‘AMSTERDAM Reuters – Fraudulent trading in European Union carbon emissions credits in the past 18 months has led to more than 5 billion euros in tax revenue losses for several EU nations, European police agency Europol said in a statement.’
News Roundup
Carbon fraud causes 5 billion euro tax loss | Reuters
December 10th, 2009Four nations outline green fund plan for U.N. deal | Reuters
December 9th, 2009‘COPENHAGEN Reuters – Four nations proposed guiding principles for “green funds” on Wednesday, hoping to end deadlock at U.N. talks on ways to manage billions of dollars to help the poor cope with global warming.’
via Four nations outline green fund plan for U.N. deal | Reuters.
Video – COP15 – US Envoy Todd Stern rejects US ‘climate debt’ or reparations – favors addressing real human needs.
December 9th, 2009Copenhagen, Dec 9, 2009.
While accepting that the US is the world’s largest historic GHG emitter, US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern rejected outright the notion of a US climate debt or obligation for climate reparations, stating that there is no guilt because during most of the period since the industrial revolution people were blissfully ignorant of the climatic effects of CO2 emissions.
In recent days the G77 has been strongly critical of the $10 Billion adaptation figure being bandied about, stating it is not even enough to buy the coffins that will be needed. While saying he favors using funds to address real human needs, Stern did not specifically reply to a question of whether the US would consider more than the proposed $10 Billion/year for a climate fund.
Still the issue of climate debt is certainly a big part of the conversation here in Copenhagen, especially among representatives of developing nations. This morning, the “climate agents” were on display holding a banner saying “Rich countries pay your climate debt”.
Video – COP 15 – Protests for 1.5°C Temperature Rise Limit Erupt Outside the Plenary
December 9th, 2009Copenhagen, Dec 9, 2009
Protests erupted inside the COP 15 this afternoon just outside the main plenary hall. Responding to calls by Tuvalu and the G77 for a more stringent temperature rise target limit of 1.5°C (as opposed to a 2° target), demonstrators chanted “One point five to stay alive”. Participants were guided past the demonstrators into the plenary hall by guards to continue their negotiations.
Other chants included:
“Legal Treaty Now – Ambitious”,”350″,”Annex One – Stand Up”,”Open Plenary”, “Survival”
Another “climate justice” demonstration inside the COP15 calling for Annex 1 countries to cut emissions by 40% without using offsets.
China urges U.S. to increase Copenhagen offer | Reuters
December 9th, 2009‘COPENHAGEN Reuters – China urged President Barack Obama to increase a U.S. offer to cut carbon emissions but its top climate envoy indicated willingness on Wednesday to compromise at a U.N. conference in Copenhagen.’
via China urges U.S. to increase Copenhagen offer | Reuters.
Climate Deal Likely to Bear Big Price Tag – NYTimes.com
December 9th, 2009‘WASHINGTON — If negotiators reach an accord at the climate talks in Copenhagen it will entail profound shifts in energy production, dislocations in how and where people live, sweeping changes in agriculture and forestry and the creation of complex new markets in global warming pollution credits.’
via Climate Deal Likely to Bear Big Price Tag – NYTimes.com.
U.N. climate talks have neglected food crisis: FAO | Reuters
December 9th, 2009‘COPENHAGEN Reuters – U.N. climate talks have neglected a food crisis, including measures which can both curb climate change and boost food production, the head of the U.N.’s food agency said.’
via U.N. climate talks have neglected food crisis: FAO | Reuters.
COP15 – Tuvalu calls for an additional protocol to hold climate increase to 1.5 degrees / 350ppm CO2 – “It’s a matter of survival”
December 9th, 2009Copenhagen, Dec 9, 2009 11:28 am
Tuvalu addressed the plenary this morning, re-presenting a proposal for adding an additional protocol to the Kyoto protocol, and calling for a 1.5 degree celsius maximum temperature increase target and a green house gas stabilization limit target of 350 ppm.
Excerpt from Tuvalu’s address:
“Tuvalu, being one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change is honored and pleased to speak on this agenda item. Our future depends upon the outcome of this meeting. ”
“As parties are aware, Tuvalu has proposed a legally binding protocol to be incorporated under the COP. This protocol is not a replacement of the Kyoto protocol, we believe it should complement the ongoing Kyoto protocol. We have proposed amendments to the Kyoto protocal to make this clear. this The proposal for a new protocal was tabled six months ago. Therefore this is not a last minute matter. All parties have had a chance to read this proposal, and let me explain some of the key elements of the protocal.”
“Our protocal proposal follows closely the elements on the Bali action plan. It has a section on shared vision. It highlights the importance that actions to address climate to address climate change must aim to insure that global temperature increases are well below 1.5 degrees Celsius and that green house gas concentrations must stabilize at 350 parts per million at the most. Our survival is contingent upon these numbers. It’s a matter of survival.”
Senegal voices support for the Tuvalu proposal “as the only way of paying back the climate debt, which is the result of unlimited exploitation of natural resources”.
China demands more from rich to unlock climate talks | Reuters
December 9th, 2009‘COPENHAGEN Reuters – China led calls by developing nations for deeper emissions cuts from the United States, Japan and Europe at U.N. climate talks on Tuesday, as a study showed that this decade will be the warmest on record.’
via China demands more from rich to unlock climate talks | Reuters.
COP15 G77 China Press Conference / Lumumba Li-Aping
December 8th, 2009Copenhagen, Dec 8, 2009
The second day of the COP 15 ended with a powerful press conference this evening by Lumumba Li-Aping, lead negotiator for G77 and China.
“The climate change finance should be allocated from a global climate fund … the management of this fund cannot be really given to the World Bank of the IMF for the simple reason – their record on development is an absolute failure.”