Saturday, February 27, 2010

Bali UNEP Conference Hopes to Restart Climate Talks; De Boer Resigns

Over one hundred countries were represented at this past week’s UN Environmental Protective event in Bali with the hope of rebuilding confidence in global climate negotiations. Even though many nations submitted emissions reduction pledges under the Copenhagen Accord, most observers consider the pledges insufficient to stem warming to the extent necessary and many countries are aggrieved because the UN framework for inclusive negotiations was undermined by the US and the BASIC nations. The usually pragmatic optimist, Yvo de Boer, the UN Climate Chief, warned that a climate deal was now unlikely this year at the Mexico meetings, rather an agreement in South Africa in 2011 was more likely. De Boer delivered this prediction in the same week he announced his intended resignation from the UN post; the retiring chief suggested his replacement come from a developing nation.

· UN targets Rio in 2012 for Summit on Sustainable Development for completion of “political document”, which will finalize economic and technical transfer agreements to ignite global green economy.

· Countries discuss creation of WTO-like World Environmental Organization (WEO).

· Emissions by heavy industry in the EU dropped by an estimated 11% in 2009.

· Kerry and Senators moving rapidly to present revised US climate bill in 2010.

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