China Claims Climate Change Sabotage
In a news article by the guardian.co.uk – China is leading the accusation that rich nations are trying to sabotage the climate treaty – The US and other developed countries are attempting to “fundamentally sabotage” the Kyoto protocol and all-important international negotiations over its next phase, according to coordinated statements by China and 130 developing countries at the UN climate talks in Bangkok this week.
180 countries began their second week of talks this week in Bangkok, but developing countries are showing their deep frustration regarding the slow pace of the negotiations on a global climate deal – which are due to be concluded in two months’ time in Copenhagen.
Ambassador Yu Qingtai, China’s special representative on climate talks stated there is a concerted effort to fundamentally sabotage the Kyoto protocol, and continued by saying:
“We now hear statements that would lead to the termination of the protocol. They are introducing new rules, new formats. That’s not the way to conduct negotiations”
Mr. Yu’s comments were also echoed by Lumumba Di-Aping, Sudanese chair of the G77, the UN’s largest intergovernmental organisation of developing states – representing 130 countries at the talks, he stated that feelings are running high in the G77 and said that it was clear that the rich countries want a deal outside the Kyoto agreement. This would happen based on a total rejection of their historical responsibilities, which is an alarming development.
“The intention of developed countries is clearly to kill the protocol” Mr. Yu said.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s secretary of state for energy and climate change, confirmed that he remains optimistic that a deal can be struck at Copenhagen, despite the increase in tension in Bangkok. He advised that he is confident that the heads of state will be able to succeed in December where their official negotiators are apparently failing so far.
Full article;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/05/climate-change-kyoto
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Global Warming threatens wildlife
As reported by guardian.co.uk – Global warming will threaten London’s wildlife habitats as it increases the risk of flooding throughout the winter with droughts in the summer, according to a report published today.
It is stated that despite being one of the world’s largest and most densely populated cities, London boasts a wide diversity of habitats that are hugely important to the wildlife that depend on them, however, the report by the London Climate Change Partnership warns that a global increase in temperature could expose London’s scarce wetland areas to drought and fire in the summer months, whilst warmer, wetter winters could increase pressure on rivers, which could flood and wash out important nesting and breeding sites.
The climate change report suggests that the best way to combat the increase in temperature is by adopting “urban greening” schemes, including river restoration, incorporating grass roofs and walls into building designs and increasing the number of trees planted in the UK’s capital.
Alison Barnes, from the government’s countryside watchdog Natural England, commented that climate change will affect all of us – including Londoners and the city’s wildlife.
Source;
guardian.co.uk/ Environment/ Climate Change (Climate change ‘threatens UK capital’s wildlife with floods and drought’-05.10.09)
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China keeps cap-and-trade in hand
Insiders believe that China is set to announce the launch of an emissions cap-and-trade scheme as early as the Copenhagen climate talks in December, according to a senior figure in the carbon market who is currently working closely with the Chinese government.
Speaking at The Carbon Show in London, Philippe Chauvancy a director at climate exchange BlueNext, commented that an announcement made last week to develop China’s first standard for voluntary emission reduction projects alongside the government-backed China Beijing Environmental Exchange, could in fact lay the foundations for a voluntary cap-and-trade scheme – Chinese officials on the whole are committed to the idea of a national cap-and-trade scheme and could move quickly over the next few months.
Leaders are meeting in Copenhagen in December to discuss a new international framework revolved around the current Kyoto Protocol – an important first step towards a truly global emission reduction regime – which is coming to the end of its first commitment period in 2012, and therefore opportunity for the Chinese and the Americans to make their statement on cap and trade schemes.
Mr. Chauvancy continues by saying that he is expecting the US to have a national cap-and-trade system up and running in the next two years, but is suggesting that China could beat the US to it, seeing as they have the money and the resources and the will to do it.
Therefore, widely held perceptions that China does not want to take action on climate change are now outdated, as the Chinese government is seen to be committed to tackling the issue.
Other delegates at The Carbon Show also agree that China is in a better position to roll out a carbon trading scheme quite quickly.
Source;
Emailed news @ businessgreen.com
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2250315/china-cap-trade-announcement
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Climate Change; How to
Finding the balance between preventing global warming and adapting to the effects of global warming is one of the most important policy questions to date, but is often ignored claims an industry news article by greenenergy.uk.com.
Environmental campaigners are adamant that we should be doing everything we can to lessen global warming, and then focus on adaptation strategies, continues the report.
However, according to a study released by Danish professor Bjorn Lomborg it is suggested that cheaper solutions are needed in order to slow down global warming, for example painting roofs white, instead of carbon emission reduction programs which could cost countries $250 billion a year.
In a contrary view to government research papers regarding climate change, the report challenges the plans favoured by the United Nations to force industrial polluters to reduce carbon dioxide – the major manmade gas that is blamed for climate change, and the report also suggests that it would be more favourable to adapt to the changes brought about my climate change instead of tackling the problem itself.
The paper which explored a CO2 tax as an alternative was prepared for the Danish research group Copenhagen Consensus Centre, and was lead by Mr. Lomborg, a Copenhagen Business School professor who has gathered much attention for criticizing UN-led efforts to tackle global warming.
Source;
Greenenergy.uk.com/ Industry News (Adapting to Climate Change)