The coronavirus pandemic caused the UN’s annual climate conference to be postponed by a year, but it was also responsible for a drop in carbon emissions. Is it enough and will it last?
The Trump presidency has been a godsend for an Australian government apparently uninterested in significant climate action. But with Trump well behind in the polls, that’s set to change.
Some experts say it’s better for the US to leave the Paris Agreement than white-ant it from within. But that ignores the damage that a US withdrawal would do to the fabric of global multilateralism.
Recent global climate talks at COP22 saw a growing role for businesses, NGOs and the state of California – a promising sign for action on climate change in the face of U.S. inaction.
Just 11 months after the Paris climate talks, the resulting treaty has come into force. The rapid ratification looks set to heap even more pressure on Australia to come up with a credible climate policy.
Negotiators face a daunting task at the COP22 climate talks in Marrakesh: Build on the momentum of Paris and resolve difficult questions over money for poor countries.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said his government’s 2030 climate target will be good for the environment and jobs – and good for protecting the nation’s coal industry.
The much-hyped 2009 Copenhagen climate summit yielded only a flimsy accord. But, as Nick Rowley writes in part 2 of his three-part essay on the 2015 Paris climate talks, there are several reasons why this year won’t see another flop.