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Caring for Land, Securing our Food
4 Sep 2015
Does anyone really question whether land is central to what we’re all trying to do here in the UNFCCC? No, didn’t think so. Not only is the land sector critical to our mitigation efforts, but one of the key reasons we so urgently need to stop climate change is to still be able to use […]
Let’s Get Ethical
4 Sep 2015
FYI: ECO is highly principled, and believes that a key role of the Paris agreement will be to enshrine durable principles. Specifically for carbon markets, the following principles should be inscribed: Real: unless the emissions reductions have actually occurred, and are not an accountancy trick, what’s the point of a market? Supplemental: a failure of […]
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
4 Sep 2015
As Wednesday’s stocktaking made clear, all Parties agree we need to do quite a bit of work to get the ambitious, equitable and comprehensive climate deal the world needs. As one French group (no, not the incoming Presidency) puts it; we need to work harder, better, faster, stronger. Progress is needed today to develop constructive […]
Let’s be clear
4 Sep 2015
Being clear helps better direct policy and allocate resources appropriately. So ECO also wants to be clear. Paris needs to improve transparency and accountability on many different fronts: mitigation and adaptation actions and means of implementation. And to be even clearer, it does not mean additional burden. And importantly, improved transparency and accountability will build […]
Transport Needs to Get Moving
4 Sep 2015
Delegates, are you also hoping that soon you’ll be able to come to Bonn in super-efficient aircraft, helping to solve the problem of emissions from international aviation? ECO is guessing that the answer is a resounding: “Yes!” Unless we take action now, that scenario is looking less and less likely. A report this week from […]
Enabling Clarity on “Enabling Environments”
4 Sep 2015
All week, the expression “enabling environments” kept coming back into use during the finance sessions. Several Parties raised questions about what it actually means. ECO has a few worries of its own. Since this week has been about gathering feedback and building convergence, a bit more clarity on this term needs to be enabled. Will […]
5-year Commitment Periods: Not Just a Teenage Crush
3 Sep 2015
Rumours are circulating that certain Parties have been shopping a less-than-precise interpretation of EU positions in Bonn. Apparently, one of the main messages has been that the EU’s proposal for 10-year commitment periods has developed into quite an obsession, with little chance of recovery. ECO begs to differ. There is no legislation in place that […]
Hot Air
3 Sep 2015
With all the puffery at these talks, you’d think a little more hot air might not be noticed. The problem is, it’s not just a little bit of hot air, the result is sweltering. The lack of integrity of the market mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol, combined with weak targets, have created an 11 gigatonne […]
Remember the Science: 2°C is Not Safe
3 Sep 2015
When working at a microscopic level, we know there is a danger of delegates losing perspective. In June, the presentation of the Structured Expert Dialogue (SED) results saw intensive exchanges on new science, the impacts of climate change and how to keep warming at 1.5/2°C. But the end saw Saudi Arabia and others sideline an […]