Countries gearing up for the next round of top-level climate talks have been warned the agreement hashed out in the dying minutes of the Copenhagen conference could lead to 3C warming or more.
via Climate report gives warning to leaders, say NZ scientists – Environment – NZ Herald News.
On Friday, the world's most successful businessperson and most powerful philanthropist did something outstandingly bold, that went almost unremarked: Bill Gates announced that his top priority is getting the world to zero climate emissions.
an Fry, the chief climate change negotiator for Tuvalu, fought on behalf of low-lying island nations during the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, last month.
Hundreds of Australian sheep are to have their burp outputs measured by scientists who are hoping to breed a burp-less variety.
A TENTATIVE truce between rich and poor nations has allowed a resumption of talks at the Copenhagen climate conference after a dramatic intervention by the President of the Maldives.
John Key will attend the climate change leaders conference at Copenhagen.
Farm scientists at a new multi-million-dollar research facility believe they can cut the carbon footprint of milk by 20 per cent – even without using the latest emerging technologies.
President Barack Obama is considering setting a provisional target for cutting America's huge greenhouse gas emissions, removing the greatest single obstacle to a landmark global agreement to fight climate change.
A newly formed Climate Change and Health Group is urging GPs and health professionals to get behind the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe has lashed out at dithering over cutting emissions, described climate talks as a “bureaucratic circus” and blasted the imposition of some levies on airlines in Europe as money grabbing.
Gordon Brown is to urge his fellow world leaders to agree to go personally to the vital UN climate change talks in Copenhagen in December in an attempt to break what is rapidly becoming a dangerous deadlock.
Presented with the Government’s 2020 carbon emissions target this week the inevitable question people ask is: “How much is this going to cost us then?”
The only honest answers are: “Who knows?” or “It depends” or “It’s too soon to say.” Brian Fallow, NZ Herald News.
Bonn, International
Climate change minister Nick Smith has been popping up all over the media in the last couple of days talking 2020 targets, on the back of the latest Infometrics/NZIER economic modelling [PDF] on the potential costs of different targets. And though he is refusing to commit to a number before next month, it’s becoming pretty clear that the wind is blowing in the direction of 15% by 2020, and no improvement on 50% by 2050. There’s a transcript of the interview he gave with Guyon Espiner on TV NZ’s Sunday morning Q+A programme here, and his discussion with Kathryn Ryan on RNZ’s Nine To Noon this morning is here. Espiner and Ryan do their best to pin him down, but the minister’s only clear on one thing — 40% is too expensive. From the Q+A transcript:
New Zealand’s 2020 target for greenhouse gas emission cuts will be about 15 per cent, Prime Minister John Key says.
More than 77,500 Kiwis have signed up to a Greenpeace campaign calling for a 40 per cent reduction, on 1990 levels, in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
China’s chief climate change official says a major United States bill calling for nationwide limits on greenhouse gases is a key step forward but much more action is needed to reach agreement during talks on global warming this year.
Green energy overtook fossil fuels in attracting investment for power generation for the first time last year, according to figures released today by the United Nations.
A report commissioned by the British government will call today for an overhaul of global institutions to combat climate change.
The report, to be published by the Centre on International Co-operation at New York University, recommends the creation of powerful surveillance and enforcement mechanisms similar to those of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. The new institutions would ensure countries honour their commitments to cut carbon emissions.
Ed Miliband, the climate change secretary, warns today that he is “fearful” that the world may miss the opportunity to halt global warming and is calling for a Make Poverty History-style popular movement to push for a breakthrough at this year’s Copenhagen summit.
Miliband calls for populist push in battle against climate change
Protest and direct action could be the only way to tackle soaring carbon emissions, a leading climate scientist has said.
James Hansen, a climate modeller with Nasa, told the Guardian today that corporate lobbying has undermined democratic attempts to curb carbon pollution. “The democratic process doesn’t quite seem to be working,” he said.
Climate Watch