May 2012 Blog Posts (57)

According to the greenhouse gas inventory published by the EEA, EU greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2010, as a result of both economic recovery after the 2009 recession and a colder winter.

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The latest international climate change talks in Bonn finished in discord and disappointment, with some participants concerned that important progress made last year was being unpicked.

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G-8 leaders meeting at Camp David developed a Declaration, recognizing the need for universal access to environmentally sound, sustainable and secure sources of energy to ensure growth and address climate change.

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Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said Rio+20 UN Conference will draw attention to sustainable consumption and production and the green economy as key priorities for global development.

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Member states yesterday agreed draft legislation that would reduce the maximum percentage of sulphur in fuels to 0.5 per cent, down from 3.5 per cent for cargo ships and 1.5 per cent for passenger vessels.

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A new paper by IIED urges governments to invest in resilience, strengthen local control over natural resources, and apply realistic values to the environment and human wellbeing in order to steer societies onto a more secure path.

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The Climate Himalaya, has formally launched its Mountain Voice project during the Indian Mountain Initiative summit held on 25 May 2012 at Gangtok, Sikkim in India. 'Mountain Voice' is a media initiative of Climate Himalaya (CHI) that captures the experiences, thoughts and opinions of people, practitioners, policy makers and researchers on various climate linked issues in the…

When parties left Durban five months ago they could return home with an agreement. COP17 was presented as a diplomatic success and a breakthrough in global climate talks. When parties met again in Bonn, two weeks ago, they had to interpret what was really decided in Durban, and that has not been easy.

The past two weeks of negotiations have been difficult, no doubt. There are very different views on how to proceed, and while talks in Bonn centered on increased ambitions, it is very…

Trust between parties has reached a historic low  

No agreement about how to proceed

After nearly two weeks of negotiations parties have still not agreed on an agenda for how to take the Durban agreement forward. The dispute, which has led to new fronts in the climate talks, dividing developing countries, is focused on how to approach mitigation actions up to 2020. China, supported by a group of bigger developing countries want…

As established, farming is shut down, not being replaced by new farms and young farmers. Very few young people become farmers today, and half of all African farmers are between the ages of 45 and 65, while only 6% of all farmers are under the age of 35.Why? is it because of climate change, farming is tedious or lack of innovative farming ideas?

Some people ask…

Government ministers, heads of UN agencies, business leaders, senior scientists and other experts in sustainable development are set to show that a fairer, greener world is a realistic vision when they speak at a major conference convened by the International Institute for Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro on 16-17 June.

IIED has designed ‘Fair ideas: sharing solutions for a sustainable planet’ to share expertise, ideas and practical experiences from…

Divisions between the EU and groups of developing countries over the future of the Kyoto protocol have again emerged during the latest round of international climate change talks in Bonn.

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The Global Fuel Economy Initiative has launched a new three-year campaign that aims to overcome the remaining challenges associated with improving the fuel economy of vehicles around the world.

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During the Third Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM3) in London, leaders announced new commitments and initiatives to improve energy efficiency, increase the share of renewable energy, and enable energy access worldwide.

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When western governments are talking about climate finance they rapidly tend to focus on the potential of "private finance". Considering the impacts of the financial crisis and the difficulties to mobilize public sources, this is an obvious choice. However, there is no pile of cash lying around with a sign "private finance".

DanChurchAid, the Danish member of the…

According to a new report by EEA, distinct design and composition of urban areas compared to rural areas alters climate change impacts in cities, leading to many diverse challenges for cities within Europe.

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Working closely with partners in Brazil and elsewhere, IIED will host an information-sharing event on the 16 and 17 June. Fair ideas will open up a space for researchers and practitioners working for a greener, fairer world to add important knowledge, experience and momentum to the official summit.

To register (free) or read the full conference programme, visit the Fair Ideas…

Press release

New Haven, Conn, USA: Income generated from REDD+ should be given to forest communities to invest in their future, recommends a new report by The Forests Dialogue (TFD). Investing locally in this way should be part of understanding REDD+ as integral to broader development among forest-dependent communities.

The new report Giving REDD+ Life, examines the relationship between REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest…