Copenhagen Climate Negotiations - latest EU, G20, African Union positions
on Sep 11, 2009 in carbon finance COP15 climate negotiations The EU this week released its latest negotiating positions for the Copenhagen climate talks - including on the controversial aspects of climate finance. For a clear report, take a look at the EU Observer. To get into the geeky detail, take a look at...

Tar-sands protest in UK
on Sep 2, 2009 in Tar Sands Climate Camp (an anti-tar sands protester, "sludged up" and expressing his revulsion outside BP's London office)I've taken an involuntary summer/book writing blogging hiatus... but in the meantime, it is worth checking out the Indigenous Environment Network's lau...

Animal farts and burps and climate change
on Jun 22, 2009 in methane Climate Change Source: UNEP/GRID-ArendalApparently the above diagram was commissioned for a UN study on carbon neutrality. The UNEP/GRID-Arendal project is a mine of weird and wonderful climate change graphics.

Nuclear energy is not a clean alternative
on Jun 22, 2009 in ETS emissions trading nuclear Ignalina Here´s one more graphic from the UNEP/Grid-Arendal, which is topical given the push to promote nuclear energy as a "clean" source (in the face of much evidence to the contrary).Geeky carbon trading related fact: Lithuania had the largest surplus of...

Jonathan Pershing on the outcome of the Bonn climate talks
on Jun 17, 2009 in USA Bonn UNFCCC climate negotiations Jonathan Pershing is the US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, and was the lead US negotiator at the Bonn climate talks. Here´s what he had to say, and a few comments to decode its significance:BilateralsAsked about the bilateral meeting held...

Divide and rule: the politics of climate negotiations
on Jun 14, 2009 in COP15 AdHocWorkingGroup UNFCCC Want to know how global treaties get stitched up? You could do far worse than read this new briefing by Oilwatch International. It outlines the following tactics to force a treat in the interest of the developed countries at the expense of a just cli...

Climate Camel
on Jun 13, 2009 in CopenhagenTour COP15 Bonn UNFCCC As if the world of UN climate talks weren´t surreal enough, Avaaz brought camels to Bonn. Their presence was meant to highlight how climate change exacerbates the threat of desertification. Given the under-representation of those at the frontline of...

2009 International Climate Calendar: Diversions in the Road to Copenhagen
on Jun 11, 2009 in COP15 Major Economies Forum G77 G8 The Pew Center has produced a useful overview of the major events in the negotiations for a global climate treaty between now and Copenhagen. It is worth comparing with this earlier effort:Although it was not the point of the Pew Center´s exercise,...

Punch and Judy on the Climate: Bonn negotiations
on Jun 9, 2009 in COP15 KyotoProtocol NAMA Bonn Oh yes you did! Oh no you didn´t!The regular Punch and Judy show that is the UN climate talks is currently underway in Bonn. As ever, everyone talks about the importance of emissions reductions made by someone else – and the industrialised nations...

Carbon Trading: From Washington to Bonn
on Jun 5, 2009 in WaxmanMarkey Bonn UNFCCC CarbonTrade With a new President in the White House there's a fresh approach to climate change and energy policy in the US. But the Energy bill currently going through Congress is based on the widely-criticised "Cap & Trade" system and has been weakened furt...