Blog
What will the High Level Ministers Do?
The intensity level kicked up a notch today. More people, more security, two separate entry lines for "heads of state" and "participants." The high level segment has started with a series of speeches from country representatives today and tomorrow. But while the ministers speak, the negotiations are still ongoing behind closed doors. The high level representatives who have just arrived have their work cut out for them to reach an agreement. Read More
Richest Country in the World Won’t Help Its Neighbors
The Bush administration is once again holding things up in the international climate negotiations. In fact, the United States won the Fossil of the Day award today - a daily award given by the NGO community for doing really stupid things during the UN negotiations. Today's award went to the United States for: Read More
US Congress Leading on International Climate Change?
Senator Kerry arrived in Bali today, trumpeting the Lieberman-Warner climate bill as an indication that the United States is ready to take a lead on climate change internationally. Although the bill is an indication that the United States is changing course on climate change, in the context of these negotiations, the bill does not go far enough. Read More
To GEF or Not to GEF? That is the Question on Adaptation
One of the big items being discussed in Bali is an Adaptation Fund that would help developing countries deal with problems arising from climate change - severe weather events, droughts, flooding, impacts on food and water, and other development challenges that will be made worse as a result of global warming. Read More
Global Day of Action for Climate Justice
Friends of the Earth is focusing not only on what is going on inside the talks in Bali, but is also working closely with social movements and others outside the negotiations to build a movement to demand climate justice. WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia, which is a network of 400 local organizations in Indonesia, is one of Friends of the Earth's largest member groups. Read More
Global Day of Action for Climate Justice
Friends of the Earth is focusing not only on what is going on inside the talks in Bali, but is also working closely with social movements and others outside the negotiations to build a movement to demand climate justice. WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia, which is a network of 400 local organizations in Indonesia, is one of Friends of the Earth's largest member groups. Read More
Black and White and REDD All Over
REDD stands for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries. It is a big issue at the UN negotiations, because deforestation accounts for as much as 25 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally. Read More
The World Bank’s Climate Change Shenanigans
The World Bank is one of the most well known providers of financing to developing countries for "development" projects. But over the years, the Bank has shown time and again that it sees development finance as being more about helping large multinational corporations set up shop in developing countries than it is about helping people out of poverty. Read More
Climate-Affected Communities Speak Out
UN climate conferences are a bit overwhelming. The negotiations, which are divided into several tracks that go on simultaneously throughout the two weeks, are awash in a sea of acronyms (SBSTA, SBI, AWG, etc.) and issue areas (adaptation, deforestation, technology transfer, clean development mechanism). Beyond the actual discussions between governments, there are numerous press conferences, side events, and even protests and demonstrations going on outside. Read More
Australia Ratifies Kyoto, and the US is ALONE
Australia has now ratified the Kyoto Protocol and the United States is left as the only major country refusing to join the agreement. A recent change in government in Australia means that the US is now truly by itself in refusing to commit to this initial step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Read More