– A round-up of the day’s top climate change stories
– Tweet @RTCCnewswire and use #RTCCLive hashtag
– Contact the team at [email protected]
EU: The EU has set the terms necessary for it to continue to discount international airlines from its regional carbon trading scheme.
Jos Delbeke, director general of the European Commission’s climate action directorate said an agreement in principle to allow all states to take part in a global deal and a timetable for that agreement would be necessary to preven tit from overturning its “stop the clock” measures.
The EU stopped asking international airlines using EU airports to take part in its cap and trade system on the condition that a global deal was agreed at the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) general assembly in September. (GreenAir)
The EU has clarified its minimum expectations for the ICAO talks that would prevent it from including international airlines in its own cap and trade scheme again (Source: Virgin)
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia signalled its determination to block an ambitious global climate treaty yesterday, warning countries tough mitigation targets would be “highly political” and leave a “bad taste”. The world’s second largest oil producer could find the value of its huge reserves steadily decrease if nations commit to a legally binding deal in 2015. (RTCC)
Cuba: Cuba has launched its climate change action strategy. The 16 point plan will look at a number of projects including coastal ecosystems, water and forestry. The Government estimates that 9000 homes and 2700 square kilometres of land will be lost to sea level rise by 2050 under the business as usual scenario. (SciDev.net, Spanish only)
Australia: Koala bear populations are down 40% as shrinking habitats and climate change heighten the threat of disease. University of Queensland koala expert Dr Clive McAlpine told the IPS news service: “In the past decade, we have experienced the hottest temperatures on record followed by floods and cyclones. The koalas are highly susceptible to heat stress and dehydration”. (IPS)