Another opportunity lost

The story of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, which lasted from 28 November until 9 December, was the same as ever. Before the summit began, the alarm bells went off. We learned that global emissions are rising faster than the worst-case-scenario and that the global mean temperature can increase by more [...]

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Stuff to read

A selection of declarations by social movements on the COP-17, in Durban Jubilee South opposes the use of the Green Climate Fund for subsidizing polluters: The GREEN CLIMATE FUND should serve the needs of the peoples of developing countries. But Parties of developed countries are doing their utmost to ensure that the Fund operate based [...]

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Independent media reporting of the COP17

Those who try to know what is going on in Durban at the climate summit will surely have noticed how the issue is almost completely absent from the mainstream media. It is as if everyone knows that any chance of having a legally binding agreement to impose emissions reductions after the 2008-12 Kyoto Protocol commitment [...]

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COP17, the story so far

From the UK Youth Climate Coalition. Guess it sums things up quite nicely.

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A Valentine’s day present for polluters

Greenpeace has launched a new website to match US polluters with their representatives in Congress. Polluter Harmony (link) works as a platform where one can suggest a match for lobbyists and politicians and see them thrive while they trash the planet. *sigh*

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Why Bolivia Stood Alone in Opposing the Cancún Climate Agreement

While Ecuador ended up supporting REDD (UN-REDD) and Venezuela supported the introduction of CCS in the CDM, reversing its original position (NY Times), Bolivia continued to defend its ideals to the end. Pablo Solon, its lead negotiator, explains why (Common Dreams).

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Evo Morales’ speech at COP-16

For me Copenhagen was not a failure. It may have been for the powers of the world, but not for the peoples of the world who became conscious …. Hope for the peoples of the world is cooling the world, lowering the temperature.

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COP-16 ends with a deal… sort of

The Cancun summit ended with a deal that adds nothing to the negotiating process. Despite the fact that this year is officially the hottest on record (Washington Post), the final agreements merely recycle the Copenhagen Accord. The wording of the agreements was chosen carefully to please Japan, which refused to extend the Kyoto Protocol. In [...]

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Climate negotiations reach a stalemate

The climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, have reached a stalemate, with many countries struggling for their interests. Each day that goes by reduces the possibility of a positive outcome. Japan, along with Russia and Canada, is refusing to adhere to a second phase of the Kyoto Protocol and demanding that a new agreement is signed. [...]

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UK government sponsoring “green capitalists” in Cancun

All the reports from Cancun mention that it is very difficult to move around and find a place to stay, given the arrangement of the space and the security measures. But an unknown number of UK businessmen from “green businesses” (whatever that is) have other luxuries: they are staying at the “Tequilla building”, a luxury [...]

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