Was just on a US state department briefing call on climate change. Sociologically fascinating. Would have liked to hear more details about how US policy negotiations at the international level will help or hurt efforts at equity-and-sustainability that are currently being implemented in cities nationwide.
This article uses the Copenhagen Accord. Disturbing.
In positive news, there are fabulous coalitions of grassroots and professional groups in the United States who are developing local solutions on mitigation and adaptation, as well as planning on their work in relationship to policy neogitations on climate change and equity at their local, state, regional, national and in the international treaty-making processes. How often are the people who are the developers and implementers of solutions, who come from the poorest communities and regions in our country, also on the frontlines of making and negotiating policy? Impressive and powerful.
Happy Monday!
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http://www.environmental-finance.com/news/view/1324
UN sets out seven objectives for Cancún climate talks
23 September 2010
"This is a realistic assessment of what could be achieved," he said. "The essence really is long-term finance and delivery of short-term finance."
Thorgeirsson cautioned that assigning responsibility for emission cuts "won't hap pen in Cancún" and continuing to negotiate emission reduction targets "delays delivery on action".
"But, at the same time, we need to avoid a gap” between the end of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, at the end of 2012, and whatever comes after, and “ensure continuation of the carbon markets”.
UN sets out seven objectives for Cancún climate talks
23 September 2010
The Cancún climate talks could realistically make progress in seven areas, according to a leading UN climate official.
Halldor Thorgeirsson, director of Bali Road Map Support at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, said that the talks, in Mexico in December, will be a "test of procedure" for climate negotiations following last year's meeting in Copenhagen that was characterised by disunity among nations.
Addressing a conference at Chatham House in London today, he called for “a paradigm shift” away from the attitude that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" towards "nothing is agreed until enough is agreed".
Thorgeirsson identified seven areas where progress could be made in Cancún:
- Formalising pledges to mitigate climate change, made for example in the Copenhagen Accord;
- Putting in place a system for measuring, reporting and verifying efforts to mitigate emissions, and financial support for those efforts;
- Establishing a framework for adaptation;
- Agreeing a fund for mitigation and adaptation activities, putting in motion the design of that fund and an agreement for its oversight;
- Putting in place the infrastructure needed to deliver funds for mitigation and adaptation, and establishing a registry for developing countries' 'nationally agreed mitigation actions';
- Establishing a global goal – most likely to limit global temperature rise to 2°C – and a process for measuring progress towards and reviewing that goal; and
- Launching of a “readiness phase” for a mechanism to direct finance to reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation.
"This is a realistic assessment of what could be achieved," he said. "The essence really is long-term finance and delivery of short-term finance."
Thorgeirsson cautioned that assigning responsibility for emission cuts "won't hap pen in Cancún" and continuing to negotiate emission reduction targets "delays delivery on action".
"But, at the same time, we need to avoid a gap” between the end of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, at the end of 2012, and whatever comes after, and “ensure continuation of the carbon markets”.
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