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Blog: Multilateral Development Banks must implement a sustainable recovery from Covid-19
14 Apr 2020
The global response to the coronavirus crisis continues to gather pace and emergency responses supporting health services and economies are vital at this stage for many across the globe. Just like the Covid-19 crisis, the impacts of climate change will be felt more acutely by the poorest and most vulnerable people. It is vital that the stimulus packages supported by MDBs address this and respond to both crises.
In 2020, the power of people must defeat failing politics : Tasneem Essop, CAN Executive Director
25 Feb 2020
This blog first appeared as an article on Thomson Reuters Foundation —————————- We cannot cheer incrementalism when what we need is transformational change 2020 was pitched as a goalpost for climate ambition. A moment when the fog of political apathy would clear and governments moved by the mass strikes, the unwavering evidence from science and […]
MDBs fail to deliver on joint Paris Alignment promise at COP25
13 Dec 2019
Yesterday at COP25 the nine multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided a public update on their joint commitment to Paris Alignment. Though the group of banks first committed to a process to align their financial flows with a 1.5°C pathway in 2017, yesterday’s announcement provided few new details. The group of public banks — which includes the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank among others — indicated full implementation of their framework will not occur until 2023-2024 and did not include anticipated criteria for determining whether projects are Paris-aligned.
Solving the Climate and Biodiversity Emergencies
13 Dec 2019
We know that life on Earth is facing two interlinked emergencies – climate, and biodiversity – both of which result from human pressure on the natural world, and both of which have only a small window of time left in which we can act to solve them. Each crisis makes the other worse. Every time […]
The Long Night
13 Dec 2019
ECO knows, as you come into the venue this morning, you are preparing for a long night. While progress has been slow and negotiations have been frustrating, ECO still has hope for a positive outcome. To make things easier, we have outlined three issue areas that should be a top priority in reaching an acceptable […]
This is Supposed to be the Loss and Damage COP
13 Dec 2019
Clearly, on climate action, and especially on loss and damage, the global situation and the political situation are sadly out of sync. Here at the COP we started with a great deal of optimism. However, a COP that was perceived as an opportunity to reshape and strengthen the WIM looks now to have been a […]
Article 6: Get the Rules Right Here… Or See You in Glasgow
13 Dec 2019
As Article 6 negotiations enter their final hours ECO has a simple and short message for ministers, HoDs, and negotiators: if you cannot agree to a good deal, the only way to uphold the integrity of the Paris Agreement, and multilateralism – is to take the time needed and continue discussions at COP26. As you […]
Indigenous Peoples Caucus
13 Dec 2019
“Ea” is a Hawaiian word that is given many meanings; chief among them is “sovereignty”. For Hawaiians, sovereignty is a word that rings close to the heart. In 1843, King Kamehameha III proclaimed the return of our sovereignty through the Hawaiian Kingdom after a six-month occupation by the British: “Ua mau ke ea o ka […]
Drawing Parallels at the Latin COP
13 Dec 2019
Negotiations are falling apart, in a stark reflection of the political climate in Latin America. After several attempts at holding COP25 in Latin America, we have found ourselves back in Europe, hosting a Latin American Presidency in Spain. The agenda has polarized talks on common time frames, the transparency framework, and adaptation. Progress in the negotiations […]
Bending the Curve for a Better World: Why Distant “Net” Zero Targets Are Not Enough to Drive the Near-Term Action We Need
13 Dec 2019
ECO is in need of a good glass of Spanish wine over which to reflect on COP25’s failure to match the urgent demands for climate action being made by our fellow citizens back home. The emphasis now shifts to real climate action at the national level €” where it really counts.“Net zero” targets have become […]