Climate politics
UN climate change chief sets out five goals for next negotiations
Figueres says November’s summit in Doha must build on Durban’s momentum ahead of preparatory meeting next week.
Is the Philippines’ climate law the best in the world?
UN Special Envoy calls the Philippines’ climate laws the “best in the world” but what is in the laws to give them this status?
South Korea passes carbon trading laws to combat climate change
Move could signal start of aggregated Asia-Pacific emissions trading scheme.
RTCC Rio+20 Student Workshop: Setting a sustainable agenda
The RTCC Rio+20 Student Workshop showed that the breadth of the conference’s agenda leads to huge complexity but also massive potential.
Countdown to Rio+20: Fidel Castro’s 1992 speech
The Cuban dictator has remained engaged with the environmental sector recently criticising Canada’s exploitation of the tar sands. As part of our Rio+20 coverage, we look back at his speech from the Earth Summit in 1992.
Why India’s electric fans, frozen peas and women hold key to green economy
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu says governments must seize moment for change and embrace ambitious efficiency targets.
Ban Ki-moon calls for Rio+20 to replace GDP with sustainable development index
UN Secretary-General calls for June’s conference to develop a new measure of progress that is not purely economical.
UNCCD: World Leaders must set ambitious desertification goals at Rio+20
Luc Gnacadja tells RTCC that ambitious targets must be set for desertification at Rio+20 to “empower a land-degradation neutral society”.
UK must be more open on ‘outsourced’ emissions, say MPs
Report from the Energy and Climate Change select committee questions government’s ability to pressure other countries to cut emissions, while many of those are generated producing goods for the UK’s use.
As US reports emissions rise, how close are Kyoto countries to hitting targets?
With the US report emissions rises of 3.2 per cent in 2010 compared to the previous year, what chances to countries struggling to get out of recession have at meeting their Kyoto Commitments.
Mexico to introduce radical climate law
If passed, Mexico’s General Law on Climate will make it the second country in the world to have legislated against climate change.
EU tax deal breaker for climate talks, says India’s environment minister
The inclusion of airlines in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme could be a “deal breaker” for global climate change negotiations, says India’s environment minister.
Nordic nations sign non-CO2 emissions pact
Nordic environment ministers have signed a declaration to increase efforts on reducing non-CO2 emissions.
Ban Ki-moon calls for closer links between policy and science
UN Secretary General says scientists must become more involved in policy-making process, and announces new position of UN chief scientist.
UK chief scientist: Private sector innovation key to addressing climate change
John Beddington says state intervention should be limited to setting frameworks and mechanisms, leaving business to experiment and innovate
Giddens compares climate change negotiations to The Matrix
Former advisor to British Prime Minister Tony Blair says global climate talks are divorced from reality and time is running out for solution to temperature rise.
British MP: Majority of my colleagues don’t understand climate science
The UK’s cross party consensus on climate change cannot be taken for granted according to Dr Phillip Lee MP, a member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee.
UK Energy Minister: Wars over water on the horizon
Speaking at a conference UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned that the world must plan for climate instability as it puts pressure on water supplies, existing civil unrest and free trade.
Siobhan Benita: We must weave green issues into London policymaking
As part of RTCC’s London election series we caught up with Indpendent candidate Siobhan Benita to talk about her plans for the Capital.
VIDEO: Independent Scotland would push for progress at UN climate talks
Energy Minister praises work towards country’s 100% renewable energy target that he says could spur action from other nations.