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:
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
Leaders attending the G20 meeting in London plan to gather again in the summer for a special summit on tackling climate change, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
SCIENTISTS are to hold an emergency summit to warn the world’s politicians they are being too timid in their response to global warming.
Climate experts from around the world will gather in Copenhagen next month to agree on a stark message to policymakers that, they hope, will break the political deadlock on efforts to curb rising temperatures.
NEXT YEAR’S crucial climate change summit in Copenhagen will be a failure unless it produces a deal on substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a top United Nations official.
Climate Watch