| Recent events or conferences: The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznań |
Indonesia, UK cooperate in climate change handling 2008-12-16
The Indonesian State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar and UK`s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband signed an MoU on partnership cooperation in climate change, a press release said.
The two countries agreed to form a working group to improve forest conservation, develop energy supplies, improve ways of energy saving and prepare people to adjust themselves in facing the impact of climate change.
He said he is optimistic that the green economic growth, the progress of MDGs and continuous development with the creation of jobs can be reached.
Poznan climate talks drift to a close 2008-12-15
The big issues to be resolved for a new global climate treaty lie largely unmoved after two weeks of annual UN climate change talks in Poznan, Poland, just as they have throughout all of 2008.
Neither progress towards targets for reducing emissions nor decisions on a global market to preserve forests and to stimulate carbon capture and storage emerged from the meeting as had been hoped.
The headline challenge of agreeing targets and sharing them among developed and developing countries as the foundation of a new treaty remains. A goal of halving emissions by 2050 is still hanging while the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s call for developed countries to agree cuts of 25 to 40 per cent in their greenhouse emissions by 2020 looks further from reality than ever.
Australia sets new climate target 2008-12-15
Australia has said it will start a carbon trading scheme by the middle of 2010, despite appeals from the business community for a delay.The plan will cover 75% of the country's emissions.It has also announced that it will cut greenhouse gas emissions by between 5% and 15% by 2020, from the 2000 levels.Australia has the highest per capita levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the developed world, due to its heavy use of coal for generating electricity.
More UK promises £100m to help reduce tropical deforestation 2008-12-12
Britain is to channel £100m to tropical countries such as Brazil and Papua New Guinea to help protect vulnerable forests and tackle climate change, ministers will announce today. The investment could help tropical countries access billions of pounds of funding under a new UN scheme to extend carbon trading to forests.
The UN scheme, the so-called Redd initiative, will reward countries that slow deforestation with lucrative carbon credits. The credits would be bought by rich nations that need to meet targets on cuts in emissions. It is expected to form part of a global treaty on fighting climate change to be agreed next year in Copenhagen.
More Further Disgrace for Aetorea at Poznan 2008-12-12
In a big step forward, the conference at Poznan have agreed terms in which to reward those replanting depleted forests and make special exemptions for those sustaining the ones they have. Due to the nature of these shared lands, there was a large emphasis on the community involvement. We in New Zealand have always been light years ahead with countries such as Canada and the US on setting aside lands to preserve for future generations and the precious habitats within. Why is it then that we three states, as well as Australia, have all chosen to discard crucial language in the agreement concerning indigenous peoples? Is it a sad and backward facing return to previous days of oppression?
More UN poised to agree action to halt rainforest destruction 2008-12-12
Britain is brokering the world's first agreement on curbing the enormous contribution tropical deforestation makes to climate change, which is likely to be signed at the UN climate conference in Poznan, Poland, later today.It will take the form of a statement of intent by countries with large tracts of rainforest, such as Brazil, and concerned developed nations, mainly in Europe, for a joint approach to halting forest destruction.
More Maori Party Criticises Nz Rejection Of Indigenous People Clause 2008-12-11
The Maori Party has condemned New Zealand's position at United Nations climate talks in Poland which saw a reference to indigenous people's rights regarding forests deleted from an agreement. New Zealand, supported by the US, Australia and Canada, insisted the text delete a draft reference to the native people' rights, but the agreement did guarantee a voice for native peoples who live in forests.
Environmentalists said the compromise text was a positive step, and cleared the way to discuss politically sensitive questions on how countries will be compensated for protecting their woodlands.
But the indigenous people issue prompted noisy demonstrations. Representatives from northern Canada to Borneo and the Amazon demanded recognition of their land rights and formal status as an "expert group" at the talks. Maori MP Hone Harawira raised the issue in Parliament today, saying it was a matter of "grave concern".
More African countries launch African Climate Solution 2008-12-11
Poznan, Poland - A grouping of 26 African countries in East, Central and Southern Africa Wednesday launched “The African Climate Solution” at the UN climate change talks in Poznan, Poland, to address issues relating to climate change.
The African Climate Solution entails the reduction of green house gas emissions by forest resources (REDD) and carbon sequestration through agriculture, forestry and land use (AFOLU) in Africa and throughout the developing world.
Groups unite to challenge the definition of forests under UNFCCC/REDD 2008-12-11
Global Forest Coalition, The Wilderness Society, World Rainforest Movement, Global Justice Ecology Project, Via Campesina, the International Youth Delegation and the STOP GE Trees Campaign united today to challenge the UN/REDD definition of forests.
Currently the UN considers industrial tree plantations as forests. This is, simply put, an egregious error. Plantations are not forests. Forests are diverse ecosystems and plantations are void of biodiversity. The UN definition endangers Indigenous Peoples, forest dependent people, peasants, small farmers, biodiversity and exacerbates climate change.
More World Bank's forest and carbon fund fails forests and peoples 2008-12-11
The World Bank has been in a hurry to get its Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) up and running, meaning that the process to date has been "rushed" and "corners have been cut," according to a new report by scientists from the Forests and the European Union Resource Network (FERN) and the Forest Peoples Programme.
The briefing, published at the start of UN climate negotiations in the Polish city of Poznań on 1 December, analyses nine of the first 25 national concept notes approved by the FCPF for financing under the REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) mechanism. The study finds that the notes vary enormously as regards the quality of the content and reviews carried out by the Bank.
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