. After all, many reputable studies show how to reach that achievable goal. But on the evidence thus far, those countries aren’t ready to embrace ambition […]
Loss & Damage
4 Dec 2010
Damage to ‘Mother Earth’ due to climate change is already happening. Loss and damage, such as severe flooding, sea level rise, glacial retreat, ocean acidification and loss of biodiversity – these are effects that would not be happening in a world without substantial climate change. The recent floods in Pakistan prove the point of […]
The EU Roadmap: Planning for Success
4 Dec 2010
Over in snowy Brussels, the European Commission has set an agenda for 2011 in which the year 2050 looms large. During the course of next year the Commission plans to publish a Roadmap towards a low carbon economy for the EU by 2050, including milestones for the structural and technological changes needed by 2030. This […]