Press at the entrance to the climate convention’s media center here were treated this morning to an unexpected press conference on the so-called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the world’s biggest carbon offsets market.

For many years, developing country parties have expressed deep frustration and disappointment with the Global Environment Facility – otherwise known as the GEF. The G77 and China (representing over 130 developing countries) have been crystal clear that the GEF should not be designated as the permanent financial mechanism of the UNFCCC, and it is developing countries which the GEF is supposed to urgently serve.

On Tuesday, Friends of the Earth International released the report, REDD myths: A critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries.  I spoke at a panel event to release the publication, together with indigenous and NGO repre

As talks continue, developing country negotiators reminded rich, industrialized countries on Tuesday of the big picture: we undeniably have to reduce unsustainable consumption to address the climate crisis.  Unfortunately, Japan appears to not really understand the scale of the problem we are facing.  Instead of meaningfully addressing the need to radically decarbonize our economy and transition away from the destructive patterns of consumption, the Japanese delegate focused instead on superficial changes in individual behavior, like…

We arrived this past weekend in Poznan, Poland to attend the 14th annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as the 14th Conference of Parties. Official representatives – or “delegates” – from just about every country in the world are here for the next two weeks. In total, there are almost 11,000 registered participants, including many hundreds of NGO activists.

For the first time in decades, the nuclear power industry is considering building new nuclear reactors in the United States. They claim that nuclear power is a solution to global warming, but that’s just not true. Indeed, nuclear power costs too much, takes too long, and is too risky when better alternatives are available.

Automobile, Insurance, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, and Utilities Companies

This report is Friends of the Earth’s fifth annual review of climate change reporting in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings of automobile, manufacturing, integrated oil & gas, insurance, petrochemicals, and utilities companies. It indicates that over the past five years, climate reporting in general has steadily increased in quality and quantity.

The members of the women's
organization COHAPAZ in
Honduras won the
Friends of the Earth International
community award for their work to
educate neighborhoods in and
around Tegucigalpa about
environmental and public health
issues.

Friends of the Earth member
groups vote during the
2008 Biannual General Meeting.