2007
Climate and Atmosphere Media Reports Archives:
2010;
2009;
2008;
2006;
2005;
2004;
2003;
2002
DECEMBER 2007
OBJECTIONS TO
NEW GENERATION OF ASTHMA INHALERS CONTINUE
The upcoming 2009 ban on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in asthma, or
metered-dose, inhalers (MDIs) in the US has prompted some users of
asthma inhalers to develop a petition opposing the ban, claiming that
their symptoms are worse when using the newer generation
hydroflouroalkane(HFA)
inhalers. In related news, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is
currently considering comments submitted by the public on its proposal
to extend the ban to asthma inhalers containing epinephrine.
Links to
further information
Chicago Sun-Times article, 17 December 2007
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 14 November 2007
2007 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT EXAMINES CLIMATE CHANGE
AND DEVELOPMENT
On 27 November 2007, the UN Development Programme's (UNDP)
Human Development Report on 'Fighting climate change:
Human solidarity in a divided world' was launched in Brasilia, Brazil,
with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as well as the
Spanish Minister for Development, Leire Pajin, on hand. Kemal Dervis,
UNDP Administrator, stressed that this year's Global Human Development
Report, a UNDP flagship publication, was being launched at a significant
time, as governments were preparing to gather in Bali to negotiate the
roadmap for further negotiations on commitments for the post-2012
period. He also noted that the Report will help galvanize action of UN
Country Teams working with national counterparts on climate change
adaptation and disaster preparedness. Kevin Watkins, UNDP's lead author
of the Report, stressed the threat of climate change to development
given that the world's poorest people are most vulnerable to its
consequences. He said the Report argues that, with the right reforms,
many of the negative effects of greenhouse gas emissions can be reversed
without sacrificing economic growth. To achieve this goal, the Report
proposes a combination of carbon taxation, cap-and-trade programmes,
energy policies and technology transfers.
Links to further information
Human Development Report 2007/2008: Fighting Climate Change – Human
Solidarity in a Divided World
UNDP Newsroom
REPORT SAYS JOB OPPORTUNITIES OFFER SILVER LINING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Addressing the challenges of climate
change will also imply significant new employment opportunities states a
preliminary draft report, Green Jobs: Can the Transition to
Environmental Sustainability Spur New Kinds and Higher Levels of
Employment?, commissioned by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in
partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Referring to the report,
UNEP's Executive Director Achim Steiner said that: "The transition is
being spurred on by the existing Kyoto climate agreement with its carbon
trading and clean development mechanisms and the anticipation of further
and more decisive emissions reductions post-2012." The final report will
be released in early 2008.
Link to further information
UNEP Press release, 6 December 2007
EU MOVES TO PHASE-OUT
REFRIGERANT
Hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HCFC-134a), a refrigerant used in air
conditioners as an alternative to an ozone-depleting substance (ODS)
banned under the Montreal Protocol, has received much attention this
year in the realm of climate change and ozone depletion. Earlier this
year, parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to speed the phase-out
period for this potent greenhouse gas. Now the EU has followed suit and
is banning the use of HCFC-134a in motor vehicles as of 2011.
Link to
further information
New York Times, 2 December 2007
NOVEMBER 2007
US EPA LAUNCHES VOLUNTARY REFRIGERATION
PARTNERSHIP
The
US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) launched its GreenChill
Advanced Refrigeration Partnership on 27 November 2007. The program
works with companies that use and manufacture refrigeration equipment
and the chemicals that cool such equipment. The partner companies
voluntarily pledge to exceed regulatory requirements by inventorying and
reducing their use and emissions of ozone-depleting substances and
greenhouse gases.
Links
to further information
EPA Press Release, 27 November 2007
CNN Money, 27 November 2007
Environmental New Service, 27 November 2007
METHYL BROMIDE USE IN THE US CONTINUES TO RECEIVE
ATTENTION
Although methyl bromide was technically phased out in developed
countries under the Montreal Protocol, these countries can continue to
receive exemptions from the phase-out if they demonstrate that
alternatives are not technically and economically feasible. Under this
exemption, the US continues to use much more methyl bromide than other
developed countries - 30 to 40 percent of its baseline methyl bromide
use quantities. Some growers and activists question the need for these
quantities of methyl bromide, given the available organic and chemical
alternatives.
Link
to further information
San Francisco Chronicle, 24 November 2007
EU AND US PROPOSE
ELIMINATING TARIFFS RELATED TO MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE
The United States and the European Union
presented a joint submission to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session (CTE-SS), on 30
November 2007, proposing to eliminate trade barriers facing goods and
services directly related to mitigating climate change. According to the
proposal the "ultimate objective should be a zero tariff world for
climate friendly goods in the near future and no later than 2013." The
list of environmentally friendly goods proposed includes 43 products
identified by a recent World Bank report on trade and climate change,
covering products ranging from solar collectors and system controllers,
to wind-turbine parts and components, stoves, grates and cookers,
and hydrogen fuel cells. Developing countries offered mixed reactions,
as they contended that most products on the list are primarily of export
interest to industrialized countries. Brazil, for example, has proposed
the inclusion of biofuels (a product it exports) in the list of
environmental goods (IISD Sources; ICTSD Bridges, 5 December 2007).
Links to additional information
"Summary
of U.S. and EC Proposal for Liberalizing Trade in Environmental
Goods and Services in the WTO DDA Negotiations," European
Union, 30 November 2007
"EU and US propose new WTO green trade agreement for Doha round;"
European Commission, 30 November 2007
"EU, US Call for Eliminating Trade Barriers to Climate-Friendly Goods
and Services;"
ICTSD Bridges, 5 December 2007
KYOTO PROTOCOL'S ELECTRONIC TRADING SYSTEM
LAUNCHED
The electronic system that manages emissions trading under the Kyoto
Protocol has become operational. The International Transaction Log (ITL)
is a computerized system that ensures that emissions trading among
parties to the Kyoto Protocol is fully consistent with the Protocol's
rules and regulations. The launch of the ITL was announced by the UN
Climate Change Secretariat on 14 November 2007.
Links to
further information
UN Climate Change Secretariat press release, 14 November 2007
Background information, November 2007
US MIDWEST PLANS
TRADING SCHEME; DUTCH MAY CHANGE MARKET STRATEGY
A group of Midwest US states have agreed
to a regional scheme to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement,
which follows previously-announced initiatives in the West and the
Northeast, includes an agreement by six governors for a regional carbon
"cap-and-trade" system.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands may not use the
carbon market after 2012, opting instead to achieve emissions reductions
domestically, according to a report by Point Carbon news service. The
Dutch government has so far been one of the most active players in
purchasing credits under the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms, so
the move to achieve all reductions domestically could represent a change
in policy direction.
Links to further information
ENN news report, 16 November 2007
Point Carbon news report, 16 November 2007 (note: subscription
required to view complete story)
OCTOBER 2007
BIGGEST US PENSION
FUND CALLS FOR DISCLOSURE OF CLIMATE RISK
The US' biggest pension fund, the California Public Employees'
Retirement System (Calpers), has called for the US Securities and
Exchange Commission to force publicly traded companies to disclose their
climate-related risks. They joined other institutional investors,
environmental groups and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo in
asking for four main disclosures to analyze a company's business risk
and opportunities from climate change, including emissions, climate risk
and emissions management, physical risks of climate changes and
regulatory risks.
Link to further information
ENN/Reuters News Release, 31 October 2007
IPCC GEARS UP FOR
VALENCIA MEETING
The IPCC is set to host its next session in Valencia, Spain, from 12-17
November 2007. The meeting is expected to result in the release of the
Synthesis Report, which forms the final part of the IPCC's Fourth
Assessment Report. Three other related reports were released earlier
this year: the Physical Science Basis (February); Impacts, Adaptation
and Vulnerability (April); and Mitigation of Climate Change (May). The
Secretariat has posted additional information on the Valencia meeting
for participants and media.
Links to further information
27th
Session of the IPCC - Information for participants
27th
Session of the IPCC - Information for the press
RESEARCH CONFERENCE
CONSIDERS ALTERNATIVES TO OZONE DEPLETOR, MONTREAL PROTOCOL CITED AS
EXAMPLE FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The 2007 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide
Alternatives and Emissions Reductions convened from 29 October-1
November 2007 in San Diego, California, US. The conference sought to
share information on research into alternatives to methyl bromide, a
potent ozone depletor that is being phased out under the Montreal
Protocol. In related news, plans to cancel the registration of methyl
bromide in Australia were canceled, since Australia has continued to
apply for and receive critical use exemptions for the use of methyl
bromide for cut flowers and strawberry runners.
In other ozone news, in the lead up to a
seminal meeting on climate change in Bali, Indonesia, next month, the
Montreal Protocol is being cited as the example of government and
industry working together to overcome an environmental problem.
Links to further information
Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach website
Sydney Morning Herald, 24 October 2007
The Economist, 1 November 2007
AUSTRALIA PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR POST-2012 TARGETS
Australian Prime
Minister John Howard has said he would accept targets reducing
greenhouse gases as part of an international agreement for the period
after 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period expires.
Howard also said he would urge US President George Bush to follow suit.
Howard's comments were made during an election campaign debate with the
leader of the opposition Labor Party. The Labor Party has said it would
join the Kyoto Protocol, a move that would represent a major shift in
current government policy.
Link to further information
DPA/Earth Times, 21 October 2007
IPCC AND AL GORE AWARDED NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former US
Vice-President Al Gore are the joint recipients of the 2007 Nobel Peace
Prize. The Prize was awarded to recognize their efforts "to build up and
disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay
the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such
change." The IPCC, which was established in 1988 by UNEP and the World
Meteorological Organization, involves more than 2000 scientists and
other experts who review the latest findings and studies on climate
change. The IPCC is set to adopt its fourth assessment report in
November 2007 at a meeting in Valencia, Spain. The IPCC Secretariat
expressed its "surprise and gratitude" at the award, and called Chair
R.K. Pachauri the "backbone of the IPCC."
Al Gore has long
been known as an advocate for environmental action, most recently
through his award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.
Yvo de Boer,
Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), said: "Today's announcement is a sign that there is growing
awareness not only with regard to the science and impacts of climate
change, but for the need for political action. What we need to do now is
to get started on the negotiations of a post-2012 framework in Bali [in
December] this year. We urgently need a new agreement or a set of
agreements under the umbrella of the UN which can deliver the greenhouse
gas emission reductions in line with what science is telling us is
needed - 50% by 2050 – along with significant funding for adaptation."
Links to further
information
Nobel Prize website
IPCC press release, 12 October 2007
Statement of IPCC Chair, 12 October 2007
UNFCCC Executive Secretary statement, October 2007
OZONE IN THE NEWS: OZONE HOLE "SMALL," OZONE CHEMIST AWARDED NOBEL PRIZE
The ozone hole
over Antarctica is the third smallest since 1998, and is significantly
smaller than the record size reached last year. However, scientists warn
that its size does not mean the ozone layer is recovering, rather that
temperatures in the Antarctic stratosphere are mild.
In other ozone
news, German scientist Gerhardt Ertl was awarded the Nobel Prize for
chemistry for his work on surface
chemistry, which has been key to understanding how ice crystals floating
in the stratosphere serve as a surface for reactions leading to ozone
depletion.
Links to further
information
Associated Press article, 20 October 2007
Environment New Service article, 19 October 2007
NASA article, 18 October 2007
Reuters article, 16 October 2007
WMO Bulletin, 2 October 2007
The
Guardian article, 11 October 2007
WORLD BANK CREATES
TWO NEW CARBON FINANCE FACILITIES
The World Bank has announced that it will establish two new carbon
finance facilities, to help increase the world's ability to tackle
global climate change and deforestation. The Forest Carbon Partnership
Facility (FCPF) will compensate developing countries for carbon dioxide
reductions realized by maintaining their forests. In addition, the
Forest Carbon Partnership Facility will support programs targeting the
drivers of deforestation and develop activities to reach out to poor
people who depend on forests to improve their livelihoods. The Carbon
Partnership Facility (CPF) will be used in areas such as power sector
development, energy efficiency, gas flaring, transport, and urban
development, including integrated waste management systems.
Link to additional information
World Bank Press Release, 11 October 2007
CHINA JOINS INITIATIVE
TO REDUCE THE RELEASE OF CARBON DIOXIDE
China, which produces 70% of the world's
light bulbs, has agreed to phase out incandescent bulbs in favor of
energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. China is the first
developing country to join a Global Environment Facility (GEF) programme,
which will provide about US$ 25 million to support the initiative in
China. The program will be formally announced in December 2007 at the
climate change meetings in Bali, Indonesia, as the GEF affirms that a
shift to more efficient bulbs from traditional incandescent ones could
mitigate 500 million tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide
annually, and the transition could be made in the next 10 years.
Link to
additional information
Reuters News story,
1 October 2007
SEPTEMBER 2007
UNEP AWARDS PRIZE TO
LOCAL LEVEL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIONS
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has awarded
the Sasakawa Prize 2007 to two non-governmental initiatives in South
Africa and Bangladesh for their efforts to combat climate change on the
local level: Jeunesse Park for initiating the design of the first carbon
calculator in South Africa, making it easy and affordable for
government, institutions and communities to offset carbon emissions; and
the organization Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha for travelling through
Bangladesh's extensive river network to bring environmental education
and renewable energy supplies to local communities.
Link to further information
UNEP Press release, 27 September 2007
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
IMPROVEMENTS KEY TO LOWER ENERGY USE – IEA REPORT
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released a report entitled
"Energy Use in the New Millennium: Trends in IEA Countries," which
examines recent trends in energy use and carbon emissions in IEA
countries. The book indicates that, while improvements in energy
efficiency have limited increases in energy use and carbon emissions,
recent gains in energy efficiency are currently only about half the rate
seen in the 1970s and 1980s. The study was undertaken by IEA to support
the G8 Gleneagles "Plan of Action for Climate Change, Clean Energy and
Sustainable Development." Among the study's findings are: appliances and
air conditioning are on track to become the most significant sources of
carbon emissions from households; in many countries, the benefits of
more efficient vehicles have been eroded by increased congestion,
changes in driver behavior and new in-car amenities; and efficiency
improvements are having a substantial impact in manufacturing.
Link to further information
IEA Press Release, 10 September 2007
RECORD
ARCTIC MELTING RECORDED
Record levels of ice melting
have been recorded in the Arctic in early September 2007, according to
reports. According to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, sea ice
extent continues to decline, and now stands at 4.24 million square
kilometers (1.63 million square miles), which is considerably less than
the previous record absolute minimum of 5.32 million square kilometers
(2.05 million square miles) recorded in September 2005.
Link to further information
National Snow and Ice Data Center records
OZONE
HOLE MAKES EARLY APPEARANCE
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that the seasonal
ozone hole over the Antarctic appeared earlier than normal this year.
The WMO cautions, however, that this gives no indication of what to
expect for the remainder of the year.
Links to further
information
WMO report, 23 August 2007
Reuters article, 28 August 2007
LA Times
article, 1
September 2007
UN LAUNCHES "CDM
BAZAAR" WEBSITE
The UN has launched a web portal to
facilitate the exchange of information among, buyers, sellers and
service providers involved with the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM). The new web portal, which was announced by the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat and the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) on 5 September 2007, will help buyers,
sellers, and others "get down to business," according to UNFCCC
Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer.
Link to further
information
UN press release
AUGUST 2007
UN LAUNCHES NEW CLIMATE
CHANGE WEBSITE
The UN has launched a new website, the
"Gateway to the UN System's Work on Climate Change." The new website
provides information on the work of various parts of the UN system with
regard to climate change. It includes links to work under the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change, UN Environment Programme, and other relevant
programmes and agencies. It also contains information on the high-level
General Assembly event planned for 24 September 2007. The website was
launched in early August 2007.
Link to further information
Gateway to the UN System's Work on Climate Change
PRESSURE TO ACCELERATE
PHASEOUT OF HCFCs BUILDS
In advance of the upcoming 19th Meeting of the
Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances (the
Protocol), there is significant pressure to move forward the date that a
group of potent greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting chemicals must be
phased out. Under the Protocol, hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are already
due to be phased out by 2030 in developed countries and 2040 in
developing countries, but perverse incentives brought about by the Clean
Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol and increased use of
refrigerants in India and China have brought attention to the potential
benefits of phasing out HCFCs earlier. As a result of this increased
concern, six proposals have been put forward to accelerate the phaseout
of the chemicals under the Protocol, and a bill has been put forward in
the US Congress to do the same.
Links to further information
Reuters article, 13 August 2007
Greenwire article, 7 August 2007
Sydney Morning Herald, 3 August 2007
North Denver News, 31 July 2007
DEFORESTATION
PLANS SPARK DEBATE
Plans to reduce emissions
by targeting deforestation in developing countries have been generating
debate in Australia. According to reports, Australia has announced its
support for a new initiative on climate change and forestry at a recent
event in Sydney. While reducing deforestation is viewed by many as one
of a range of useful tools to combat climate change, the significant
costs involved have also been highlighted by some experts.
Links to further
information
Globe-Net/WBCSD report, 8 August 2007
Sydney Morning Herald, 24 July 2007
US PRESIDENT
ISSUES INVITATIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE MEETING
US President Bush has issued invitations to major economies to
attend a meeting on energy security and climate change. The meeting will
take place on 27-28 September 2007 in Washington, DC, and Bush has
indicated he will participate. The invitee list includes the European
Union, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, Canada,
India, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Indonesia, South
Africa and the United Nations.
Links to further information
White House Press Release, 2 August 2007
Invitee list
BROWN CLOUDS COUPLED
WITH GHG EMISSIONS ENDANGER ASIAN WATER SUPPLIES
A new analysis of pollution-filled "brown clouds" over south Asia,
carried out at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC, San Diego, US,
finds that atmospheric brown clouds containing soot and trace metals
from a variety of urban, industrial and agricultural sources have
enhanced solar heating of the lower atmosphere by about 50 percent. The
Scripps paper, published in the 2 August 2007 edition of the journal
Nature, concludes that the combined heating effect of greenhouse gases
and the brown clouds is enough to explain the withdrawal of Himalayan
glaciers observed in the past half century. The glaciers supply water to
major Asian rivers, which comprise the principal water supply for
billions of people in China and India.
Link to further information
UNEP Press release, 1 August 2007
HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF HALOGENS FOUND OVER ANTARCTICA
A study conducted by scientists from the University of Leeds, the
University of East Anglia and the British Antarctic Survey has found
that iodine oxides and other naturally-occurring halogens that
contribute to ozone depletion exist in much higher concentrations in
Antarctica than previously thought. In addition to affecting ozone
depletion, the findings have implications for climate change.
Links to
further information
University of Leeds press release, 1 August 2007
NASA article, 26 July 2007
CBC article, 26 July 2007
Science abstract,
20 July 2007
JULY 2007
VOLUNTARY CARBON
STANDARD CONSIDERED
Business and industry groups have completed
work on a framework for a voluntary carbon standard that they hope to
launch later in 2007. The standard was developed by a steering committee
supported by the International Emissions Trading Association, World
Business Council for Sustainable Development and others. It aims to
develop a "global benchmark standard for project-based voluntary
emission reductions that provides a degree of standardization to the
Voluntary Carbon Market."
Link to further
information
Voluntary Carbon Standard Press Release,
27 July 2007
UNDP SETS OUT TO JUMP-START CARBON MARKET IN EASTERN EUROPE AND THE CIS
The UN Development
Programme (UNDP) has launched the project Leveraging Carbon Finance
for Sustainable Development in South-eastern Europe and the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), aiming to develop public and
private sector capacities to access carbon finance, identify
opportunities, and provide project management services to individual
projects to help jump-start a carbon market in the region. To date
participation in the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms, the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI), has been
limited in many of these countries due to low awareness and
understanding of carbon finance.
Within the framework of UNDP's carbon finance project, however,
capacity-building
initiatives have been initiated in Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Uzbekistan, as well as pilot
efforts in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, with Macedonia recently presenting a
strategy, developed with UNDP support, to enable participation in
CDM. Training was also held recently in Ukraine to build private sector
capacity to initiate and develop JI projects.
Link to further information
UNDP Press release, 12 July 2007
CHINA CLOSES PLANTS PRODUCING OZONE-DEPLETING CHEMICALS
China has closed
5 of its 6 plants producing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). This action
effectively eliminates CFC production in China for all uses other than
in metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), a use that the Montreal Protocol has
exempted from developed nations' CFC phaseouts in certain circumstances.
With the closures, China has thus nearly phased out CFC production,
which will now stand at about 1% of the peak levels produced in 1998,
over two years ahead of the Montreal Protocol's 2010 phaseout dates for
developing countries.
Links to further
information
UNEP Press Release, 1 July 2007
Reuters article, 27 June 2007
UPI article, 2 July 2007
International Herald Tribune, 2 July 2007
EU CONSIDERS ADAPTATION STRATEGY, GERMANY
STRENGTHENS RENEWABLES TARGET
The European Commission has published a
green paper outlining options for EU action to address adaptation to
climate change on the continent. The paper, which was released in late
June, was followed by a stakeholder event hosted by the Commission in
Brussels on 3 July 2007. The paper stresses the critical importance of
adaptation as a complement to mitigation activities and stresses the
value of integrating global adaptation needs into the EU's external
relations policies.
In other news, the Council of the European
Union has agreed to strengthen the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, while
Germany is planning to raise the share of electricity generated by
renewables to 45 percent by 2030.
Links to further information
European Commission statement, 29 June 2007
EU Council conclusions on the Emissions Trading Scheme, 28 June 2007
AFP/WBCSD report, 5 July 2007
EurActiv/WBCSD report, 2 July 2007
JUNE 2007
INDONESIA PUSHES DEFORESTATION DEAL, FRANCE SETS
OUT 2008 GOALS
Indonesia has
urged for deforestation to be part of a future multilateral deal on
climate change, according to news reports. The inclusion of
deforestation activities in a post-2012 deal is also backed by Papua New
Guinea, Costa Rica, Congo and other equatorial countries.
Meanwhile,
France's Environment Minister has told reporters that France will use
its presidency of the EU in 2008 to push for a new treaty on climate
change. The fourteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is taking place in Poznan,
Poland in 2008, will be a critical meeting, according to the French
Minister.
Link to further information
Reuters news reports about
Indonesia and
France, 29 June 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL
THREATS TOP GLOBAL POLL
Concerns about environmental risks and pollution have risen sharply and
are now viewed as a leading global threat, according to polling by the
Pew Research Center. The poll, which was conducted in 47 countries and
territories, found that environmental threats were viewed as the
greatest danger to the world in a number of countries. The poll also
considered views on a wide range of others issues, including US foreign
policy, China, Russia, and the Middle East.
Link to further information
The
Pew Center report, 27 June 2007
NOAA SCIENTISTS COLLECT
DATA ON OZONE-DEPLETING CHEMICALS
US National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) scientists are among those contributing to efforts
underway in Costa Rica to collect information on a variety of chemicals
affecting the stratospheric ozone layer. Scientists taking part in the
Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4) experiment, which
will run from 2 July to 15 August, 2007, are, inter alia,
measuring ozone-depleting chemicals including CFCs, CFC substitutes
including HCFC-22, and methyl iodide, which is an important alternative
to the ozone-depleting fumigant methyl bromide.
Link to further information
NOAA article, 26 June 2007
CHINA BECOMES BIGGEST
CARBON EMITTER, US TARGETS FUEL EFFICIENCY
China has overtaken the US as the largest
emitter of carbon dioxide, according to estimates from the Netherlands
Environmental Assessment Agency. In 2006, China produced 8% more
emissions than the US. However, Chinese officials have labeled criticism
of its emissions levels as "unfair," noting that developed countries buy
large amounts of Chinese manufactured goods. The Dutch announcement
cautioned that a "balanced comparison" between countries should take
into account emissions per capita, the export of manufactured goods to
industrialized countries, and "country-specific circumstances."
Meanwhile, the US Senate has passed a new
energy bill that would require increasing average vehicle fuel
efficiency standards over 10 miles per gallon by 2020 – a proposal that
has been opposed by some automakers. The legislation, which has yet to
be taken up in the House of Representatives, also mandates ethanol
production increases. Proposals to increase the share of wind and other
renewable electricity generation were not approved, however.
Links to further information
Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency announcement, 22 June
2007
AFP/WBCSD news story, 21 June 2007
CNN report, 22 June 2007
UNEP FI LAUNCHES CLIMATE CHANGE DECLARATION BY FINANCE
SECTOR
The
UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) launched its
"Declaration on Climate Change by the Financial Services Sector," signed
by over 20 of UNEP FI member companies, on 5 June 2007. The declaration
states, among other things, that: anthropogenic climate change is real;
the cost of inaction will be extremely high; financial institutions must
take greater action and integrate climate change into their everyday
decision-making; and governments need to set ambitious, long-term
targets for emissions reduction. The statement will remain open for
endorsement in the run-up to the climate change negotiations in Bali,
Indonesia, in December 2007.
Link to further
information
UNEP FI Statement, 5 June 2007
UNDP LAUNCHES MDG CARBON FACILITY
On 5 June 2007, the UN Development
Programme (UNDP) announced the launch of its MDG Carbon Facility, as
well as an agreement with the banking and insurance company Fortis,
designating it to be the financial services provider for the Facility.
The MDG Carbon Facility is a
mechanism seeking to provide assistance to greenhouse gas reduction
projects in the developing world, as well as to harness the resources of
the carbon market to deliver real, sustainable benefits to the
environment and contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Fortis' role will be to purchase and sell on the emissions-reduction
credits generated by these projects, and the profits from the purchases
will provide developing countries with resources to finance investment
and to promote development. The MDG Carbon Facility will operate within
the framework of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint
Implementation and aims to address the CDM's current limitations in
terms of geographical reach and focus on "end of pipe" technologies. The
partnership between UNDP and Fortis covers an initial pipeline of
projects which will generate 15 million credits during the Kyoto
Protocol's first commitment period (2008-2012).
Links to further information
UNDP Press release, 5 June 2007
MDG Carbon Facility website
BUSH PROPOSES CLIMATE PLAN
AHEAD OF G8 SUMMIT
US President George W. Bush has announced
plans to push for agreement on a new post-2012 framework on climate
change among major nations by the end of 2008. The announcement, which
was made on 31 May 2007, comes just days ahead of the G8 Summit, which
is taking place in Heiligendamm,
Germany, from 6-8 June. In his announcement, President Bush said the US
could convene a group of the world's major emitters and energy
consumers, including both developed countries and major emerging
economies. He emphasized a commitment to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), and said the new framework should "complement
ongoing UN activity," as well as build on and advance US relations with
the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate. However,
the Bush administration has not supported Kyoto Protocol-style emissions
targets or calls to join a global carbon trading system, which G8 host
Germany and some other countries favor. While outgoing British Prime
Minister Tony Blair welcomed Bush's announcement, some others criticized
the statement as lacking substance and shifting attention away from
current policy proposals from Germany and others, and away from the
UNFCCC process.
Links to further information
US White House official fact sheet on President Bush's proposal, 31
May 2007
G8 Summit official website, June 2007
BBC news report, 31 May 2007
ENDS Europe/WBCSD report, 31 May 2007
The Independent (UK) article,
1 June 2007
Reuters news report, 15 May 2007
CHINA ANNOUNCES CLIMATE PLANS; COSTA RICA,
CANADA AND CALIFORNIA ALSO MAKE CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS
China has affirmed its commitment to combating climate change, while
repeating that its economic development must take priority, that it
would not take on emissions caps, and that developed countries must take
the lead. In a new government report released ahead of the G8 Summit,
China's "limited capacity" to tackle climate change was stressed.
In other news, environmental groups in Canada have launched a lawsuit
against the government for allegedly "abandoning" its Kyoto targets for
2008-2012, while the government of Costa Rica has announced plans to
become the first country to be carbon neutral, offsetting all its carbon
emissions by 2030. Meanwhile, California's new Global Warming Solutions
Act has been praised by business and conservation groups for its
"ambitious" approach to climate change and creating a clean technology
market.
Links to further information
AFP/WBCSD article on China, 4 June 2007
China Daily/Reuters article, 4 June 2007
NRDC press release on California's legislation, June 2007
Friends of the Earth Canada, 29 May 2007
Reuters/ENN Costa Rica report, 25 May 2007
MONTREAL PROTOCOL
WORKING GROUP PREPARES FOR NEXT MEETING OF THE PARTIES
The twenty-seventh meeting of the Open-ended
Working Group (OEWG) of the parties to the Montreal Protocol takes place
this week in Nairobi, Kenya. Parties aim to agree on draft decisions to
forward to the nineteenth Meeting of the Parties of the Montreal
Protocol, to be held 17-21 September 2007, on the occasion of the 20th
anniversary of the Montreal Protocol. OEWG-27 is considering, inter
alia, essential-use and critical-use exemptions, multi-year
exemptions for methyl bromide use, proposals to adjust the Protocol's
control provisions regarding hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), a study
on the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund, a system for monitoring
transboundary movement of ozone-depleting substances, and issues arising
out of the Dialogue on key future challenges to be faced by the Montreal
Protocol, which was held 2-3 June 2007. The OEWG will be followed by the
thirty-eighth meeting of the Implementation Committee under the
Non-compliance Procedure for the Montreal Protocol, to be held 8-9 June
2007.
Links to further information
Documents of the Meetings
MAY 2007
GLOBAL COMPACT INTRODUCES BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
PLATFORM ON CLIMATE CHANGE
In a press release on 30 May 2007, the UN Global Compact introduced the
statement "Caring for Climate: The Business Leadership Platform,"
drafted by the UN Environment Programme, WBCSD and Global Compact, which
provides a practical platform for Global Compact participants to advance
climate change solutions and demonstrate leadership. Global Compact
anticipates that a significant number of business leaders will become
signatories of the statement, and expects that the occasion of the
Global Compact Leaders Summit (Geneva, Switzerland, 5-6 July 2007) will
be used to express the urgent need to address climate change.
Links to
further information
UN Global Compact Press release, 30 May 2007
The
Statement
USEPA HONORS CLIMATE
AND OZONE PROTECTION AWARDEES, RELEASES DATA ON METHYL BROMIDE STOCKS
The USEPA presented awards to 31 awardees,
honoring their actions to protect the climate and the ozone layer. Among
those recognized for their work protecting the ozone layer are customs
inspectors, scientists monitoring ozone depletion, and a company that
developed an aircraft fire suppression technology.
The USEPA also released data on the
quantity of methyl bromide stockpiles held as of the end of 2006. The
data reveals that stocks held at the end of 2006 were 23% smaller than
those held at the end of 2005, but that significant quantities are still
held in stockpiles.
Links to further information
USEPA press release, 1 May 2007
USEPA, 14 May 2007
WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD
DAY HIGHLIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE
On 12-13 May 2007, a series of events took place around the world to
celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, focusing on the impacts of climate
change on migratory birds. World Migratory Bird Day was organized by the
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the Convention
on Migratory Species (CMS).
In related news, CMS Deputy Executive
Secretary Lahcen el Kabiri, in his address to the 26th Session of the
UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation, announced a new initiative,
led by the UK and the United Arab Emirates, to negotiate a CMS Agreement
for African and Eurasian birds of prey, for which climate change is one
of several threats
Links to further information
World Migratory Bird Day website
CMS press release, 7 May 2007
APRIL 2007
UN PUBLIC INFORMATION
TO FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND MDGS
Recently appointed UN
Under-Secretary-General Kiyotaka Akasaka has outlined the priorities of
the Department for Public Information for 2007, stating that attention
will be paid to four themes: peace and security; climate change;
development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); and human
rights. Akasaka also drew attention to the wide reach of the UN website,
which logs over 50 million unique visits annually, and the important
work of the UN Information Centres operating in various countries.
Link to further information
UN News release, 30 April 2007
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL HOLDS CLIMATE TALKS WITH
BARROSO, GORE
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held meetings with European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and former US Vice President Al
Gore, with climate change the key topic of discussion. The
Secretary-General reiterated his strong commitment to the issue and
mobilizing political will, and said he would raise the issue during the
G8 Summit in June.
Link to further information
UN news release, 27 April 2007
NORWAY AND CANADA SET EMISSIONS TARGETS
Norway's Prime Minister has set for his country the ambitious goal of
reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. He also set a
target of cutting emissions by 30 percent by 2020 compared with 1990
levels.
Meanwhile, the Conservative government in Canada has announced plans to
cut emissions 20 percent by 2020 through regulations and an energy
intensity target. According to news reports, the plan was generally
praised by investors but criticized by some environmental groups.
Links to further information
Norwegian Prime Minister's speech, 19 April 2007
Reuters/PlanetArk report, 30 April 2007
Reuters/PlanetArk report, 27 April 2007
Reuters/PlanetArk report, 26 April 2007
OZONE SECRETARIAT,
MULTILATERAL FUND AND US EPA RELEASE REPORTS
The US EPA has released Achievements in Stratospheric Ozone
Protection: Progress Report, which highlights the achievements made
in ozone protection in the 20 years since the Montreal Protocol came
about, the technologies and partnerships that have made these
achievements possible, the effect of ozone-depleting substances on
climate change, and the challenges that remain.
In advance of the upcoming Open-Ended Working Group meeting (OEWG-27),
to be held 4-7 June 2007, and the Dialogue on key future challenges
faced by the Montreal Protocol (the Dialogue), to be held 2-3 June 2007,
the Ozone Secretariat has released the Technology and Economic
Assessment Panel's 2007 Progress Report, documents to support the
Dialogue, and documents to support OEWG-27, including a study on a
system for monitoring the transboundary movement of ozone-depleting
substances and Parties' comments with respect to the options listed in
that study, and a note by the Secretariat.
The Multilateral Fund has released the Report of the 51st Meeting of the
Executive Committee, and a summary of the significant decisions and
discussions. Topics discussed included the status of contributions,
which were at less than 10% of the amount pledged for 2007, the business
plans for implementing agencies through 2009, and funding requests.
Links to further information
US EPA, 26 April 2007
Ozone Secretariat, April 2007
Multilateral Fund Summary, April 2007
Multilateral Fund Report, 23 March 2007
KYOTO TREATY GENERATES
SOME PERVERSE INCENTIVES
The production of a refrigerant due to be phased out under the Montreal
Protocol on Ozone Depletion, HFC-23, is encouraged by a mechanism
created by the Kyoto Protocol. Because developing countries can easily
and inexpensively destroy a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of
the production of this refrigerant, and sell the resulting "credits" at
a high price, production of the refrigerant is more profitable than it
would otherwise be, and there is evidence that factories in developing
countries are increasing their production of the refrigerant as a
result. In response, numerous countries are pushing for the accelerated
phaseout of the ozone-depleting refrigerant under the Montreal Protocol.
Link to further information
The Economist, 23 April 2007
CHINA, JAPAN COMMIT TO
POST-2012 TALKS
Officials from China and Japan have
committed themselves to participate in talks to establish an
international post-2012 framework for combating climate change,
according to news reports.
Link to further information
AlerNet/Reuters report, 11 April 2007
US SUPREME COURT,
MILITARY PUSH CLIMATE AGENDA
Separate actions by the US Supreme Court
and former senior US military leaders appear to have strengthened the
push for further US government action on climate change. The US Supreme
Court has ruled that greenhouse gases should be considered pollutants,
opening the way for regulation by the federal Environmental Protection
Agency. In addition, eleven former military leaders have participated in
a study group that has highlighted the implications of climate change
for US security and urges the government to become a more constructive
partner multilaterally.
Links to further information
The CNA Corporation's Report on
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change, April 2007
BBC news report, 15 April 2007
WBCSD/AFP news report, 5 April 2007
ILLEGAL TRADE IN OZONE-DEPLETING CHEMICALS A
PROBLEM IN INDIA
Although India
is a net exporter of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a substance controlled
under the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances, illegal
imports of CFCs are a problem in the country. At a recent meeting of the
South Asia Network of Ozone Officers in Bhutan, held 10-13 April 2007,
CFC prices in India were reported to be 3 times the international price,
creating an incentive for illegal trade in the substance. Counteracting
this incentive, an initiative to combat illegal trade in ozone-depleting
substances (ODS) that began last September, Project Skyhole Patch, has
begun to yield results across Asia. Customs officials trained as a part
of the initiative have seized nearly 65 tons of illegally traded ODS in,
inter alia, China, India and Thailand.
Links to further
information
EARTHtimes, 14 April 2007
UN News Centre, 1 March 2007
UNEP, 12 February 2007
US EPA CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS FOR OZONE AWARDS, AGREES ON PENALTY
WITH ROLLS ROYCE
The US EPA is
calling for nominations for the 2007 "Best-of the-Best Awards," which
will recognize entities that have demonstrated leadership in the effort
to eliminate ozone-depleting substances, to commemorate the 20th
anniversary of the Montreal Protocol. In addition, the US EPA reached an
agreement with Rolls Royce on a penalty of over US$18,000 regarding
improper repair and recordkeeping for equipment containing a
chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant at an Indiana helicopter engine
manufacturing plant.
Links to further
information
PRNewswire, 5 April 2007
US EPA, 16
April 2007
MARCH 2007
GLOBAL COMPACT AND SAN
FRANCISCO LAUNCH CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP
The UN Global Compact, the City of San
Francisco and a number of Bay Area businesses launched on 1 March 2007
the Principles on Climate Leadership
and Business Council on Climate Change (BC3) initiatives. The new
partnerships will involve voluntary actions to address climate change.
The initiative will give Bay Area businesses a forum in which to
share best practices to reduce greenhouse gases, and it will also seek
to create a model for climate action in the commercial and public
sectors that the Global Compact will aim to place in companies and
cities around the world.
Link to further information
UN Global Compact press release, 1 March 2007
UNEP FI OFFERS E-LEARNING
COURSE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
On 1 March 2007, registration opened for UN
Environment Programme Finance Initiative's (UNEP FI) latest e-Learning
course, "Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities for the Finance
Sector," which will be held from 4-25 June 2007. The course will seek to
support staff in financial institutions to enhance their knowledge on,
inter alia: the effect of climate change on energy financing and
energy alternatives; carbon finance; and the Kyoto Protocol flexible
mechanisms.
Links to further information
UNEP FI website, 1 March 2007
To register online visit
UNITAR website
AMERICAN
METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY STARTS CLIMATE POLICY BLOG
To take the climate change discussions beyond the science and
address the challenging policy issues related to climate change, the
American Meteorological Society launched a weblog ("blog"),
http://www.climatepolicy.org/, on 1 March 2007. The goal is to help
decision makers at all levels make sound policy based on the best
available information. The blog will build on the knowledge of some of
the world's leading climate experts, which along with reader inputs,
will seek to advance the evaluation of potential responses to the
threats posed by climate change.
Link to further information
American Meteorological Society press release, 1 March 2007
MONTREAL PROTOCOL BETTER FOR CLIMATE THAN
KYOTOREPORT
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is
doing considerably more to combat climate change than the Kyoto
Protocol, according to new research released by
the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (NEAA).
The report notes the significant impact on climate change of reducing
ozone depleting substances, which also contribute
to the "radiative forcing" of climate change.
Links to
further information
NEAA Press Release, 5 March 2007
The
report
US UTILITY BUYOUT SHOWS GREEN TREND
A planned buyout of US energy utility TXU by private equity groups has
been hailed by some in the environmental movement as a sign that the
finance sector is increasingly taking climate change and sustainable
development seriously. The groups involved in the buyout have indicated
that they will not proceed with a number of coal-fired power plants that
TXU had planned to construct in Texas. Instead, the new owners are set
to invest more in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean coal
technology. Environmental groups have expressed hope that this will hail
a "new era" in greener investment.
Links to
further information
Newsweek, 12 March 2007
Greenwire/WBCSD news, 27 February 2007
CERES news release, 26 February 2007
UK CLIMATE LAW INTRODUCED
The UK Government has introduced new climate change legislation setting
out a framework that would move the country towards a low-carbon
economy. The draft law, which was introduced to parliament in March,
would set tight limits on future emissions. Supporters said it
demonstrated Britain's desire to play a leadership role in the lead-up
to further talks on a post-2012 global framework for action on climate
change.
Links to further information
UK Government press release, 13 March 2007
BBC news report, 13 March 2007
COUNTRIES PROPOSE
ACCELERATING THE PHASE-OUT OF REFRIGERANTS
Nine countries have signed on to proposals
that would accelerate the phase-out of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
(the Montreal Protocol). HCFCs are chemicals that are used as coolants
but that contribute both to ozone depletion and global warming. Of
particular concern is the sharply increasing use of these refrigerants,
particularly HCFC-22, in developing countries, where HCFCs are currently
allowed to be produced for over 30 more years.
Links to further information
International Herald Tribune, 14 March 2007
International Herald Tribune, 15 March 2007
UN LEADERSHIP CONSIDERS CLIMATE SUMMIT
A high-level summit could be arranged to address climate change,
according to reports. Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told news service
Reuters that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is investigating the
possibility of a climate change summit.
Link to further information
UNFCCC interview-AlertNet.org/Reuters, 21 March 2007
$54.6 MILLION APPROVED TO
SUPPORT PHASE-OUT OF OZONE-DEPLETING CHEMICALS
The Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation
of the Montreal Protocol, which helps developing countries meet their
obligations under the Montreal Protocol, has approved $54.6 million to
be spent in 32 developing countries to eliminate the use and production
of some ozone-depleting chemicals. The projects approved in this most
recent round of approvals include a large project in China that will
phase out chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
production two years ahead of the Protocol's deadline.
Link to further information
Multilateral Fund, 23 March 2007
UNEP REPORT FINDS UV
RADIATION AFFECTS FISH, AMPHIBIANS
A review of studies has found that increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation
can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. According to the review,
published in the journal Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences,
increased levels of UV radiation due to the decline in stratospheric
ozone levels harm phytoplankton, fish and amphibian populations, and the
melting of ice due to climate change may further expose aquatic
populations to the detrimental effects of increased UV radiation. The
study is part of a UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) report on
interactions between ozone depletion and climate change, prepared for
the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
Links to further information
Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 25 March 2007
Science Daily, 24 March 2007
UNDP SIGNS MOU TO SUPPORT CHINESE CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIONS
In a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) signed on 26 March 2007, in Beijing, China, the
UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the governments of China and Norway
have agreed
to support a new project focusing on
developing and implementing provincial programmes on climate change
mitigation and adaptation. Entitled "The Provincial Climate Change
Programme in China," the project will support efforts to implement
China's national climate change programme in seven provinces, and is
expected to be launched in mid 2007.
Link to further
information
UNDP press release, 26 March 2007
INVESTMENT URGED TO COUNTER WEATHER IMPACTS
The international community should invest more to reduce the effects of
extreme weather resulting from global warming, according to the head of
the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. "We need to put in
place mechanisms that can help our societies adapt to this new
situation," said Director Sálvano Briceño, citing Madagascar's recent
experiences with cyclones. Briceño said the Hyogo Framework for Action,
adopted in Kobe, Japan, in 2005, should be implemented, highlighting its
potential to reduce disaster risks caused by climate-related hazards.
Link to further information
ISDR news release, 27 March 2007
FEBRUARY 2007
INCREASED DEMAND FOR
AIR-CONDITIONING IN ASIA RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT OZONE DEPLETION
As demand for air-conditioning is rising
across Asia, so is concern among scientists that the ozone layer may
take longer to repair than previously thought. The main source of
concern is HCFC-22, a refrigerant commonly used in air conditioners used
to cool homes and vehicles. Not only does HCFC-22 deplete the
stratospheric ozone layer, but its production also generates a potent
greenhouse gas byproduct. Destruction of this byproduct, in turn, has
produced a perverse incentive for developing countries to produce
HCFC-22. Because of the Clean Development Mechanism, a mechanism under
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that pays countries for
destroying the byproduct, developing countries are paid to destroy this
byproduct and therefore have little incentive to switch to the new
generation of refrigerants. To counteract this incentive and the
skyrocketing use of air conditioners in China and India, many are
calling for an accelerated phaseout of HCFC-22 under the Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. While developed
countries cannot produce the chemical as of 2020, developing countries
can continue to use it for an additional 20 years.
Link to further information
New York Times,
23 February 2007
EU ENERGY MINISTERS DISCUSS BIOFUELS AND RENEWABLES
Energy ministers from the European Union debated the European
Commission's "energy and climate change package" in mid-February and
agreed to raise biofuels use to a minimum of 10% by 2020. They rejected
a proposal to adopt an EU-wide binding target for renewables. The
package is expected to be discussed with a view to adoption at a March
summit.
Link to further information
Euractiv.com News (from WBCSD website), 19 February
IMO ANNOUNCES NEW RULES
TO ALLOW STORAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE SEABED
The International Maritime Organization
(IMO) has announced the entrance into force of new regulations on the
storage of carbon dioxide in the seabed. These new international rules
were adopted on 2 November 2006 at the first meeting of the contracting
parties to the London Protocol as amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes
and Other Matter, 1972. The amendment adds carbon dioxide streams from
carbon dioxide capture processes for sequestration to the list of
substances annexed to the 1996 Protocol that are excluded from the
prohibition of dumping of wastes at sea. The Parties to the London
Protocol will elaborate and adopt guidelines on how to store carbon
dioxide in sub-seabed geological formations at their second session in
November 2007.
Link to further information
IMO Press release, 9 February 2007
UNDP AND UNEP
LAUNCH POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENT FACILITY
On 6 February 2007 the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) fortified their partnership by launching a
joint Poverty and Environment Facility at the 24th session of UNEP
Governing Council in Nairobi, Kenya. The facility is one of the first
concrete examples of UN reform and will help developing countries
integrate sound environment management into their poverty reduction and
growth policies
Link to further information
UNDP press release, 6 February 2007
JANUARY 2007
CHINA TARGETS WIND
POWER, ENERGY EFFICIENCY
China has announced plans to increase its
spending on wind power and improving energy efficiency in existing
buildings, according to news reports.
Link to further information
WBCSD/GLOBE-Net report, 19 January 2007
UNDP AND UZBEKISTAN
PARTNERS TO TAP CARBON FINANCE POTENTIAL
On 15 January 2007, the UN Development
Programme (UNDP) and Uzbekistan launched the project "Capacity Building
for Clean Development Mechanism in Uzbekistan," which will help reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fund sustainable development
by tapping the global carbon finance market. The initiative seeks to
develop public and private sector capacities to access carbon finance by
creating the necessary legal and institutional frameworks, and to build
competence for identifying and implementing GHG reduction projects.
Link to further information
UNDP press release, 15 January 2007
YVO DE BOER PROPOSES
CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT, CHALLENGES ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS
Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has suggested in
a meeting with new UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that a world summit
on climate change be held. During a subsequent press briefing, de Boer
highlighted that, since climate change "affects energy, energy security,
economic issues [and] development issues, it really needs to be taken to
the level of heads of State and heads of government." Speaking at the
Delhi Sustainable Development Summit on 22 January 2007, he also spoke
out against what he says are unfounded fears that action on climate
change causes economic hardship.
Links to further information
UN News Centre, 16 January 2007
UNFCCC Press Release, 22 January 2007
CANADA LAUNCHES ENERGY
PLAN; CHINA MISSES TARGETS
The Canadian government has announced a
$300 million energy plan, although critics have labeled it as similar to
policies developed by the previous government. Meanwhile, state media
reported that China has not met the energy targets it set for itself for
2006.
Links to further information
Natural Resources Canada statement, 21 January 2007
Canada Globe and Mail, 22 January 2007
SciDev.Net News Report, 12 January 2007
AFRICAN LESSONS ON
CLIMATE CHANGE HIGHLIGHTED; UK ANNOUNCES CARBON SCHEME ACTION
African countries are "spearheading"
responses to climate change, according to a forthcoming report by the
International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) at
Columbia University, US. The study is reported to show that Africa's
experiences can be helpful for other regions, and is expected to be
presented at the African Union Summit in late January 2007. Meanwhile,
the British Government has announced guidelines to ensure that carbon
offset schemes are environmentally-sound.
Links to further information
SciDev.Net News Report, 18 January 2007
BBC News Report, 18 January 2007
US CIVIL
SOCIETY GROUPS URGE CLIMATE ACTION; BUSH SPEECH TARGETS OIL
DEPENDENCE
The US National Association of
Evangelicals announced a collaborative effort with the scientific
community to promote more action by the government on climate change
and other environmental issues on 17 January 2007, while four
nongovernmental organizations, including WRI and the Natural
Resources Defense Council, announced they were teaming up with ten
market leaders, including Alcoa, BP America and DuPont, to create
the US Climate Action Partnership on 22 January 2007. These
announcements came just days before US President George Bush's
annual "State of the Union" address, in which he spoke about energy
issues, particularly the reliance on overseas oil supplies. Bush
proposed reducing gasoline usage in the US by 20 percent by 2017. He
also highlighted technological responses to the "serious challenge"
of climate change. However, critics suggested that the speech should
also have addressed vehicle fuel efficiency and the need for
emissions reductions targets.
Links
to further information
US National Association of Evangelicals press release, 17
January 2007
World Resources Institute Press Release, 22 January 2007
President Bush's State of the Union address, 23 January 2007
AP/NRDC article, 24 January 2007
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