Climate politics
Video: Highlights from the first Senate Committee on climate change in 3 years
The US Senate has held its first committee on climate change in three years with the debate not about climate change policy, but whether or not it exists.
UNFCCC Durban Ambition workshop calls for better emissions reporting and information sharing
Developed and developing countries must increase their levels of emissions reporting and information sharing, a review of the UN Bonn climate talks workshop on increasing ambition has concluded.
Brazil, China and India become first countries to break Rio+20 pledges with HFC ban block
Countries block HFCs phase-out at Montreal Protocol meeting in direct contradiction to the Rio+20 outcome document signed last month.
Splits emerging in EU over fossil fuels and climate policy as energy commissioner appears to back tar sands
Günter Oettinger hails US “industrialisation by fossil fuel” through deepwater drilling and tar sands exploration, contradicting ongoing work in Brussels decarbonise the economy.
UK, Germany & France join coalition against black carbon and methane pollutants
21 states now signed up to agreement to slow climate change by cutting damaging emissions
MPs call for UK to ‘eliminate’ fossil fuel subsidies at UN climate talks in Qatar
Committee says end of fossil fuel subsidies would offer massive carbon savings and allow renewable energy to compete on a ‘level playing field’.
Comment: EU must be more strategic and open to cooperation in dealings with China on climate change
GLOBE International Secretary General Adam Matthews argues that now is time for EU to work more with China rather than bickering over climate policy positions at UNFCCC negotiations
Merkel: equity means all states making equal efforts to fight climate change
German Chancellor tells world’s environment ministers at Berlin summit responsibility to fight climate change lies with all states – not just the global north
Petersberg Climate Dialogue III: Environment ministers meet in Berlin to thrash out common position ahead of Doha talks
The lack of ambition and goals for the Doha round of UNFCCC climate talks will be on the agenda today and tomorrow as ministers from 35 countries representing various international negotiating groups meet in Berlin.
Will the billions needed for climate change finance be found in Doha?
After three days of talks on climate change cash in Bonn, the challenges have become clearer while questions have been raised over solutions like ending fossil fuel subsidies and the Robin Hood tax.
Ed Davey: Vital EU gets Poland to accept new emissions target with Doha climate talks looming
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary says he is planning to embark on a new diplomatic push to encourage Poland to adopt the EU’s proposed 30% carbon emissions target.
Paying for climate change: Visible urgency on final day of UNFCCC finance talks
Candid comments and calls to slash red tape suggest increased urgency at the UN climate finance workshop’s final session.
Where will the money come from to pay for climate change? Lessons from Day two of UNFCCC finance workshop
Discussions in Bonn turned to identifying specific sources of funding and how they might be able to turned into action on the ground, but old disputes meant there was no clear winner.
Who pays for climate change: What we learnt after day one of the UNFCCC finance workshop
Updates from the first day of the UN workshop on climate finance as diplomats and NGOs gather to discuss how to raise and distribute the billions of dollars required to prepare for, and limit the impacts of climate change.
Greg Barker: China’s domestic ambition must be reflected in international climate negotiations
UK minster for energy and climate change calls on China to stop blocking progress at UNFCCC negotiations and build greater unity with their domestic renewables programme and international ambition.
Dr Rajendra Pachauri: Time to forget governments and use people power to fight climate change
World’s leading climate scientist says governments’ reluctance to tackle the causes of climate change means they should be bypassed in favour of global ‘people power’.
Ban Ki Moon: Rio+20 was a success and leaves a concrete and lasting legacy
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has hit back at critics of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development by claiming it was an important victory for multilateralism
Rio+20: Five climate change ideas that didn’t make the Earth Summit outcome
While proposals in the final text were weak, some important ones didn’t even make it into the document. RTCC looks at five ideas for climate change action that didn’t make the grade.
Jose Maria Figueres on Rio+20: We need negotiators who are connected to reality
Former President of Costa Rica says governments will only respond when they see action at home.
Rio+20: International reaction to the sustainable development outcome
Politicians, diplomats and activists from around the globe review the Future We Want document and the process that produced.