Caminhos: dezembro 2009

29 dezembro 2009

20 dezembro 2009

17 dezembro 2009

Japan: 15 billion dollars in climate aid - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

Japan pledges a total of 15 billion US dollars for climate aid for developing countries up to 2012, Japan's delegation announced at the UN climate conference late Wednesday. Of the 15 billion dollars, 11 billion dollars will be public money, according to a press release from the delegation.

The Japanese pledge is more generous than EU’s promise to fund 7.2 billion euro (9.39 billion dollars) for the same purposes over the next three years.

The Japanese funding is given on the condition that a successful political accord is achieved at the climate conference in Copenhagen.

“Upon the establishment of a new framework, Japan will with this assistance support a broad range of developing countries which are taking measures of mitigation, as well as those which are vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change,” the press release states.

Japan: 15 billion dollars in climate aid - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

IEA offers blue print to deliver on ambitious climate change goals and urges all governments to send a strong signal to spur new investment for clean energy

14 December 2009 Copenhagen --- “While the details of a binding agreement may not be completely worked out in Copenhagen, it is more important than ever that participants send a strong, indicative and ambitious signal that can guide energy investment and policy decisions globally,” said Nobuo Tanaka, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), today at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-15) in Copenhagen. “This conference is the most important climate meeting to date, as we urgently need a framework that goes beyond 2012, the end of the Kyoto Protocol first commitment period. The economic crisis, with the resulting fall in global energy-related CO2 emissions of around 3% in 2009, gives us a unique window of opportunity to change our current, highly unsustainable energy path,” said Mr. Tanaka. “Current pledges point in the right direction, but fall short of what is needed to keep the global temperature rise to around 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The IEA proposes an energy policy and technology blueprint that can deliver ambitious climate goals to be agreed in Copenhagen, with energy efficiency at the core of CO2 reduction strategy in both the near and long term.” continue

15 dezembro 2009

India seeks legally binding commitments for developed nations- Hindustan Times

With hopes for a far-reaching deal on climate change receding, India is making a strong pitch for extending the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 and commitments that legally bind developed countries to reduce emissions.

The crucial talks at the climate change summit were suspended briefly on Monday following a walkout by the BASIC bloc, including India and China, protesting that the rich countries were making attempts to shirk responsibility in tackling global warming. The Africa also group boycotted the proceedings briefly.

The talks resumed after the BASIC bloc succeeded in extracting an assurance from the Chair that the summit would proceed in a "fully transparent" manner without any "surprises".

Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh made it clear that the goal now is to produce two texts under the Long Term Cooperative Action (LCA) track and KP tracks by Wednesday or Thursday morning.

The BASIC bloc and Africa want the developed countries to make mitigation pledges under the second commitment period from 2013-2018 but the European Union, Australia, Japan, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) want a document broader than the existing Protocol that puts obligations on the United States and on emerging economies.

The second track is the extension of the KP into the second commitment period from 2013 to 2018 where developed countries listed under Annex B will have to take binding cuts. The US, however, is not a party to the Protocol.

However, there is lack of clarity on this point as Hedegaard told BASIC ministers and the G77 chairs that there will be no Copenhagen declaration or political statement.

"There is still no clarity," Ramesh said.

Noting that there was a great deal of confusion on the several aspects of the negotiations, he said, "It is not clear how the US will reflect its commitments given the uncertainty on their legislation".

Meanwhile, Ramesh reiterated that the integrated Africa-BASIC (ABASIC) draft was ready in the wings and warned that if any of the other groups sprang a surprise draft like the Danish text then the G77 countries would put out this text.

"We are holding it... If there is a 'Danish' we will produce ABASIC," he said.

Delegates from 192 countries have been for a week attempting to hammer out a climate change texts before the heads of state/government from over a 100 countries including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama arrive later this week.

India seeks legally binding commitments for developed nations- Hindustan Times

14 dezembro 2009

UN: Don't leave tough climate issues to leaders - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

Ban appealed to negotiators to redouble their efforts, stop posturing or blaming others, and reach a compromise.

He told reporters Monday before flying to Copenhagen that he is reasonably optimistic the UN conference will end with a politically binding deal that is fair, comprehensive and equitable.

Ban said there is strong support among the 192 UN member states for 10 billion US dollars in fast-track, short-term funding to help developing countries deal with climate change starting in 2010.

He said he will be urging agreement on longer-term and a larger financial support package up to 2020 and beyond to help developing nations cope with global warming.

UN: Don't leave tough climate issues to leaders - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009