A failure to cap greenhouse gas emissions will not just bring on climate shocks, but also worldwide instability, insurrection, and resource wars, writes Michael T. Klare In this sense, COP21 in Paris should be considered not just a climate summit but a peace conference as well â one taking place before the wars begin. … [Read more...]
Most countries need to at least double their efforts on climate
Developed nations need to double or triple their current efforts to limit global warming to a âsafeâ level of 2â°C, write Anita Talberg and Malte Meinshausen of the University of Melbourne. Thatâs the finding of a study published on 26 October in Nature Climate Change assessing countries' post-2020 climate pledges ahead of Decemberâs international climate summit in Paris. … [Read more...]
The UK Governmentâs delusional energy policy â and what it means for Scotland
The Conservative government in the UK has slashed support for renewables and is going all-out for shale gas and nuclear power. This is setting them on a collision course with devolved administrations in the UK, Scotland most of all, warn Peter Strachan and Alex Russell of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and Geraint Ellis of Queenâs University in Belfast. It wonât go over too well at the Paris climate summit either. … [Read more...]
What Volkswagen and the EUâs climate models have in common
The European Commissionâs climate and energy modelling, based on intransparent models from the National Technical University of Athens, is based on ludicrous assumptions, writes Brook Riley of the Friends of the Earth Europe. The consequences for the climate are deadly: energy efficiency targets would be much higher if proper models were used. Riley calls for a reform of current practices. On Wednesday 21 October there will be a hearing at the … [Read more...]
Failure of Energy Community Treaty: if EU can’t make its neighbours clean up, can it be climate leader?
The Ministerial Council of the Energy Community â a Treaty between the EU, the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine â is expected to decide on far-reaching reforms this week. According to Dragana Mileusnic of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, the Energy Community Treaty has failed to bring progressive climate policies to Southeast Europe. Countries that have signed the Treaty have made practically no effort to live up to its obligations and … [Read more...]
China announces national emission trading scheme – experts react
China will launch a national emission trading scheme. In a joint US-China climate statement, issued as part of President Xi Jinpingâs state visit to the United States, China said its new trading sytem will cover âkey industry sectors such as iron and steel, power generation, chemicals, building materials, paper-making, and nonferrous metalsâ. On The Conversation, four experts react to this news. "How interesting that China the communist country … [Read more...]
China and US: new climate commitments, common vision
US President Obama and Chinese President Xi announced far-reaching new climate policy proposals on 25 September during Xi's state visit in Washington DC. Ahead of the UN Climate Summit (COP21) in Paris in December, they came out with several new pledges in areas such as climate finance and energy efficiency standards. Moreover, China announced the launch of a national emission trading system in 2017 and the implementation of a new green dispatch … [Read more...]
Paris, give us carbon pricing, but give us market mechanisms too!
The worldâs leading energy companies and investors, represented by the World Energy Council, have made it crystal clear they consider carbon pricing essential to generate sufficient investment for a low-carbon future, writes Joan MacNaughton, Chair of the World Energy Trilemma project of the World Energy Council. But according to MacNaughton, it is vital that policymakers in Paris donât just put a price on carbon, but also allow for market … [Read more...]
Paris climate summit: EU chooses transformation over decarbonisation
European environment ministers have agreed a negotiating mandate for the EU for the UN climate conference in Paris in December (COP21). Under the influence of Poland and other Eastern European countries, they couched the EUâs ambitions in terms of âtransformationâ and âclimate neutralityâ, rather than decarbonisation, leaving room for coal and gas use with carbon capture and storage. The EU is also shifting from a ânarrow focus on accountingâ of … [Read more...]
“I fear we will see radicalisation” if Paris flops, says Connie Hedegaard, chair of 2009 Copenhagen summit
If 'Paris' flops, âthere will still be lots of climate summits, but ministers will stop coming, the top people will not attend, the air will go out of itâ, said Connie Hedegaard, former EU Climate Commissioner who led the wordâs  last crucial climate talks in Copenhagen in 2009, at a meeting of the Sydney Democracy Network. She warned that âParis will probably deliver, but if it doesnât, I fear we will see a radicalisationâ. Professor Nick Rowley … [Read more...]
How companies can determine their fair climate share
If energy-intensive industries were to get together and make joint climate pledges, how could they determine what would be a fair and significant contribution for each company? There are new tools available for this, including so-called Science Based Targets used by organisations like WWF, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), writes Rolf de Vos in a new post on the Ecofys Paris Climate blog hosted by Energy … [Read more...]
The Urgenda judgment: a âvictoryâ for the climate that is likely to backfire
The Dutch government has decided to appeal the widely publicised âUrgendaâ ruling from the district court in The Hague, ordering the Netherlands to step up its climate change actions. According to Lucas Bergkamp, Partner at Hunton & Williams and Emeritus Professor of International Environmental Liability Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, there are good reasons why we should hope that the court of appeals will overturn the ruling. According … [Read more...]
Global coal boom? It ends as China and world wake up to reality of carbon pollution
The idea that the world is experiencing a coal renaissance, as is sometimes assumed or proclaimed by observers, is mistaken, writes Joseph Romm, editor of the weblog Climate Progress. According to Romm, the coal boom of the first decade of the 21st Century has stalled. And there is every reason to expect that it is over for good. … [Read more...]
Obamaâs Clean Power Plan: a modest proposal with revolutionary implications
President Obamaâs Clean Power Plan, designed to cut carbon emissions from power plants, seems pragmatic and moderate, certainly by European standards. Yet for US observers it âmakes historyâ, because it is the first time the federal government puts limits on âcarbon pollutionâ. … [Read more...]
“Huge challenge to deliver enough oil and gas for 2ÂșCâ â Statoil on Paris climate talks
In this video for viEUws - the EU Policy Broadcaster - journalist Sonja van Renssen is joined by Jos Delbeke (Director General for Climate Action, European Commission), Kathleen Van Brempt MEP (Vice-president of the S&D Group) and Eirik WĂŠrness (Chief Economist and Vice President, Statoil) to debate the question: âRoad to Paris: can the EU retain its leadership role at COP21?â … [Read more...]
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