Climate politics
Brazilian diplomat: Rio+20 can open new path to sustainable development
Country’s ambassador to the UK says summit can overcome high expectations and mimic the impact that the original Earth Summit had on Brazil.
New Kyoto climate change targets proposed for rich countries
Submission by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) would more than double the EU target and set Australia a goal to cut CO2 by 7%.
Kyoto lifeline as Figueres announces extra UN climate talks in Bangkok
UN climate talks chief Christiana Figueres has announced she has secured funding for an extra round of talks to be held in Bangkok, running from August 30 to September 5.
Tempers flare at Rio+20 negotiations as Ban Ki-moon urges progress
Co-chairs call for calm as diplomats lose cool during last pre-Rio talks on sustainable development agenda.
Bonn 2012: German Youth – ‘Don’t forget you are doing this for your children’
As the Bonn Climate Talks end, Anton Jaekel a Germany member of the UNFCCC Youth Constituency writes for RTCC urging delegates to remember why they are working towards halting climate change.
Bonn 2012: UK youth say negotiators must ensure intergenerational equity
As the Climate Talks come to a close in Bonn, Louisa Casson from the UKYCC and member of the YOUNGO constituency of the UNFCCC writes for RTCC reflecting on the talks and calling on parties to step up to their responsibility.
Bonn 2012: What did the latest round of UN climate change talks achieve?
RTCC analyses what has been achieved at the 2012 UNFCCC Bonn Climate Conference
Bonn 2012: UN climate chief defends progress at talks
Figueres calls sluggish negotiations inevitable for latest track of talks and indicative of diplomats’ meticulous work on new global deal.
Governments extending “emissions gap” between climate policy and 2°C target
Countries still falling short of 2020 climate change commitments according to new research.
Ban Ki-moon wades into Rio+20 agenda dispute with “three clusters of ideas”
After criticising agenda negotiations last week UN Secretary General declares his own ideas for the summit.
UNFCCC chief: Rio+20 and climate change talks have common goals
Christiana Figueres stresses that while the Earth Summit is not part of formal climate negotiations, work on both agendas offer positive reinforcement.
G8 leaders sign-up to Obama and Clinton’s climate plan
The world’s eight leading economies join US climate change scheme to reduce short-term “forcers” including methane and soot in developing countries.
Bonn 2012: Carbon credit price “lower than a snake’s belly” say critics of new scheme
Opponents slam proposals for new wider reaching carbon credit set-up and call for talks on a new international market mechanism to consider failings of existing system.
Durban Platform negotiations: A long way to go
As the Durban Platform negotiations get underway in Bonn, RTCC takes a look at how they set the scene for future discussions.
Bonn 2012 – Week one round-up with E3G
E3G’s Liz Gallagher talks RTCC through the first week of the Bonn climate talks including equity, ambition and finance.
Green Climate Fund suffers blow as board’s first meeting delayed
UNFCCC calls for more nominations and urges countries not to drop pace of progress with crucial climate fund.
Bonn 2012: UNFCCC equity workshop ends in old north-south divisions emerging
Workshop on equitable access to sustainable development at UN talks in Bonn opens old wounds as India and China face off USA and EU over concept of ‘fairness’
Rio+20 needs a compass. Will it turn out to be a doughnut?
If Rio+20 is going to put the world on course for sustainable development, it would certainly help if we agreed on where we wanted to go. Oxfam’s Kate Raworth may have the answer…
We must close gaps on funding and ambition: UN climate change chief
As negotiations resume in Bonn, the head of the UNFCCC Christiana Figueres says key issues of finance and ambition must be resolved this year.
Bonn climate change talks: Who wants what
As UN climate change negotiators prepare to gather round the table in Bonn next week, RTCC looks at some the key parties’ opening positions.