Greenpeace has called on gamers to persuade Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo to make their consoles greener.
Controversy surrounds the true environmental costs of a new runway at Heathrow.
The EU has threatened to boycott a US climate summit next month.
GoodEnergy is planning a dual gas and electricity tariff
E.ON is to offer Combined heat and power.
Cisco is trialling a carbon rationing system with its employees
Ken Livingston launches two new schemes in London to help businesses cut carbon
And a lack of photocopiers could be a huge issue over in Bali...
Thursday 13 December 2007
In other news...
Buy local.... lead local???
The role of sub-national governments in combatting climate change has been highlighted today at the UNFCC conference, as The Climate Group launches "Low Carbon Leader: States and Regions", it's latest report. Thinking of the progress made in London and Scotland, they may have a point.
Bali Briefing: 3
Following this afternoon's press conference, we can now announce that the technology issue had now been solved, which allows technology needs assessments made by developing countries to be turned into concrete project proposals. Woohoo! Progress!
Bali Briefing: 2
The conference rolls on, despite being described by Charles Clover from the telegraph as "unlikely to produce anything the outside word would regard as comprehensible until it has been to Posnan, 2008". Key points of contention remain, including the 25-40% range. Ban Ki-moon yesterday giving in to pressure and contemplating the fact that it might be "too ambitious" to include fixed emission goals in tomorrow's roadmap. Other key differences include technology sharing and the rich/poor responsiblity division.
From the UNFCC website:
During today’s noon briefing at the midpoint of the critical ministerial segment of the conference, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer voiced concern about the pace of negotiations. He explained that many of the outstanding issues taken into the high-level segement had been linked to each other, thereby creating an “an all-or-nothing situation,” and that if the work on a future agreement was not completed in time, then “the whole house of cards falls to pieces."
Mr.de Boer stressed that it was “imperative for all countries to realize that progress on the future is in their interest." The whole purpose of launching these formal negotiations, he said, was to achieve a broader agreement that would deliver on existing commitments under the Convention; for example on technology and on finance to green the economic growth of developing countries. Without a decision on the future, he said, that prospect would no longer be there.
The discussion on the future was currently bogged down on several points, he explained. These included how to formulate the level of ambition for both rich and poor countries, how to formulate what would be delivered in terms of technology transfer and also financial issues.
On the recurring question of whether emission reduction ranges would be included in the text on the future, Mr. de Boer acknowledged that some countries such as the European Union and a number of G77 countries were in favour of including the 25%-40% range in the text, while others such as the United States had made clear their opposition to this idea. Any inclusion of numbers in the text, he added, would exceed his expectations for this conference.
Mr. de Boer underlined once again the prevailing momentum for political action. Everyone had come here with the stated desire to formally launch negotiations, he said. It would therefore be very difficult for any politician to have to go back home and explain that they had failed to deliver a political answer to what the scientists have been saying.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Bali Briefing: 1
As the first day of the High-Level segment of the conference begins, let’s have a look at progress so far.
Launching the negotiations on a climate change deal for the post-2012 period, the UN hopes to set the agenda for these negotiations and to reach agreement on when they will have to be concluded.
The current fly (more like an locust, really) in the ointment is the range of cuts to be achieved by 2020: the UN, supported by the UK and Europe, wants developed countries to commit to cuts of 25-40% from 1990 levels by 2020; the US, on the other hand, rejects any binding commitment to maintain temperature rises to below the two-degree threshold, and wants these ‘hard numbers’ removed from the draft (due to “uncertainties” contained within current scientific studies such as the latest IPCC report.). The US is also pushing for developing nations, particularly its economic rivals India and China, to share the burden of cuts.
However, back home, there are ominous rumblings in the bowels of the US political beast.
Both the Senate and House of Representatives have advanced Bills that would reduce US carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and put further efficiency measures into place.
The Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee has voted 11-8 to cut emissions by about 70 per cent by 2050. This Bill would limit business emissions.
A second Bill, passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, requires vehicles to achieve an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Under the terms of the bill, electrical utilities would also have to produce 15 per cent of their power from renewable sources by 2020, and conventional lightbulbs would be banned.
Unsurprisingly, Bush is no fan, but his opponents in the upcoming election think differently. Could this be another Australia come election day?
Anyway, back to Bali. The text of the draft agreement will be continuously updated until this Friday, when a final agreement must be reached.
So what has been agreed so far?
Well, consensus has been reached on the Adaptation fund, which will be set up to finance concrete adaptation projects in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. It will initially be funded by a levy on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM – the CDM provides for Annex I Parties to implement project activities that reduce emissions in non-Annex I Parties, in return for certified emission reductions), and will become operational with the start of the protocol’s first commitment period in 2008.
There’s also been progress on carbon capture and storage, and for the first time it’s being considered for possible inclusion as an activity under the CDM.
It sounds like the 25-40 issue will keep everyone busy for the next few days as the details of the draft are hammered out. And since it’s already 19.15 over there, hopefully we’ll hear more soon!
Launching the negotiations on a climate change deal for the post-2012 period, the UN hopes to set the agenda for these negotiations and to reach agreement on when they will have to be concluded.
The current fly (more like an locust, really) in the ointment is the range of cuts to be achieved by 2020: the UN, supported by the UK and Europe, wants developed countries to commit to cuts of 25-40% from 1990 levels by 2020; the US, on the other hand, rejects any binding commitment to maintain temperature rises to below the two-degree threshold, and wants these ‘hard numbers’ removed from the draft (due to “uncertainties” contained within current scientific studies such as the latest IPCC report.). The US is also pushing for developing nations, particularly its economic rivals India and China, to share the burden of cuts.
However, back home, there are ominous rumblings in the bowels of the US political beast.
Both the Senate and House of Representatives have advanced Bills that would reduce US carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and put further efficiency measures into place.
The Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee has voted 11-8 to cut emissions by about 70 per cent by 2050. This Bill would limit business emissions.
A second Bill, passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, requires vehicles to achieve an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Under the terms of the bill, electrical utilities would also have to produce 15 per cent of their power from renewable sources by 2020, and conventional lightbulbs would be banned.
Unsurprisingly, Bush is no fan, but his opponents in the upcoming election think differently. Could this be another Australia come election day?
Anyway, back to Bali. The text of the draft agreement will be continuously updated until this Friday, when a final agreement must be reached.
So what has been agreed so far?
Well, consensus has been reached on the Adaptation fund, which will be set up to finance concrete adaptation projects in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. It will initially be funded by a levy on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM – the CDM provides for Annex I Parties to implement project activities that reduce emissions in non-Annex I Parties, in return for certified emission reductions), and will become operational with the start of the protocol’s first commitment period in 2008.
There’s also been progress on carbon capture and storage, and for the first time it’s being considered for possible inclusion as an activity under the CDM.
It sounds like the 25-40 issue will keep everyone busy for the next few days as the details of the draft are hammered out. And since it’s already 19.15 over there, hopefully we’ll hear more soon!
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