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UN Security Council: Climate change risks will be discussed at the UN Security Council today for only the third time in its history. The meeting convened by the UK and Pakistan will include Hans Joachim Schellhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Rachel Kyte of the World Bank, and Tony DeBrum, Minister in assistance to the climate-vulnerable Marshall Islands. (Bloomberg)
RTCC Video: Rachel Kyte, World Bank on the threat posed by climate change
UK: RTCC understands the UK’s new climate envoy Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti is to focus heavily on the security implications of climate change, in particular the dangers of drought and famine destabilising vulnerable parts of the world. Morisetti, who was previously the country’s Climate and Energy Security Envoy and commanded the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible while in the Royal Navy, will also focus on the economic benefits of green growth for the United Kingdom
Canada: The Canadian Government is close to revealing details of the greenhouse gas regulations that it will apply to the oil sands industry. Environment Minister Peter Kent said the rules were “very close” to completion while natural resources minister Joe Oliver said they would indicate Canada’s seriousness in tackling climate change. (Reuters)
USA: The non-partisan Government Accountability Office has added the threat of climate change to the “high risk” list. The panel says “climate change is a complex, crosscutting issue that poses risks to many environmental and economic systems – including agriculture, infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health – and presents a significant financial risk to the federal government”. (Reuters)
BASIC: The BASIC group of countries, Brazil, South Africa, India and China will meet in Chennai, India to discuss the fallout of the Doha climate change talks and plan for the year ahead. UN negotiations will begin to focus on the 2015 deal that will require legally binding pledges from all nations, including the BASIC group. (Economic Times)
UK: Talks between the UK treasury and French state-owned utility EDF on a guaranteed price for electricity from a new nuclear plant are ongoing. The Financial Times reports that an opening offer of £80 per megawatt hour has been made by the government with EDF holding out for £100. The wholesale price is currently around £50. The future of nuclear energy in the UK is finely balanced after a series of setbacks. (Financial Times)