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Every day a huge amount of oil is spewing into the Gulf of Mexico in the US. This is symbolic of the energy choices that we have made to date. And it shows the dramatic implications of that energy choice. But those energy choices are also having devastating impacts which are less visual but more damaging. Rampant global warming is impacting countries around the world as a result of our energy and development choices. The oil catastrophe is a wake-up call for the United States and should be a wake-up call for the world.
Continue Reading The Choice to Move Forward on International Efforts to Address Global Warming
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Ministers from four of the major emerging economies – Brazil, South Africa, India, and China (the “BASIC” group) – met over the weekend and through Monday to discuss the next steps in international efforts to address global warming. These four countries played a critical role in Copenhagen and collectively account for around 30% of the world’s global warming pollution* so they are critical players in addressing this challenge. And each of them have made commitments as a part of the Copenhagen Accord to reduce their emissions and are implementing policies to achieve those goals (as I discussed here).
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It is almost 3 months after the Copenhagen Accord was hammered out by 28 of the world’s key countries that represent over 80% of the world’s global warming pollution and some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (as I discussed here). Given the state of the Accord just after Copenhagen with some calling it a failure, some outlining the foundations in the Accord for international efforts (and as my colleague discussed here), and others…well not quite sure what to make of it, where do things stand on international efforts to address global warming?
Continue Reading Where Do Things Stand on International Efforts to Address Global Warming?
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As I mentioned here by the end of January countries were to register their actions to reduce global warming pollution as agreed under the Copenhagen Accord. And by deadline countries accounting for over 80% of the world’s global warming pollution (and a bit more) have registered their actions to reduce their pollution. So what does this all mean?
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In December 2009, more than 120 Heads of Government attended the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, the largest meeting of world leaders in history (the previous largest one was the funeral of the Pope according to Wikipedia). Many of the leaders came to Copenhagen with new commitments to actions on global warming pollution (as I discussed here and here). Under the Accord, all of the big emitters are expected to record their commitments officially by January 31st, 2010 (in Appendix I and Appendix II).
Continue Reading Copenhagen Accord = Climate Action
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The two-week global warming negotiations in Bangkok, Thailand are just wrapping up. There are five key elements to the Copenhagen Agreement (as I’ve discussed on a number of occasions):
- Strong leadership from developed countries with firm and aggressive emissions reductions targets in the near-term (e.g., 2020 and 2030) and strong signals that they will significantly reduce emissions in the medium-term (e.g., 2050).
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You know the saying: “it’s the little things that matter”. Well you can’t really take that saying too literally when discussing global warming pollution as it is the big things that ultimately matter such as pollution reduction cuts, assistance for developing countries in cutting emissions further, and support for the most vulnerable countries to adapt to the impacts of global warming.
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Promising developments from last week’s G20 conference.
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Jake Schmidt, Director of International Policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council, outlines some important events this week and positive signs in the international community that helps dispel growing pessimism that not enough progress is being made to insure a positive outcome in at the Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December
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Deforestation reduction, clean energy export, and international adaptation assistance or three key issues offered support from the Obama administration for inclusion in climate legislation negotiations in the Senate
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