The global and political temperature is heating up ahead of the COP17 climate conference in Durban, which starts on November 28.
Barack Obama says he admires Australia’s ‘bold’ carbon tax, but can’t commit to anything in South Africa.
States already experiencing extreme weather conditions such as Bangladesh are staking their claim for more financial assistance, meanwhile experts in the UK are warning there is no alternative to Kyoto.
With the clock ticking till the beginning of the conference – one thing for sure is that this is just the start!
US President Barack Obama praise for Australia’s new carbon tax, but pessimistic about the upcoming talks:
“Each country is trying to figure out how to do that most effectively, Australia, you’ve moved forward with a bold strategy.”
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina says her country is suffering:
“Climate change constitutes a serious injustice and must be acknowledged by the global community,” prime minister Hasina added. “We are bearing the brunt of the damage though we made negligible or no contribution to the menace.”
“We see no evidence of direct and easy access to funding and technology,” she said, “We have seen no clarity on how the global community would raise funds in the period between 2012 and 2020 towards operationalisation of the Green Climate Fund.”
India Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan
“Durban should not get caught in competitive politics.”
UK Special Rep John Ashton on Kyoto’s future:
“There is no Plan B for the climate. A voluntary framework will not be enough to keep us within the 2C limit of manageable climate change. Unmanageable climate change will precipitate systemic collapses, including of our food and water security.”
The Pentagon Defence Science Board admit the US is stuck:
“The report emphasizes that the United States cannot enter into an open-ended commitment to dealing with the need to address the near term consequences of climate change or the longer term need for adapting to the change.”
US energy secretary Steven Chu offers a vision of the future:
“When it comes to the clean energy race, America faces a simple choice: compete or accept defeat. I believe we can and must compete.”
Jo Leinen, Environment Committee and Parliament delegation chair, EU:
“International climate negotiations are at a crossroads between stagnation and progress – the EU must help to create a new dynamic in Durban.”
UK solar entrepreneur Jeremy Leggett on Twitter – seething at below the belt tactics from fossil fuel lobby
“Work for nuclear or gas PR agency? Sick of all the lies being sown about solar? leak us the plan – make your kids proud.”
Qin Dahe, Co-chair of IPCC Working Group I on Friday’s report on extreme weather:
“There is high confidence that both maximum and minimum daily temperatures have increased on a global scale due to the increase of greenhouse gases.”
Dizery Salim, Spokesperson for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“The world has entered a deadly new age where today’s extreme weather events are likely to become the norm. Those who are already vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition, living without access to clean water and sanitation and living in informal settlements have the least capacity to cope and adapt. The IPCC’s special report is a plea to governments worldwide to ensure that disaster risk reduction is at the heart of sustainable development during the century of climate change.”
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres on Twitter
“Extreme Events report stark reminder that people, especially in dev. countries, will suffer #climatechange impacts. Need next essential policy steps at #COP17”