2011 review: The year in environment.
New Scientist 06 Jan
Politics
Economics
Other NewsWorld Bank says climate change talks 'good and bad news' for the Caribbean.St. Johns Antigua Observer 28 Dec EditorialsClimate change.Earlier this month, countries from around the world agreed to the “Durban platform”, designed to lead to cuts in carbon emissions and therefore reduce the effects of climate change. Its importance cannot be understated, for Bermuda or the world. Royal Gazette 30 Dec A climate victory we may regret.Did Canada skate climate change progress into the boards in 2011? Edmonton Journal 28 Dec Canada must protect North.Canada captured the world's attention by becoming the first signatory to extricate itself from the flawed Kyoto protocol, but it won't be able to extricate itself from the already apparent impact of the climate change the deal was meant to address. Saskatoon Star Phoenix 27 Dec Time running out on Canada's green reputation.Canada's display at the Durban climate change talks has ensured that Canadians will no longer revel in being The Good Guy. Victoria Times Colonist 20 Dec Climate confab ends with little harm done.The 17th worldwide conference intended to whip 190-plus nations into a fighting mood to combat global warming concluded in Durban, South Africa, this week, thankfully, without doing much harm. Portales News-Tribune 16 Dec Climate talks keep issue in focus.For now, the U.N. process at least provides attention to the climate issue and regular deadlines. But leaders should still give themselves every opportunity to do better, instead of laboring exclusively for the dream of a single, grand climate bargain. Washington Post 15 Dec We have responsibilities.Canadians may not be the biggest greenhouse gas polluters in the world, putting out a bare two per cent of global emissions. But that doesn’t relieve us of the obligation to come up with a credible plan to address the problem now that we have formally abandoned the seriously flawed Kyoto process. Guelph Mercury 15 Dec The mask slips.It takes a certain kind of optimism — or an outbreak of collective Stockholm syndrome — to see the Durban outcome as a significant breakthrough on global warming, as many are claiming. Nature 15 Dec OpinionKent's clever wording on Kyoto.The reality is that if the Canadian government were serious about achieving an agreement that includes China, it would move to work within Kyoto. Financial Post 26 Jan Equity and justice in the global climate change debate.From the beginning of the global discussions on tackling climate change, notions of equity have been at the centre of the debate. However, the term has been interpreted in different ways by different countries and groups and has also evolved over time. Dhaka Daily Star 24 Jan Canada's post-Kyoto plan.Last month, I announced that Canada would invoke our legal right to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. Since then, some have asked, "What is Canada's post-Kyoto plan?" Vancouver Sun 20 Jan Practicality ahead of sacrifice.A proposal to slow global warming that is extraordinary because it might actually work. New York Times 17 Jan Addressing climate change as a human rights issue.Climate change is a human rights issue, because there are communities that are not climate resilient. They don't have insurance and they are already poor, so they have been undermined in their poverty by the impact of global warming. All Africa 16 Jan Putting climate puzzle together.Last year, largely unknown to the public, governments were working on the design of the Climate Fund, aimed at mobilizing $100 billion a year by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. But, do we really need and can we afford a new global fund, particularly in today's distressed financial environment? Harare NewsDay 16 Jan The emperor's new climate-change agreement.Before we get too excited celebrating the "breakthrough" of Durban, we would do well to reflect on a two-decade history of flogging a dead horse. Project Syndicate 12 Jan Rio looks to the future.This Rio summit, like the last one 20 years ago, isn't part of the UN negotiations on climate change or biodiversity or desertification or anything else. It's bigger than that. BBC 12 Jan |
EU climate chief sees 'unpleasant' talks ahead.EU climate chief Connie Hedegaard acknowledged Friday that "difficult and unpleasant" negotiations lay ahead with countries like India and China to agree a global framework to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Agence France-Presse 04 Feb Island nations want climate change in world court.Small island nations, whose very existence is threatened by the rising sea levels brought about by global warming, are seeking to take the issue of climate change before the International Court of Justice. Associated Press 04 Feb Equity must be basis of climate talks: PM.In one of his most emphatic public statements reaffirming the return of "equity" in India's climate change stance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said global cooperation on climate change "must be based on the foundation of the right to development and the need for an equitable distribution of burden." Bombay Economic Times 03 Feb India's stand to be crucial for future climate deal.France today said India's stand on climate change will be a significant factor to arrive at an agreement in the future and stressed the need to understand specific conditions of countries involved in the issue. Bombay Economic Times 03 Feb EU climate chief seeks doubling of global clean energy at Rio.European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said countries meeting at a conference in June should pledge to double the share of renewable energy they use by 2030 and give all citizens access to sustainable power. Bloomberg News 03 Feb India has a vital stake in evolving climate change response: Manmohan.In its 12th edition, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit will focus on the theme "Protecting the Global Commons: 20 Years Post-Rio," and will be the first important meeting of global leaders preceding the June 2012, Rio+20 Summit. Hindu 03 Feb Indian PM says lack of collective will on climate change.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday that "a lack of collective will" was hampering efforts to forge a common global front against the threat of climate change. Agence France-Presse 03 Feb Action plan for climate change delay.Government departments are considering New Zealand's options in light of the "real risk" of an extended delay in agreement on a new international climate change regime. Fairfax Stuff 02 Feb PM insists on collective global will to tackle climate change issues.The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Thursday said there appeared to be a “lack of collective global will” to solve the problem of climate change, which could not be fought individually. Hindu Business Line 02 Feb UN pitches Rio+20 talks as a departure from climate politics.This summer's sustainable development conference in Brazil, known as Rio+20, is emerging as an overt attempt by UN officials to shift away from the divisive politics of climate change to a broader debate on the green economy and how to bring it to developing nations. ClimateWire 01 Feb Saving the Amazon rainforest.International negotiators are closing in on a new solution for combating climate change — and saving the world’s remaining forests. (First of three parts) GlobalPost 01 Feb Keep fighting for Kyoto, May urges.Green Party Leader Elizabeth May told a crowd of supporters Saturday to keep fighting for the Kyoto accord. Windsor Star 30 Jan Farming is key to meeting environmental challenge: FAO chief.Agriculture is part of the solution to the world's environmental challenge and must play a key role at next June's Rio summit on sustainable development, the Brazilian head of the UN food agency said here Tuesday. Agence France-Presse 26 Jan Signs of new life as UN searches for a climate accord.Critics and supporters alike agree that the U.N. forum for negotiating international climate change policies is an ungainly mess. But the recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. For now. New York Times 25 Jan Action plan for climate change.Ministers attending the Seventh Ministerial UK-Caribbean Forum held in Grenada recently, have agreed on an action plan with agreements on several topical themes including climate change. St. Johns Antigua Observer 25 Jan UN conference returns to Rio with new emphasis.Representatives from around the world will be returning to Rio de Janeiro this June - 20 years after the U.N. Earth Summit - but this time the focus will be on sustainable development, not climate change, a Brazilian diplomat said Tuesday. Associated Press 25 Jan Thinking about food at the World Economic Forum.While climate change may not be a focus at this year’s World Economic Forum at Davos, some analysts say its impact is still front and center on the agenda. Food prices and security, threatened by weather-caused production declines and relentless rising demand, will be a key issue at the conference of world business, political and social leaders. CNBC 23 Jan Scientists: agriculture major player in climate change.A team of scientists is urging that agriculture be a top priority in climate change negotiations, saying it’s vital for global food security and for reducing carbon emissions. Voice of America 20 Jan Agriculture and climate change, revisited.Agriculture has long been a stepchild in global negotiations over the climate. Hopes had risen that this might change at the latest big global climate session, in Durban, South Africa, in December. It did not. New York Times 20 Jan Nigeria needs financial framework for climate adaptation financing.Nigeria's government has being called upon to establish a domestic framework that would articulate strategies for financing climate change activities in the country. Abuja Daily Trust 19 Jan Climate change funding lacks framework.The funds for implementation of projects on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) are flowing to developing countries from some developed countries on voluntary basis alone, lacking legally binding framework agreed internationally. Dar es Salaam Citizen 19 Jan Alex Salmond in climate justice call to world leaders.Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has called for "climate justice" to be central to decisions on energy and development. He made his plea to leaders attending Abu Dhabi's World Future Energy Summit. BBC 17 Jan Climate change activists need to talk about population too.The global population is more than seven billion and the impact of all these people is the hot topic of discussion as nations prepare to gather in Brazil this June for a follow-up conference entitled "Rio+20." National Geographic News 14 Jan UN chief urges private sector to provide efficient energy solutions.“In these times of austerity and economic uncertainty, public sector efforts alone will not be sufficient,” Ban Ki-Moon said in his message to participants at the Investor Summit in New York. Associated Press of Pakistan 14 Jan Government chosen experts to tackle equity in climate talks.The group will advice the government on how to fashion its position in the post-Durban climate talks this year. New Delhi Times of India 14 Jan |
