Pacific Institute of Public Policy » Jenn Bowtell

Climate change funds setback

Jenn Bowtell — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 00:10:56 +0000

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.

Pacific warms up for COP19

Jenn Bowtell — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 01:35:06 +0000

Pacific island states have arrived at this year’s Climate Change Conference in Warsaw Poland, hoping that their collective voice will finally be heard. The 19^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework to Convention on Climate Change (COP 19) commenced yesterday with emotionally charged opening statements from participating nations, many evoking the devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Palau, Vietnam and elsewhere. All 14 Pacific island countries will be negotiating as part of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) – a coalition of 44 states and observers from small island and low-lying coastal countries. AOSIS begun by asking the international community to reflect on whether it is living up to commitments made two decades ago to tackle climate change.