WWF - Climate & Energy

Prekretnica klimatskih promena zahteva prelaz na obnovljive izvore energije

2013-05-03

Potreba da se izvrši prelazak na čiste i održive izvore energije će se pojačati kada nivoi ugljendioksida (CO2) u atmosferi u sledećih nekoliko dana dostignu 400 delova po milionu (parts per milion – ppm) po prvi put u istoriji čovečanstva.

Naučnici iz Mauna Loa Opservatorije u Havajima treba da objave kada nivoi ugljendioksida dostignu 400 delova po milionu, što će označiti kritičnu tačku na putu ka opasno visokom globalnom zagrevanju.

„Hitnost da se snize emisije nikad nije bila veća", rekla je Samantha Smith, lider WWF-ove svetske Inicijative o klimi i energiji.

"Zakoni fizike nam kažu da što više CO2 imamo u atmosferi, svet će postati topliji. Posledji put kada je atmosfera Zemlje imala onoliko CO2 koliko ima danas, svet je bio 3-4 stepena Celzijusa topliji. A poslednji put kad je svet bio toliko topao, nivoi mora su bili 5-40 puta viši nego što su sada," rekla je ona.

Kako navode naučnici, izvesno je da je čovečanstvo odgovorno za podizanje nivoa CO2 u atmosferi, gde najveći deo svetskog zagađenja klime potiče iz energetskog sektora, pogotovo usled sagorevanja fosilnih goriva. Ako nivoi CO2 nastave da se povećavaju, možemo očekivati da će zabeležene visoke temperature postati nove prosečne letnje temperature; zabeležene suše će postati normalne; a zabeležene oluje i poplave će postati učestali događaji", rekla je Smith.

"Širom sveta, zajednice i organi vlasti se već muče da odgovore na suše, propadanje useva i ekstremne vremenske nepogode, čak i u bogatim zemljama kao što su Sjedinjene Američke Države. Ako nivoi CO2 nastave da se povećavaju, napori da se izvrši adaptacija na klimu koja se stalno menja najverovatnije neće biti dovoljni."

Ali ovaj trend se može promeniti ako se naprave pravi izbori.

"Brzim prelaskom sveta na obnovljive izvore energije, i uz podršku jakih mera energetske efikasnosti, možemo drastično smanjiti emisije CO2, što će vremenom stabilizovati i smanjiti koncentracije CO2 u atmosferi," rekla je Smith.

Cene električne energije poreklom iz obnovljivih izvora energije su radikalno opale, a 2011. godine investicije u obnovljive izvore energije su po prvi put nadmašile investicije u energiju fosilnih goriva. Energija dobijena iz obnovljivih izvora može postati „nova normalna" energija. Međutim, to zahteva posvećenost organa uprave ako želimo da se ova promena desi dovoljno brzo i u dovoljno velikoj razmeri, rekla je Smith.

Mauna Loa Opservatorija radi pod Scripps Institutom okeanografije Kalifornija Univerzieta u San Dijegu. Scripps Institut okeanografije je jedan od najstarijih, najvećih i najvažnijih centara za proučavanje, edukaciju i informisanje o vodenim i kopnenim ekosistemima.

Opservatorija u Havajima je locirana u Pacifičkom Okeanu, 3,400m iznad nivoa mora i daleko od bilo kog velikog izvora zagađenja, i stoga se podaci ove opservatorije o ugljendioksidu smatraju „zlatnim standardom" podataka.

New policy can put the EU on track to reach 100% renewable energy

2013-02-13

Brussels, Belgium – Today WWF launched a new report – Putting the EU on Track for 100% Renewable Energy [1] – which shows where Europe needs to be by 2030 in order to reach a fully renewable energy system by 2050. It comes just as the European Commission is beginning to consider post-2020 climate and energy plans.

By 2030, the EU could be reducing its energy use by more than a third and generate almost half of the remainder from renewables. The post-2020 climate and energy policies needed to deliver this vision would help the EU to reduce its €573bn external fossil fuel bill and cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half.

Coming amid an increasingly active debate over what should follow current EU climate and energy legislation (the 20-20-20 package[2]), WWF's report adapts the WWF Global 2050 Energy Scenario[3] to the EU27 level and shows that by 2030 the EU could:

•use at least 38% less energy compared to a business as usual projection,
•generate more than 40% of its energy from renewable sources,
•by doing both, reduce its energy related greenhouse emissions by 50% compared to 1990 levels.

As Europe's economies struggle to recover, renewable energy and energy savings are beacons of hope. Almost 8 out of 10 Europeans agree that fighting climate change can boost the economy and create jobs[4] and 70% of Europeans believe investment in renewable energy should be prioritised over the next 30 years, compared to alternative energy sources including shale gas, nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants[5].

"Improving on Europe's 2020 climate and energy targets by introducing an ambitious package of post-2020 measures is a win-win situation for everyone. It would not only help reduce the impact of climate change [6], including huge health and environmental costs, but it would also help to generate up to 5 million jobs [7], significantly boosting the economy," said Jason Anderson, Head of Climate & Energy at WWF European Policy Office.

However, to keep Europe on track, on-going effort and strong political will are needed. The timely adoption of a coherent package of ambitious and binding post-2020 targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions reductions is key.

"We must now decide how our energy system will develop after 2020, so that current benefits are maximised, not squandered", added Jason Anderson. "Our report clearly shows that the EU has untapped potential for cutting energy use, taking full advantage of renewable sources that could deliver cheaper and more secure energy, and ensuring that a 100% renewable European energy system by 2050 remains within reach."

-Ends-

Note to the editors:

1.WWF report: "Putting the EU on track for 100% renewable energy" (http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/res_report_final_1.pdf)

2.http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/package/index_en.htm

3.In 2011, WWF released The Energy Report based on the specially commissioned ECOFYS Global Energy Scenario. The report showed how, by 2050, the planet's entire energy needs could be met from renewable sources. The first step to reaching this goal is to limit energy use in absolute terms. The second step is to scale up energy supply from current renewable generation technologies (prioritising their delivery in order of sustainability - solar, wind, water, geothermal, and only then bio-energy under strict conditions).

4.Eurobarometer 2011 – Special report on climate change: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/articles/news_2011100702_en.htm

5.Eurobarometer report: "Attittudes of Europeans towards air quality", January 2013: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_360_en.pdf

6.More energy savings and renewable energy are also needed to protect the planet. This summer (2012), more Arctic sea ice melted than ever before - with the result that there was nearly 50% less ice than the 1979 to 2000 average. The record melt was bigger than the previous record by an area about the combined size of Sweden and Finland. Furthermore, research on the impact of continuing to burn fossil fuels has revealed that the health and environmental costs of generating energy in some countries are higher than the value of that energy once it is produced.

7.http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/nd/eccomm2012_en.pdf

First Chinese Company Joins WWF's Climate Savers Programme

2013-01-29

BAODING, China – WWF today announced that Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (Yingli), one of the world's largest manufacturers of solar panels, has become the first Chinese company, and the first photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer, to join WWF's Climate Savers programme.

Yingli is also the first Chinese company to set a company-wide renewable electricity consumption target. By the end of 2015, at least 4% of the electricity that Yingli consumes will come from renewable sources, specifically solar.

Renewable energy currently comprises 1% of China's energy consumption portfolio; renewable energy sources include solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, waves and tides, but not nuclear or large-scale hydropower.

"WWF's Climate Savers programme is a very exclusive club," said Peter Beaudoin, CEO, WWF-China.

"Only industry leaders that agree to challenge themselves and set ambitious goals in cutting CO2 emissions, and support growth of clean, renewable energy are accepted as members. China has global manufacturing leaders, is beginning to have global innovation leaders, and now is beginning to have global leaders in the fight against climate change as well," he added.

"We're very pleased to become the first Chinese company and the first solar manufacturer to join the Climate Savers family," said Liansheng Miao, Chairman and CEO of Yingli.

"At Yingli, we work on the mission of providing affordable, green energy to the world every day. We have also been dedicatedly carrying out our corporate social and environmental responsibilities through constantly reducing our energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our production and operations. We look forward to working more broadly with WWF and joining hands with other Climate Savers to lead the world's transition to a low carbon economy."

Yingli's renewable electricity consumption target is possible because it has been a practitioner of solar energy application. Currently, the company operates more than 20 Megawatts (MW) of solar systems in its manufacturing campuses to power the production of PV modules. It plans to continue to increase its consumption of renewable electricity by installing more solar systems in the future.

"Yingli demonstrates that companies operating in China are willing to take action to support the growth of renewable energy," said Donald Pols, Director of WWF's China for a Global Shift Initiative and a member of Yingli's Climate Savers application review committee. "Companies can follow Yingli's example and develop their own clean and renewable electricity generation systems, whether in terms of solar panels installed on company real estate or utility-scale operations in the case of Yingli."

In addition to its renewable electricity consumption target, Yingli has also agreed to a number of aggressive CO2 emission reduction targets.

By the end of 2015, Yingli commits to reduce GHG emissions intensity per MW of PV module production by 13% compared with 2010 levels. Further, also by the end of 2015, Yingli expects to reduce GHG emissions from purchased goods and services per MW of PV module production by 7% compared with 2010 levels. Yingli also targets to reduce GHG emissions intensity from upstream transportation by 10%, compared to 2010 levels, by the end of 2015.

Finally, Yingli also plans to launch a Global Green Solar PV Manufacturing Standard with the support of WWF by the end of 2015. This standard aims at promoting energy consumption reduction in the PV industry, increasing utilization percentage of renewable energy and reducing GHG emissions.

WWF's Climate Savers programme began in 1999, and now counts 30 member companies. To become a member, a company works with WWF and an independent technical expert to set and agree to new CO2 emission reduction targets that are more aggressive than existing targets.

The company then formulates a plan to achieve these targets, and WWF and the independent technical expert will monitor to ensure the plan is followed and the targets are achieved.

WWF: Global system to curb aircraft emissions could easily take flight

2013-01-29

A global system to regulate runaway greenhouse gas emissions from aviation is technically and economically feasible and could help address climate change, according to a new WWF report.

The report comes ahead of a critical meeting of the High Level Group established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal this week, where governments will attempt to revive a decade-long effort to address aviation emissions.

Aviation is the most emission-intensive form of transport on the planet and, together with shipping, is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions contributing to climate instability and extreme weather.

Aviation Report: Market Based Mechanisms to Curb Greenhouse Gas emissions from International Aviation outlines four options, and weighs their pros and cons, to develop a global system to regulate emissions from aircraft.

These include offsetting, offsetting with a revenue generating mechanism, a cap and trade emissions trading system, and a levy with offsetting.

The report finds that the latter three options can both cut pollution at the least cost to industry, and also generate funds that could be used to support global efforts to address climate change, while maintaining a level playing field between airlines.

"We invite governments to end 10 years of delay and reach a global deal on aviation. That deal is within reach and it would limit emissions and ensure that the sector pays its way in global efforts to address climate change and the extreme weather it is causing," says Samantha Smith, leader of the WWF's Global Climate & Energy Initiative.

In the absence of such an agreement in ICAO this year aviation pollution will continue to rise and contribute to dangerous climate instability, she says. In addition, airlines will face a growing patchwork of international regulations, including under the EU-ETS, where all flights into and out of the EU were to be included this year. The inclusion was only suspended for one year to give time for ICAO to present a solution.

A multilateral agreement under ICAO remains the best way to address emissions from international aviation fairly. "There has never been a more opportune time to do something about this. We just need the political will and courage to make a global market-based measure happen," says Smith.

Majority of world's largest companies shifting to clean energy

2013-01-16

Power Forward Report Shows 60 percent of World's Largest Companies Have Greenhouse Gas Reduction or Renewable Energy Commitments, Citing Strong Business Case

With discussions focusing on renewable energy at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi this week, a recently-released report from Calvert Investments, Ceres and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) shows that most of the world's largest companies aren't waiting on governments to embrace renewable energy and lower emissions.

The report, "Power Forward: Why the World's Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy," shows that a strong majority of Global 100 companies have set a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction commitment, a renewable energy commitment, or both.

"Nearly two-thirds of the largest global companies have committed to reduce emissions and increase their use of renewable energy. It's more obvious than ever that businesses recognize that clean energy makes good business sense," says Samantha Smith, Head of WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative. "They see value in diversifying their energy supply, securing long-term energy price certainty that protects them from volatile fossil fuel prices, and realizing large cost savings, particularly on energy efficiency investments."

Through two dozen interviews with Fortune and Global 100 executives and analysis of public disclosures, the report finds that clean energy practices are becoming standard procedures for some of the largest and most profitable companies in the world. Among other key findings, the report shows that:

102 companies from the combined 171 companies in the Fortune 100 and Global 100 have set GHG reduction goals (60 percent).
Of those, 24 companies have set specific goals for renewable energy use (14 percent), with others using renewable energy to meet their GHG goals.
Many companies are shifting from purchasing short-term, temporary Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to longer-term investment strategies like Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and on-site projects, indicating a long-term commitment to renewable energy and reaping the benefits of reduced price volatility.

The report was prepared by David Gardiner & Associates with the guidance of WWF, Ceres, and Calvert staff.

The report is available at: www.panda.org/powerforward

For more information, please contact Bryn Baker WWF-US Bryn.Baker@wwfus.org

Business innovations recognised by WWF as contributing to fight against climate change

2012-12-20

Gland, Switzerland – While political will appears to be lacking in terms of tackling climate change, the will of creative and energetic entrepreneurs working in the field of climate innovation is on the increase.

Companies with winning technologies have recently been announced by WWF under its Climate Solvers programme, underscoring both the benefit and opportunity for business to contribute to fighting climate change.

Innovation is typically a new way of doing something while increasing the value for a customer. WWF believes that this customer value must include radically reduced carbon emissions, energy access and compatibility with a transition to a renewable energy future as described in WWFs Energy Report.

Climate innovations are often primarily associated with mitigation activities but infrastructure that enables more renewables and energy access solutions are also considered climate innovation, as are innovative financial services that can scale these to market faster.

WWF's Climate Solvers programme recognizes top climate innovations in key countries. While it has been implemented in Sweden for the past five years, innovation work has now expanded to the UK, Netherlands and China. India will announce their first selection of Climate Solver entrepreneurs in early 2013.

The global market for clean technology manufacturing doubled between 2008 and 2011 to almost reach 200 billion Euros per year. By 2015, the clean tech sector is expected to rival the oil and gas equipment market, when the forecasted market size will be between €240 and 290 billion, says Samantha Smith, WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative leader.

"What science tells us and what millions of people experienced this year is that fighting climate change is now extremely urgent. This year alone, we have witnessed some of the most devastating effects of climate change all around the world.

As CO2 emissions reached record highs, Artic sea ice reached record lows, droughts blistered the world's grain-producing areas, and wheat, corn and soybean prices hit historic peaks. And when food prices spike, poor people go hungry. While we work to urge our political leaders to start taking decisions that will positively impact climate change, we also work to encourage and support innovators who are making a difference right now," she says.

Climate innovation is also about business opportunities and poverty alleviation. It's about avoiding wasteful consumption and job generation that make emissions in our society shrink, says WWF's Innovations programme manager Stefan Henningsson.

"The transition from a high-fossil-fuel economy to a clean, renewable energy economy requires new solutions, products, systems and services which will radically reduce climate impact. Such climate innovations are numerous, proven and available. The question is how to employ them at speed and scale, globally," he says.

Innovations that have a good business case can instill confidence for policy makers to dare to increase ambition on reducing cuts so that these innovations can grow and create even more decent jobs, says Henningsson. Investors, business and policy makers all need to play proactive roles for major commercialization of climate positive solutions carried by entrepreneurs.

Some of the innovations recognized this year include
•rental of solar charged vehicles with no upfront costs;
•retrofit mortgage for energy efficiency in existing building stock;
•innovative solar cell manufacturing technology;
•one stop shop for business/home info on renewable energy investments;
•smart storage battery charging;
•waste gas reuse for improved steel manufacturing;
•financial services and technologies for better access to cooking, lighting and charging in poor countries with the help of easily available renewable energy.

See a list of WWF innovation award winners for 2012 listed below by country.

LIST OF CLIMATE SOLVER WINNERS BY COUNTRY

CHINA
Universal Energy Electrical Co. Ltd: Smart Self-Adaptive Storage Battery Charger
Universal Energy Electrical Co. Ltd: Smart Self-Adaptive Storage Battery ChargerElectric cars are more and more a match for their fossil fuel counterparts in terms of comfort and performance. One of the main reasons they aren't more prevalent is that compared with petrol stations, battery chargers aren't common and the entire battery charging process can be slow. Universal Energy's Smart Self-Adaptive Storage Battery Charger improves charging energy efficiency from a conventional 60%-85% up to 97%, which helps makes charging at least twice as fast as with traditional chargers. Further, the charger is only about 1/20th the weight of typical charging solutions with the same power output. Universal Energy's chargers are currently used by the Chinese military, but with their high-performance characteristics, the company is hopeful they'll receive strong interest from the private sector.

Wuhan Yunhe Dingyu Refrigeration Science & Technology Co. Ltd: Thermal-Chemical Absorption Refrigeration System
In China, refrigeration, from air conditioning to freezing, is a major consumer of electricity and hence emitter of carbon emissions. Beyond that, the commonly used refrigerants are much worse greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. Yunhe's Thermal-Chemical Absorption Refrigeration System replaces electricity as the power source with heat from diesel engine exhaust, industrial steam, or even solar energy. Further, it replaces substances with high global warming potential as the refrigerant with ammonia, and gets rid of electric compressors altogether. You can already find Yunhe technology in the air conditioners, ice makers, and freezers of some fishing boats.

China City Environment Protection Engineering Co. Ltd: LHVG Safe and Clean Power Generation System
China has grown into the world's largest steel producer. And all that steel making produces vast amounts of chemical gases containing vast amounts of heat, which represents not only great wastage of chemical and thermal energy, but also air pollution. CCEP's Low Heat Value Gas Safe and Clean Power Generation System can take these otherwise waste gases, combust them to create greater heat, and then drive a gas or steam turbine to produce power for the steelmaker. www.ccepc.com

Nanjing Xingfei Cooling Apparatus Co. Ltd: Hydrodynamic Cooling Tower
You've seen the huge cooling towers that dot China's landscape marking a chemical plant, pulp and paper manufacturing, steel industry, power station or any other business that produces a large amount of waste heat. Many of these towers use electric fans to aid in the cooling process, and the electric fans add to power bills, are an added danger for workers, and emit carbon emissions with their power use. Xingfei's Hydrodynamic Cooling Tower design is able to take full advantage of all the water already circulating in these cooling towers and use it to drive hydrodynamic fans, making electric fans completely unnecessary in the cooling process. www.njxingfei.com.cn

NETHERLANDS
Winner of the 3rd Dutch Cleantech Star Award:
Tempress: provides machinery and associated technology for the production of highly efficient solar cells. www.tempress.nl

SWEDEN
Waves4Power - Wave Buoy for Ocean Power -
An IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (2011) estimates a global technical potential of 500 GW for wave energy but this resource remains yet untapped.
www.waves4power.com

Heliospectra AB - L4A Efficient Greenhouse Lighting
An estimated 30 billion m2 of commercial greenhouses are used to produce vegetables, herbs and ornamentals globally. Using supplemental LED-based lighting uses the full spectrum of light, leading to increased yields per m2 in tailored light regimes whilst cutting energy consumption.
www.heliospectra.com

Solelia Greentech AB - Solar Charging for Electrical Vehicles
Today, the upfront investment in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies is often held as a major barrier for governments, companies and consumers to choose them. Solar PV and electrical vehicles are two examples of this. Solelia's approach is to transform these capital-intensive products into a user friendly service so that customers can rent this without any upfront capital cost. http://www.solelia.se/en

Emerging Cooking Solutions - Biomass-waste pellets for efficient cookstoves
The strong, global urbanization trend in combination with widespread use of charcoal and weak or absent systems for recycling and waste management is damaging people's health as well as ecosystems. Efficient cookstoves limit the smoke hazard by reducing its fuel consumption by 40%, or more. By making use of locally available biomass waste and providing pellet-fuelled cookstoves as a subscription-fee service, Emerging Cooking Solutions is an inspiring example of how to address this urban challenge. www.emerging.se

HiNation - HiLight solar light & charging
An estimated 1.3 billion people living in rural areas have no access to electricity. This fact seriously limits the ability for almost a quarter of the world's population to provide for their basic human needs and rise out of poverty. Nevertheless, 500 million people living off-grid have mobile phones, which offer connectivity and hope for the future. The HiLight Solar Light & Charging is an example of a solution for powering both lighting and communication. www.hination.com

UNITED KINGDOM
Winners of the WWF UK Green Game Changers Award:
YouGen: Enabling direct renewable energy and energy efficiency investments
The purpose of YouGen is to make it easy for home and business to learn about, invest in and enjoy the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Provides Information about renewable energy on the internet answering the really practical questions. http://www.yougen.co.uk

Whiskers: Refurbishment insulation services for hard-to-treat social housing
WHISCERS™ (Whole House In-Situ Carbon and Energy Reduction Solution) is a process for Internal Wall Insulation (IWI) of hard-to-treat social housing, like tower blocks, that uses laser technology for the first time, enabling residents to continue to live in their homes throughout the refurbishment works. The patented process and eco measures installed in a home have proven to greatly improve energy efficiency and reduced fuel bills by nearly £600 a year whilst carbon emissions have been cut by 77%. http://www.unitedhouse.net/refurbishment/whiscers

C-Change Retrofit Mortgage: making good energy performance pay off
Ecology Building Society's C-Change Retrofit Mortgage is a financial service addressing that most of our houses waste huge amounts of energy... and money! If you want to improve the energy efficiency of your current property, the C-Change retrofit scheme can help shrink the mortgage payments as well as the carbon footprint. For every grade improvement in a home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, C-Change offers a discount of 0.25% from the standard rate. http://www.ecology.co.uk/mortgages/c-change-retrofit/

What next for REDD+ following Doha disappointment?

2012-12-20

By Tierney Smith

Efforts to promote REDD+ as the main mechanism to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation are still on track, according to experts RTCC has spoken to, despite negotiations collapsing at the recent UN climate talks.

Brazil is understood to have objected to calls from international donors such as Norway for an international verification system of emissions reductions for REDD+, leading to the suspension of discussions in Doha.

While this did not knock Kyoto off the headlines, it was a major blow as deforestation generates 15-20% of global emissions.

Launched in 2008, the REDD+ scheme has always had the full backing of most parties, both developed and developing, and has less of the polarised positions that have plagued some of the more contentious negotiations.

"What is different about REDD is that it was proposed by developing countries," Emily Brickell, a research officer at the Overseas Development Institute told RTCC. "It was a group of developing countries saying 'look, this is what we can bring to the table."

"In other negotiating tracks you often have the developed world asking for the developing world to do more, or the developing world demanding more from the developed world. REDD has a different feel to it, which is why it has traditionally moved on more constructively in negotiations."

What went wrong?

REED+ was discussed in the first week of the negotiations when the UNFCCC's technical advisory body met. While some issues were signed off an overall agreement could not be reached.

The crucial issue was around the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and monitoring of carbon stocks in forests.

The division was reported to be between Brazil, one of the potential beneficiaries of the REDD+ programme, and Norway, the largest funders of tropical forest conservation.

"I don't think these were the only countries," said Brickell. "These were the two that were digging their heels in the most but I think there were other countries that were hiding behind them."

For example, the Coalition of Rainforest Nations (CfRN) and Papua New Guinea put their weight behind Brazil's position, rejecting an international verification process to monitor emissions reduction.

Norway, which has spent almost $1bn to support the development of REDD+, pushed for an independent, international process to be undertaken by experts to ensure the verification of deforestation-related emissions reductions.

Brazil and other developing nations said they were unwilling to commit to such an external process and would prefer to monitor their own emissions.

Unable to agree on the issue of verification, the talks were pushed back another year leaving many countries frustrated.

In a blog post Matt Leggett, Head of the Policy at the Global Canopy Programme said: "The arguments have certainly tarnished Brazil's reputation as the world leader on tackling deforestation, and have left delegates and observers angry with their tactics."

What does this mean for the scheme?

Discussions will resume in the UNFCCC intersessional meeting in Bonn next May, with any decision now delayed to COP19 in Poland next November.

Josh Roberts, a Lawyer from ClientEarth told RTCC that we will have to wait to see how COP18′s text row will impact the process.

"I think we will start to see the implications as the discussions continue in Bonn," he said. "There will probably be some back and forth talks between the parties concerned. They won't want to spend a lot of time on the issue as they spend so much time on it in Doha."

Brickell believes that the postponement of a decision in no way signals the end of the scheme.

"One negotiator told me that even though no decision was made, some progress has been made," said Brickell. "They at least now have a draft text that they can work off, they are not having to start with a blank canvas.

"I don't think in terms of momentum and the activity; that won't be affected."

Bruce Cabarle, Director of WWF's Forest and Climate Initiative explained how the talks could progress over the coming year.

"REDD+ will continue to move forward, and perhaps even gain some momentum, despite the incremental progress coming out of Doha," he said. "For example, Brazil continues to make significant progress at home with reducing deforestation and associated emissions from the Amazon even though they took a hard line during the REDD+ negotiations in Doha."

Many countries are still coming out in support of REDD+. The UK, Norway, US, Germany and Australia issued a joint statement in Doha reinforcing their commitment to the scheme.

Bilateral partnerships are supporting REDD+ projects at local levels. Despite their row, last week Norway announced it would deposit another $180 million into Brazil's Amazon Fund after the country reported a third annual drop in deforestation.

Roberts stresses that as the talks turn from the overall principles of the mechanism to the "nuts and bolts of it, we should expect that it will move a little slower."

While in the interim period countries will continue to work on the scheme as they have been, without an agreement, a first for the negotiations, there is still a certain amount of guessing about where action on deforestation moves from here.

"No one really knows [where we stand] – we're breaking new ground really," said Leggett. "Our emphasis and the general momentum of many observers is to start moving the debate beyond the UNFCCC negotiations on REDD+ to try and tackle the broader questions related to drivers of deforestation."

The drivers of deforestation were another contentious issue postponed to discussions at COP19, and Leggett stresses that cutting the demand for unsustainable commodities will need to be dealt with next year.

Symptoms of a wider debate

Ultimately the REDD+ discussions are part of a wider process, and the divide between developed and the developing world surfaces in negotiations.

Developing countries are concerned that limiting their use of forestry could hamper their development opportunities – a similar argument that is used in many of the negotiation tracks.

And like so many other issues under the UNFCCC, the REDD+ scheme depends on reliable and sufficient funding from the developed world.

Without this, the incentive to conserve forests will simply not be there.

"It actually surprises me that developing countries are not losing interest," said Brickell. "They are being asked to shift their development paradigm and yet they are not sure they are going to have the money on the table a couple of years down the line."

Following a disappointing two weeks on finance, countries must now come up with a framework to scale climate finance up to the $100 billion a year by 2020, pledged at Copenhagen in 2009.

"The finance of REDD+ is tied into the larger discussions on finance, which anyone who follows the negotiations knows are moving very slowly," said Roberts. "A lot of this is not the fault of the particular parties; it is the economic and political climate at the moment.

"It is not easy to commit to large amounts of money when you are facing economic issues at home. The Parties also need to come to an agreement over increased mitigation ambition, especially for developed country Parties. So far, little progress has been made on this."

He added that negotiators could move as far forward as they want on the REDD+ discussions but unless progress is made on a global climate deal, there would be nothing for the scheme to feed into.

"We knew going into Doha that most of the low hanging fruit with REDD+ had been harvested already," said Carbarle.

"Progress to date on REDD+ has outpaced perhaps all other tracks of the complex UNFCCC negotiation. Future progress on REDD+ will now be much more dependent upon the progress on key issues within the overall UNFCCC negotiations."

Doha Climate Talks Bury International Climate Action in the Desert

2012-12-13

DOHA, QATAR – Today - On Thursday, six of the largest and most respected environmental and development organizations in the world issued an emergency call to governments, that any deal in Doha must meet the acid test – does it reduce emissions, provide public climate finance and ensure a future agreement is ambitious and equitable. They echoed calls by social movements in developing countries, and are now joined by the International Trade Union Confederation.

Today, as the talks close, the organisations condemned politicians in particular from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Russia and Poland for blocking any progress, and the EU and Australia for failing to live up to their responsibilities on emissions cuts and finance.

Governments are out of touch with the reality of climate change, which is affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world through storms, floods, droughts, erratic weather, sea level rise and melting glaciers. Food and water supplies are under threat, and many homes and communities have been hit hard by such climate impacts.

In Doha today all governments failed the key acid test:

Q: Do we have any hope that the Doha deal will increase developed country ambition to deliver at least 40% emissions reductions below 1990 levels by 2020?

A: NO

Q: Will Doha deliver the public climate finance needed for those affected by climate change and to help the transformation required in developing countries ?

A: NO

Q: Will Doha ensure that the future 2015 global climate agreement is ambitious and equitable ?
A: NO

The organisations are sending a clear message that the climate crisis will only be tackled when a powerful people's movement is able to force our governments to put the interest of their people and planet ahead of short term economic interests. We must work to help transform our food and energy systems at a national and global level and rebuild a broken economic system to create a sustainable and low carbon economy with decent jobs and livelihoods for all. Any chance of success in 2015 now rests with mobilising millions of people across the world in calling for climate justice.

"The failure of rich countries like the US to keep emissions going down and life-saving scaled up, new and additional, adaptation finance going up risks condemning the world to more hunger. For poor communities facing more extreme and erratic weather that hits crop harvests hard, tackling climate change is a matter of putting food on the table. The outcome in Doha will only make that harder in the years ahead." Celine Charveriat, of Oxfam International, said.

"A weak and dangerously ineffectual agreement is nothing but a polluters charter - it legitimises a do nothing approach whilst creating a mirage that governments are acting in the interests of the planet and its people. Doha was a disaster zone where poor developing countries were forced to capitulate to the interests of wealthy countries, effectively condemning their own citizens to the climate crisis. The blame for the disaster in Doha can be laid squarely at the foot of countries like the USA who have blocked and bullied those who are serious about tackling climate change. Our only hope lies in people being inspired to take action." Asad Rehman, Head of Climate and Energy, Friends of the Earth (EWNI), said.

"In Doha, rich countries committed hardly any money towards the climate change tab, and refused to offer any clarity on how they plan to meet their commitment to raise $100 billion annually by 2020. Climate finance is not aid or charity – it is industrialised countries paying for the damage they've caused by bringing on the climate crisis. They can't continue to leave poor countries unjustly holding the bill, as they have done in Doha." Harjeet Singh, International Coordinator- Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation at ActionAid, said.

"There will be no jobs in a dead planet, nor a Just Transition with this outcome. The more we wait for having ambitious emission reduction objectives, the more the transition will be unfair. We need time to build a Just Transition, to put in place the industrial and social policies to help working people fully participate in a sustainable economy. Delays will make our task difficult, almost impossible. In order to be Just, the transition must start now. " Sharan Burrow, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), said.

"What science tells us and what millions of people experienced this year is that fighting climate change is now extremely urgent. Every year counts, and every year in which governments do not act increases the risk to us all. But instead this year we got a shamefully weak deal, one that is so far from the science that it should raise ethical issues for those responsible." Samantha Smith, Leader of the Global Climate and Energy Initiative of WWF, said.

"Just three days after Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) hit the Philippines and showed the human cost of extreme weather in vulnerable countries, the decision by politicians not to speed up efforts to cut carbon pollution is unforgiveable. The international process limps on, while the crisis accelerates. Today we ask the negotiators in Doha: Which planet are you on? Clearly not the planet where people are dying from storms, floods and droughts. Nor the planet where renewable energy is growing rapidly and increasing constraints are being placed on the use of dirty fuels such as coal. The politicians and negotiators have lost touch with climate reality; sadly their failure will be paid for in lives and livelihoods." Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, said.

"Rather than giving the world's most vulnerable people a much needed early Christmas present, they were left with just a lump of coal at the bottom of their stocking.'The delay of urgent action in Doha will mean that carbon cuts in the next eight years are far too little and way too late to stop the relentless path of climate change.'The world has suffered another year of extreme weather and scientists tell us this is only going to get worse. What we see now is at just 0.8 degrees of warming above pre-industrial levels. Just imagine what it will be like if the world remains on course for more than two degrees of warming."
Christian Aid's senior climate justice adviser, Mohamed Adow, said.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Oxfam International
Sunita Bose on +974 5504 6084, sunita.bose@oxfaminternational.org
Friends of the Earth
Alex Rafalowicz, +974 3376 3387, alex.rafalowicz@gmail.com

Australia urged to live up to climate finance pledge in Doha

2012-12-07

WWF Australia and Oxfam Australia have today called on the Australian Government to inject some momentum into the final days of the Doha climate summit by committing to new and scaled up financial support for developing countries.

"We are calling on Australia to, at the very least, confirm that it will scale up public funding, from the $200 million a year that is currently earmarked for climate finance in the AusAID budget", said WWF's climate change policy manager Will McGoldrick.

Over the past three years Australia has provided approximately $200 million a year to international climate finance initiatives. This funding runs out in June next year and no new funding has been announced for the coming years.

"With a relatively strong economy and a growing aid budget, Australia is very well placed to announce new funding in Doha," Mr McGoldrick said.

Climate finance has become a major sticking point in Doha, with only a handful of European countries and the UK announcing new funding. Australia has said that it will provide its 'fair share' of climate finance, without elaborating on what this amounts to. Oxfam senior policy adviser Kelly Dent says this vague statement does not provide developing countries with the concrete assurance that they need and Australia must make a more detailed commitment in Doha.

The lack of movement from developed countries risks undermining trust within the negotiations and leaves developing countries with serious doubts about whether they will be able to continue investing in practical measures to cut emissions and build resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Ahead of Doha, Australia provided much needed momentum to the UN climate talks by announcing its intention to join phase two of the Kyoto Protocol.

Kelly Dent said in the final days of the summit, Australia has an opportunity to sustain this momentum with a positive announcement on climate finance.

"Australians believe in a fair go and climate finance is all about a fair go," Ms Dent said. "Developing countries are facing the worst impacts of climate change and are the least responsible for it."

"Developing countries are looking to Australia and other developed countries to come forward with their finance pledges, as this is critical to a deal in Doha.

"It would be poor form of Australia to leave Doha without making some sort of positive signal on climate finance."

In 2009 in Copenhagen, developed countries – including Australia – committed to delivering $100 billion a year by 2020 to support developing countries to invest in clean energy, protect their forests and adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

Contact details in Doha

Will McGoldrick, Climate Change Policy Manager, WWF Australia: +61 415 043 696

Kelly Dent, Senior Policy Advisor, Oxfam Australia: (+974) 7009 2905

How US Doha team must start to move forward

2012-12-05

Quotes from the press conference

Quote from Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director: Greenpeace International
This is the year when climate change came to the USA. Hundreds of Americans lost their homes, and many tragically lost their loved ones. Food production was hit as a record drought withered most of the corn crop. And following Superstorm Sandy, a newly elected President Obama promised that in his second term he would take action to defend people from climate change. But here in Doha we see the same negotiators using the same blocking tactics; their callousness in the face of human suffering is unforgivable. Now is the time to change course; Obama could start by putting in place team of negotiators that takes the human cost seriously.

Please note that this press conference will be webcast live at:
http://regserver.unfccc.int/grandreserva/public/schedule?conference_id=52&meeting_type=145&refresh_interval=120
For more information please contact:
WWF
Mandy Jean Woods
mwoods@wwf.org.za / @MandyJeanWoods
+27 82 553 4211 (please send SMS if urgent) / +974 6607 3079 (Doha number)

GREENPEACE
Tina Loeffelbein,
tina.loeffelbein@greenpeace.org,
+974 6618 6317 (Doha number)

OXFAM
Sunita Bose
Sunita.bose@oxfaminternational.org
+974 550 46084

WWF Backgrounder – Finance and Ambition (COP18)

2012-12-05

Doha cannot be merely a "process COP". The world doesn't have time for another COP that fails to increase ambition in emissions cuts and financing for transforming economies to a low carbon path. The decisions to be taken here in Doha will have real impacts on our climate, communities, health and food supply for generations to come. The World Bank and UNEP have just produced reports that show the gap between current commitments and what is required, along with the dangerous consequences of not closing that gap. These reports should be a rallying cry for rapidly scaled up actions by negotiators here.

Doha must deliver a road map to deep emissions cuts between now and 2020, and lay the groundwork for much deeper cuts after 2020, as part of a new global agreement reached by 2015.

Here's what is needed to close the gap between current emissions trends and what is required to stay well below two degrees:

Increased mitigation ambition across the board, led by developed countries whose current targets are now little different than business as usual, followed by increased ambition by developing countries, which requires financial and technological support from developed countries. We also need pledges of mitigation actions from those who have not yet announced them.
An ambitious road map to scaling up from fast start commitments to at least $100b in 2020, with at least $60 billion in public funds over the next three years, to invest in ways that leverages and mobilizes much greater investments in a low carbon climate resilient economy.
Other complementary and coordinated initiatives outside the UNFCCC, including carbon pricing for international transport under the ICAO and IMO, and actions of F-gases and black carbon.

Finance state of play:
Financing is essential to support developing countries in making the shift to low carbon economies and to adapt to the irreversible impacts of climate change. Developed countries have committed to mobilize $100 b per year by 2020, but there is as yet no certainty about how much finance will be delivered in 2013 and beyond until 2020. This week the UK took the first step and made an important commitment here in Doha to increase it's financing by 50% over fast start financing levels, of $10 billion per year from 2010-2012. We need other developed countries to follow this lead.

What we need from Doha is an agreement from parties to at least double contributions of public financing for the period 2013-2015, and for more individual countries to step up with their own financing pledges. Until now most countries have given only vague assurances that funding won't drop off a cliff.

Finance refuseniks: USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand. These countries are refusing to make concrete commitments to scaled-up financing for the period of 2013 onward, and giving only vague assurances that they will continue giving some financing, while suggesting there will be much less public finance, but they want to count more private sector finance.

Potential finance leaders: The EU countries have said they are willing to engage in the negotiations here towards agreement on a "pathway" to scaling up to meeting the $100 billion commitment by 2020. This will be helpful in providing certainty on levels, sources and types of financing. The UK has just committed to scaling up by 50% over fast start funding levels. A number of developed countries are rumoured to be considering some kind of financing commitment here, including several large European countries such as Germany.

Mitigation state of play:
The negotiations have thus far not delivered on mitigation ambition at all. The EU hopes to sign the Kyoto Protocol with a 20% target that they almost already achieved. Australia is putting 5% on the table while 25 to 40% are needed and Japan, Canada, Russia, New Zealand and of course the US are not even willing to take any commitment under a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol nor to take comparable steps forward on reducing emissions.

Furthermore under the Kyoto Protocol discussions on limiting the trade of surplus "Assigned Amount Units" are ongoing. Europe is deeply split on this issue because Poland is insisting on the full carry – over of their hot air into the second commitment period. Russia, even though they are refusing to sign on to a second commitment period of the KP, insists on keeping their AAUs for the second commitment period and even beyond. These ongoing discussions not only impacts on the environmental integrity of the Kyoto Protocol but will place the negotiations on the Protocol at risk as well.

What is needed now is leadership by developed countries in raising their mitigation ambition and as well as providing certainty on finance for climate action in developing countries.

Ends

For more information please contact

Mandy Jean Woods mwoods@wwf.org.za / +27 82 553 4211 (please send SMS if urgent) @MandyJeanWoods
Samantha Smith ssmith@wwf.org.no / @pandaclimate
Tasneem Essop tesseop@wwf.org.za / @TasneemEssop

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

The Global Climate & Energy Initiative (GCEI) is WWF's global programme addressing climate change, promoting renewable and sustainable energy, scaling up green finance, engaging the private sector and working nationally and internationally on implementing low carbon, climate resilient development.

wwf.panda.org/cop18 for our latest COP18 news

Read The Energy Report at http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/climate_carbon_energy/energy_solutions/renewable_energy/sustainable_energy_report/

Open letter to Ministers attending COP 18 on a new framework to address climate change Loss and Damage

2012-12-05

Dear Minister,

The world's poorest and most vulnerable people, and many fragile and
precious ecosystems, are already being hit by the devastating impacts of
climate change. As a coalition of NGOs and civil society groups representing
millions of people who are extremely concerned about our changing climate,
we are calling for urgent action to tackle loss and damage, starting with
dramatically up-scaled commitments on mitigation and adaptation at COP 18
in Doha.

Scientists increasingly warn of the impending dangers posed by climate
change. The past 12 months have provided some of the starkest indicators
that climate impacts are unfolding much faster than previously modelled. This
year has seen an increasing number of severe floods and droughts and
dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice - all cause for alarm. In spite of these
realities, political leaders are still failing to act with sufficient ambition.
Globally, we are well off track to meet commitments on emissions reductions
to keep average global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Because of past inaction by developed countries and the sheer severity of the
problem, we have now entered a new era of 'loss and damage'. The first and
foremost response must be to immediately and drastically cut emissions, and
help vulnerable countries and ecosystems adapt to new climate realities.
Governments must now also recognise that we are in a 'third era' of climate
impacts and address and redress the permanent loss and damage that is
resulting from unavoided and unavoidable climate impacts.

Poor countries and communities least responsible for the global climate crisis
are also the most vulnerable. Given historic inaction by developed countries,
we are heading towards the biggest social injustice of our time.

Responding requires a new framework under the UNFCCC to address loss
and damage. This requires new approaches on finance, compensation and
rehabilitation. It also requires consideration of non-economic losses including
loss of culture, ecosystems, indigenous knowledge and territory that will result
from climate change. The adverse effects from slow-onset disasters such as
sea level rise or changes in rainfall patterns that lead to migration,
displacement and relocation also need urgent attention.

Therefore, governments must act in Doha to:
• Establish an International Mechanism for Compensation and Rehabilitation,
under the guidance of the Conference of the Parties;

• Ensure global leadership and coordination carried out through the
Adaptation Committee

• Continue the work programme on loss and damage under the Subsidiary
Body for Implementation (SBI), with active coordination and
collaboration with the Adaptation Committee and the Subsidiary Body
for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), which at a minimum
should focus on:

-Assessment of Loss & Damage at national level, in particular with
respect to slow onset events

-Approaches to address Loss & Damage, particularly for slow onset
events

We have no time to lose to limit emissions, increase adaptation and support
and establish a framework to address loss and damage.

Sincerely,

1. ActionAid International
2. Action on Churches Together (ACT Alliance)
3. Amigos del Viento Meteorología-Ambiente-Desarrollo (Uruguay)
4. Bolivian Platform on Climate Change
5. Bread for the World
6. CARE International
7. Christian Aid
8. Climate Action Network – Europe
9. Climate Action Network – South Asia
10. Center for International Environmental Law
11. Centro Humboldt (Nicaragua)
12. CNCD 11.11.11
13. Concerned Citizens against Climate Change
14. Ecodefense (Russia)
15. Forests of the World
16. Friends of the Earth (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
17. Friends of the Earth (US)
18. Greenpeace
19. Fundacion Centro de Estudios Ecologicos de la Republica Argentina
20. Kiribati Climate Action Network
21. Healthy Planet UK
22. Iceland Nature Conservation Association (INCA)
23. International Centre for Climate Change and Development
(Bangladesh)
24. International National Trusts Organisation
25. Nektarina Non Profit
26. Paryavaran Mitra (India)
27. Plataforma Climatica Latinoamerica
28. MAUDESCO/SARCAN (Mauritius)
29. Nature Trust Malta
30. Organismos no Gubernamentales de Honduras ASONOG.
31. Oxfam
32. Practical Action
33. Stichting CXI AD(aptation) Group
34. Sustainability Watch
35. Taiwan Environmental Protection Union
36. The Cayman Institute
37. La Cooperative de Profesionales para el Desarrollo Integral
(COPRODI) (Nicaragua)
38. HumanityWatch (Banglasesh)
39. La Concertación Regional para la Gestión de Riesgos de
Centroamerica Reza, Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh
40. World Team Now
41. WWF International

NATIONS: Forestry protection talks break down in Doha

2012-12-05

(Monday, December 3, 2012) Tiffany Stecker, E&E reporter

Developing and developed countries reached a stalemate over how to verify carbon emissions from forests in Saturday's talks on reducing carbon emissions from deforestation at the annual U.N. climate conference in Doha, Qatar.

Represented by Brazil and Norway, respectively, poor and wealthy nations were unable to agree on how high to set the standard to verify emissions reductions at the 37th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), the group that dispenses scientific advice to the delegates to the conference.

Developing countries argued for handling the verification process domestically, while the donor countries favored independent verification from an international group. The talks are among several in Doha to advance the creation of a Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) framework, a system that pays landowners to keep trees standing in countries that are prone to deforestation.

In essence, it reflects the proverbial chicken-and-egg dilemma: A wealthy donor country like Norway is reluctant to fund projects under the REDD+ mechanism if the verified carbon emissions are not completed to high standards. And poor, forested countries like many in the Group of 77 -- a U.N. coalition of less-developed countries -- are unwilling to take steps to verify to a high standard if they don't have any funding from donors or markets.

"We can't discuss money until we agree on verification; we can't discuss verification if there's no money on table," said Bruce Cabarle, leader of the forest and climate initiative for the World Wildlife Fund.
Clearing forests to make way for agriculture and other uses is responsible for about 20 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuel-rich Norway has committed $1 billion to curb deforestation in the Amazon and $1 billion for Indonesia. Although improvements have been seen in the Amazon -- Brazil recently announced a 27 percent drop in the rate of deforestation in just one year -- advancement in Indonesia has been rocky.

As part of its deal with Norway, the country initiated a two-year moratorium on clearing land in January 2011. Since, several accounts of land clearing have been reported by the media and environmental organizations, many by palm oil companies eager to expand their plantations.

A 12-month delay

Because a decision was not reached, the SBSTA punted the issue to the next U.N. Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 12 months from now.
Observers from different policy groups disagreed on who was responsible for the breakdown in negotiations. Kate Dooley, an analyst with the European forest policy group FERN, criticized Norwegians for pushing conditions on funding. Past climate conferences have yielded almost no commitments on funding from wealthy countries, she said.

"Rich countries are shirking any of their responsibilities to provide financial support and are placing increasingly onerous requirements on developing countries regarding [measurement, reporting and verification]," Dooley said.

This would lead to a scenario in which poor, tropical forest countries would need to submit to a more rigorous review process for forest carbon than what wealthy countries use to measure progress toward reducing their own carbon emissions from fossil fuel use.

Contrary to FERN's position, the Tropical Forests Group (TFG) blamed Brazil for being too bullish in blocking high standards for verification.
"Donor nations sent the signal loud and clear that finance to save forests would require verification. Catastrophically for our planet, Brazil refused to listen," said Culley Thomas of TFG, a California-based organization that favors private market mechanisms to fund REDD+. More stringent verification of REDD+ carbon savings is preferred by pro-market groups, which believe the verification would bring more investor confidence in buying and selling carbon offsets.

'Colossal breakdown in communications'

The impasse over verification, the "V" in the measurement, reporting and verification part of the REDD+ mechanism, known as MRV, happened as the SBSTA meeting was nearing its end. It marked a sour ending for a session that had earlier on made significant progress on other REDD+ issues, including an agreement on linking MRV activities to reference levels, or a country's rate of deforestation in a "business as usual" scenario.

"We had a colossal breakdown in communications," said Cabarle, who called the breakdown a tragedy. "If the issue of verification was going to be so important to the Norwegians, I think the message was not received beforehand by the developing countries."

"All the good work was held hostage over these two issues," he added.

Further discussions on finance will be carried out in the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (LCA) this week, where the lack of movement on MRV is likely to stall options on how to pay for REDD+. The LCA track at the annual climate conferences will dissolve at the end of the year to make way for the Durban Platform, decided at last year's conference in South Africa. Delegates are scrambling to finish as much work as possible on REDD+ in the LCA track to transfer it to the Durban Platform.

"I think that the unknown is really putting a lot more stress on these negotiations, with the sunset clause staring everything in the face," Cabarle said.

In an informal discussion in the LCA, a delegation led by Tanzania proposed to include a system to measure non-carbon co-benefits to REDD+, like increases in biological diversity. This would motivate countries in which forests do not hold a lot of carbon -- like many dry forests in sub-Saharan Africa -- but conservation measures still reap benefits like species protection, said Stephen Leonard of the Climate Justice Program.

"A door is open concerning co-benefits," Leonard said.

Australia argued that discussions within the UNFCCC should remain focused on carbon benefits.
Papua New Guinea proposed to create an institution within the UNFCCC that would deal specifically with REDD+, gathering the work spread out across all other institutions into one. The United States said this was not the time to create new institutions. Discussions will continue at this week's LCA meeting.

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CAN EUROPE PRESS RELEASE: The EU's 20% target reflects neither ambition nor the climate and energy policies they are developing

2012-12-05

[04/12/12 - COP18, DOHA] CAN Europe today accused the EU of failing to take the opportunity to lead on raising climate ambition to bridge the gigatonne gap in global emissions. In a new briefing [1], CAN Europe shows how the EU is already on course to reach 25% emissions reductions by 2020, with the final number being closer to 27% if proposed further reductions from various EU initiatives are fully implemented. If the EU would make full use of the opportunities identified by research groups and NGOs, it could reduce domestic emissions beyond 30%.

Wendel Trio, Director of CAN Europe said:"The EU is wasting this opportunity to take political advantage of the emission reduction policies they already have in place and push for more at the international climate negotiations. They know that in reality their emissions will be much lower and should dare to raise the bar and show others that everyone can jump higher."

"If they want to show other developed and developing nations that they are serious about avoiding a world beyond 2 degrees, they should bring something to the table this week, preferably a number beginning with three," Trio added.

EU policies already in place that, if implemented properly, will bring the EU's emission reductions to more than 25% include directives on fuel quality, energy efficiency, renewables, car efficiency standards and f-gases. In addition, if pending reviews on these policies and the reform of the emissions trading scheme are completed ambitiously emission reductions in the EU would go beyond 30%.

"I would ask Ministers arriving this week, and Commissioner Hedegaard why they are not considering taking this opportunity to lead?" concluded Wendel Trio, Director of CAN Europe.

[1] Download briefing at :
http://bit.ly/closethegapEU

Climate Action Network Europe is recognised as Europe's leading network working on climate and energy issues. With 140 member organisations active in 27 European countries.

CAN-Europe works to prevent dangerous climate change and promote sustainable energy and environment policy in Europe.

Contact:

Wendel Trio, CAN Europe Director, wendel@caneurope.org, +974 5524 7299 (Doha)

Matthew Keys, Communications Officer, matthew@caneurope.org, +974 3338 7010 (Doha)

Vanessa Bulkacz, Communications Manager, vanessa@caneurope.org, +32 2894 4675

Arctic States release UNFCCC COP 18 Statement

2012-12-05

The September 2012 sea ice minimum in the Arctic highlighted once again that the effects of climate change are especially dramatic in the Arctic. In a joint statement prepared for the COP 18 climate conference in Doha, the Arctic States call for international emission cuts, particularly regarding Short Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF), in order to slow Arctic warming. In addition the Arctic Council and the Swedish Chairmanship will also host a side-event on Arctic climate change 6 December during the conference.

Statement on Arctic warming

The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18) of the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change in Doha, Qatar began 26 November and continues until 7 December.

The Arctic States use the 2012 sea ice extent minimum as a starting point for their joint statement. They note that Arctic inhabitants have observed rapid reductions in snow and ice cover and duration over the past decades. The dramatically accelerated ice loss and changes in snow and ice-conditions are confirmed by satellite observations and scientific studies. This warming has cascading effects on biodiversity, ecosystems and human living conditions in the Arctic and around the world. Arctic climate change is therefore of major global concern.

Arctic States call urgently upon the international community to limit the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius by cutting emissions of long lived greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, but also prioritizing Short Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF). SLCF include black carbon, or soot, which is produced when wood or fossil fuels are burned. The Arctic Council will continue to spearhead efforts to address short lived climate forcers. Read the full statement here.

Side-event on global effects of Arctic climate change

The side-event Arctic climate change – rapid change and global consequences will be held in room Lefkosia, Hall 3 of the EU Pavilion at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha. The event will offer a wide range of perspectives and broaden the dialog on Arctic climate change and its global effects as Arctic Environment Ministers meet with scientists and NGOs to discuss pressing questions on the subject.

Several ministers from the Arctic Council member states will participate in the side-event: the Swedish minister of the Environment, Lena Ek, who will begin the event with an introductory speech/introductory remarks on the current situation in the Arctic; Jens B Frederiksen, Greenland´s minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Transport; Martin Lidegaard, Danish Minister of Climate, Energy and Building; and Peter Kent, Canada's Minister of the Environment.

Also, Lars-Otto Reiersen, executive secretary of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP); Samantha Smith, the leader of the WWF global climate and energy initiative, and Leehi Yona, youth delegate, will all be participating in the discussion moderated by Anders Turesson. Read the full event invitation here.

Bursting Bubbles of Hot Air

2012-12-05

Despite being in the middle of a desert, Doha's newly built convention center is well chilled. But the uncountable air conditions at this year's venue of the United Nations climate summit (COP18) did not cool the minds of climate activists this morning.

A coalition of Greenpeace, Carbon Market Watch and the WWF loudly drew the delegates' attention towards tons of hot air – hot air that literally is hidden in the current Kyoto protocol. The Kyoto protocol puts a price on carbon emissions. It is the only legally binding trading scheme aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. But the first trading period is ending in just a few days from now, at the end of 2012.

Activists handed out symbolic carbon credits to delegates for two reasons:

1. To call for a second period of the Kyoto protocol
2. To pledge for a dumping of surplus carbon credits in this second phase

One carbon credit allows a state to emit the equivalent of one ton of CO2. The flaw is: In the current, first trading period of the Kyoto protocol, has created a bubble: Too many countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Poland or Japan, have collected a surplus of credits – a surplus they want to rescue over to the next, ongoing years. The equivalent of all credit savings in this "hot air bubble" is 13 billion tonns of CO2. That is almost three times of what the 27 EU-member states pump into the air each year. If the states do not drop their surplus credits and thus do not burst the bubble in a second phase of the Kyoto trading scheme, these 13 billion tons of CO2 could be emit for free into the world's atmosphere.

To remind delegates of reducing their own country's CO2 emissions, they were invited to dump their symbolic hot air credits in a bin before entering the conference halls.

Call for a second commitment period

According to WWF's William McGoldrick it's Europe who has to be a rolemodel in the negotiations at COP18. "At the moment, countries jump out of the protocol, but still hold on their hot air credits," he frames the problem.

PRESS RELEASE: Consumer demand for climate solutions leads to expansion of WindMade label

2012-12-05

Supported by UN Global Compact, WWF, GWEC and Vestas, WindMade announces development of new renewable energy label to recognize a wide variety of renewable energy sources.

Doha, Qatar, 4 December 2012. The WindMade organisation announced today the development of a new consumer label for companies and products made using renewable energy. This will be backed by the UN Global Compact, WWF, Vestas Wind Systems, and the Global Wind Energy Council, the partners behind the WindMade eco-label. This move was declared at a press conference during the COP18 climate negotiations in Doha.

"Expanding WindMade is a natural progression, and this move follows strong demand from the market," said Steve Sawyer, WindMade's Chairman. "Today's announcement will allow us to engage a wider range of interested partners and supporters for this new renewable energy label, which is built on the success of WindMade."

WindMade was launched in 2011 as the first global consumer label for companies powered with wind energy. A range of major global companies including Motorola, Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank, Widex and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) have already adopted the WindMade label to demonstrate their commitment to using renewable energy in their operations.

"Both the private sector and consumers have a critical role to play in addressing climate change, and the value of voluntary corporate action cannot be emphasised enough," said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. "The aim of WindMade to foster corporate commitment to renewable energy and to raise consumer awareness for climate solutions is an important complement to intergovernmental policies."

The new label in the WindMade family will recognize a wide variety of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and geothermal, as well as hydro power and biomass from approved certification schemes. This will offer added flexibility to companies that use multiple renewable energy technologies in their energy mix.

"This new label continues the progress made by WindMade to successfully engage companies in addressing the impacts of climate change," said Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. "It is fully aligned with the UN Global Compact's efforts to promote greater corporate sustainability through the use renewable energy."

"We fully support the expansion of the existing WindMade label portfolio to include a comprehensive renewable energy label. WWF is working towards 100% renewable energy on a global scale, the most important measure to stop catastrophic climate change," said Samantha Smith, leader of WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative. "Progressive business can play a key role in furthering this ambition by voluntarily committing to do more than regulations require, and so support moves by governments worldwide to set ambitious renewable targets for 2030."

A global survey of 24,000 consumers across 20 countries, conducted earlier this year (1), shows that 92 percent of consumers believe that renewable energy is a good solution to mitigating climate change, and that if presented with a choice, most of them would prefer products made with renewable energy, even at a premium.

The WindMade family of labels is founded on the principles of credibility, transparency and intuitive communication, which are critical for an eco-label to capture and retain the attention of consumers.

"Companies are playing an increasingly important role in driving renewable energy investments around the world. We also know from our surveys that consumers are ready to reward companies that use clean energy," said Morten Albæk, Global Senior Vice President at Vestas and driving force in the conception of WindMade. "Having a consumer label that creates transparency about company use of renewable energy is really a win-win proposition. We are very pleased to see WindMade take this important step in the journey we initiated two years ago," Albæk concluded.

The new label will build on the technical foundations of the WindMade standard and will be applicable to organizations, buildings, events and eventually products.

The WindMade organization remains committed to grow and develop its portfolio of labels to cater to the need of sustainable brands around the world.

The new renewable energy label is under development and will be launched in 2013.

Notes to the editor

About WindMade

WindMade is the first global consumer label for companies and products using wind power. The label was launched in 2011 by a consortium including the UN Global Compact, WWF, Vestas Wind Systems, the Global Wind Energy Council, Bloomberg and PwC. A range of major global companies including Motorola, Deutsche Bank, Widex and BD have already joined the WindMade initiative to demonstrate their commitment to using renewable energy in their operations and manufacturing processes.

See www.windmade.org for more information.

About the United Nations Global Compact

Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is both a policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. As a multi-stakeholder leadership initiative, it seeks to align business operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals. With 7,000 corporate signatories in 135 countries, it is the world's largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative.

See www.unglobalcompact.org for more information.

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

See www.wwf.org for more information.

About Vestas

Vestas is the world's leading manufacturer of wind turbines, with more than 51 GW of cumulative installed capacity operating in more than 70 countries, saving around 55 mil tCO2 every year. The company employs around 19,000 people in operations around the world.

In 2011, Vestas spearheaded the WindMade initiative and is the lead sponsor. In 2010, Vestas also launched the Energy Transparency Initiative, which saw the publication of the Global Consumer Wind Study (see below) and the Corporate Renewable Energy Index reporting on corporate voluntary renewable energy procurement.

See www.vestas.com and www.energytransparency.com for more information.

(1) The Global Consumer Wind Study 2012 was commissioned by Vestas and carried out by TNS Gallup, polling over 24,000 consumers in 20 countries on their preferences for renewable energy and the perception of climate-friendly brands.

See http://www.energytransparency.com/reports/vestas-report-global-consumer-wind-study-2012.pdf for more details.

Contact Information:

Angelika Pullen, WindMade, angelika.pullen@windmade.org, +32 473 947 966
Kristen Coco, UN Global Compact, cocok@un.org, +1 917-288-0787
Mandy Woods, WWF, mwoods@wwf.org.za, +27 82 553 4211

For more information, see www.windmade.org.

See the Webcast here: bit.ly/TD00UE

URGENT MEDIA ALERT - Not another 4 years of blocking climate progress: How US Doha team must start to move forward

2012-12-04

With the ministerial session beginning this afternoon, to conclude climate change discussions at a conference threatening to end with no substantial delivery, one reason is that US climate negotiators appear at odds with the new ambition expressed by President Obama following his second election.

To hear more about what Obama must do, please join us at a press conference.

SPEAKERS: Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director, Greenpeace International
Samantha Smith, Global Climate and Energy Initiative Leader, WWF
David Waskow, Climate Change Program Director, Oxfam America
DATE:     Tuesday 3 December 2012
TIME:        16h30 to 17h00
PLACE:    Press Conference Room 2, Qatar National Convention Centre
PURPOSE:    What Obama must tell his team in Doha

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO PRESS RELEASE HANDOUT

Please note that this press conference will be webcast live at:
http://regserver.unfccc.int/grandreserva/public/schedule?conference_id=52&meeting_type=145&refresh_interval=120

For more information please contact:
WWF
Mandy Jean Woods
mwoods@wwf.org.za / @MandyJeanWoods
+27 82 553 4211 (please send SMS if urgent) / +974 6607 3079 (Doha number)

GREENPEACE
Tina Loeffelbein,
tina.loeffelbein@greenpeace.org,
+974 6618 6317 (Doha number)

OXFAM
Sunita Bose
Sunita.bose@oxfaminternational.org
+974 550 46084

Press briefing - Expanding the WindMade label to Renewables

2012-12-04

Leveraging corporate strategies and consumer demand to mitigate climate change

4 December 2012, 10.30–11.00 am COP18, Qatar National Convention Centre, Doha

Press Conference Room 2

Contacts:

Angelika Pullen, WindMade, angelika.pullen@windmade.org, +32 473 947 966 Kristen Coco, UN Global Compact, cocok@un.org, +1 917-288-0787

Mandy Woods, mwoods@wwf.org.za, +27 82 553 4211

Moderator: Steve Sawyer, Secretary General, GWEC, and Chairman, WindMade

Speakers will include:

-    Lila Karbassi, Head, Environment and Climate, UN Global Compact

-    Adnan Amin, Director General, IRENA

-    Samantha Smith, Leader Global Climate & Energy Initiative, WWF International

-    Bragi Fjaldall, Vice President, Vestas Wind Systems and Board Member, WindMade

WindMade, the first global consumer label for companies powered with wind energy, is now firmly established. WindMade was launched in 2011 by a consortium including the UN Global Compact, WWF, Vestas Wind Systems, Bloomberg and PWC. A range of major global companies including Motorola, Deutsche Bank, Method and Becton Dickinson have already adopted the WindMade label to demonstrate their commitment to using renewable energy in their operations and manufacturing processes.

Progressive companies are responding to consumer demand for clean energy production. Studies show that consumers prefer companies that choose renewable energy. WindMade is now recognised as a meaningful, independent and credible tool for progressive companies to demonstrate their commitment to renewable energy. The WindMade label helps consumers reward companies that invest in climate solutions.

Announcing WindMade plans for further innovations in consumer labels for renewable energy. At this press briefing, the high-level panellists will take stock of WindMade's success to date and highlight the critical role that consumers and companies can play in addressing climate change. The panel will also mark the starting point of the development of an exciting new consumer label, as an extension of WindMade, that will recognise a wider variety of renewable energy sources.

LIVE WEBCAST: http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop18/templ/ovw_live.php?id_kongressmain=231

Media Information: REDD+ at UNFCCC-COP18

2012-12-03

Broadcast quality REDD+ related b-roll and professional print quality photographs available for download at:

Username: WWF
Password: wTeNBQ
HTTPS://imgdropbox.interfacemedia.com
FTP Hostname imgdropbox.interfacemedia.com

Broadcast quality REDD+ related b-roll:
B-roll of forest and climate related images in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as interviews with Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Head of REDD+ in the DRC; and Flory Botamba, WWF-DRC REDD+ Project Manager -- shot in October 2012. Full background info on b-roll.

Print quality photographs:
Images related to forest and climate in the DRC, including local communities, charcoal, timber, firewood, REDD+ activities, etc.

Media contact in Doha: Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell, Communications Director, WWF Forest and Climate Initiative at email: jennifer.ferguson-mitchell@wwfus.org, mobile: +1-202-243-9902
To learn more visit: panda.org/forestclimate