Climate change funds setback

Decisions by Australia, Canada and most recently Japan, to downgrade their efforts over climate change have frustrated nations most affected by global warming. These countries fear others will follow as they rearrange their priorities during the downturn. In the last few days, Japan, the world’s fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter, has slashed its plans to reduce emissions from 25% to just 3.8% on 2005 figures, on the basis that it had to close its nuclear reactors after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Australia has sent a clear message at COP19, stating that obligations for new, predictable and reliable climate finance from developed countries are “not realistic” and “not acceptable”, rejecting outright the proposal to establish a new fund to help combat climate change.

This article was written by

Jenn Bowtell

MICRONESIAN EXODUS

DP16 – Micronesia has the highest per capita net emigration rates in the world. But their governments can do more to balance the outflow of migrants by investing in education and growing the local economy at home.
LENDING FIJI A HAND

DP09 – Fiji has a complex history that requires careful examination. There is unlikely to be any benefit in isolating Fiji and its new regime. Let’s be constructive, keep it in the family and work with Fiji to develop its democracy.
ART OF DEVELOPMENT

DP22 – The creative economy has often been overlooked as a driver of economic growth, but is known to have important knock-on effects.

Snapshots from Dili

Ben Bohane shows us how things looked at the Dili Conference
IN PICTURES – CYCLONE PAM

A photo essay by Dan McGarry, detailing the impact of the unprecedented force of cyclone Pam on Vanuatu.
ROCKET CITY

Ben Bohane moves with Guam Battalion down to Kandahar, whose large airfield is the jump-off point to various bases in the south and, it seems, often comes under attack.