The UN climate talks (COP23) open today in Bonn against a backdrop that is as mixed as ever – on the one hand, we have grim news depicting wars, famines, poverty, financial instabilities, terrorist attacks, the rise of extremism (in political spheres and elsewhere) and the resulting forced mass migration, to name just a few…
Tomorrow the UN Climate Talks are set to begin in Bonn. Over the weekend Germany held its largest climate march ever with tens of thousands marching the streets demanding an end to coal. Leading the front were the Pacific Climate Warriors calling on world leaders to keep fossil fuels in the ground. Originally published by…
As the Marrakesh Climate Talks come to an end, there is no denying that the global political landscape has changed with Donald Trump’s election win. But the global climate community remains steadfast. As people from every continent who have spent our lives working for social justice, climate action, and a better future for all, we…
As the Marrakesh Climate Talks begin in earnest this week, local and regional communities are keenly aware of what is at stake after record breaking temperatures this summer. This translates into dangerously hot weather for the region of this year’s climate talks. According to Climate Signals on July 21, Mitribah, Kuwait reported a maximum temperature…
Leaders are responding because the public demand for action is undeniable. The following remarks were made at the conclusion of the UN climate talks that formally concluded in Bonn, Germany on Thursday. This week — and the past few months — have seen an incredible surge of momentum for climate action around the world. Climate action…
This week 350.org was at the climate negotiations held in Bonn. I had the privilege of being on the closing press conference organised by CAN; below is the statement made: This week — and the past few months — have seen an incredible surge of momentum for climate action around the world. Climate action is in the air. People,…
Although the Middle East contributes relatively little to greenhouse gas emissions on a global level, several studies have shown that the region is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. These effects include severe droughts, water shortages, and flooding in coastal areas. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published a report last year entitled…
The UN Climate Change Conference–recently held in Cancun, Mexico–delivered what is considered to be a balanced package of decisions in the form of the ‘Cancun Agreements’ to serve as a foundation for future talks. After serious concerns about the longevity of the UN multilateral system since the fiasco in Copenhagen in 2009, many are now…
It’s been one year since the world witnessed the fiasco that was the Copenhagen Summit. At that event, some 120 world leaders were supposed to have arrived at a new climate deal but ended up instead with a non-binding agreement, the so-called Copenhagen Accord–a spectacular failure to deliver on promises of a post-Kyoto agreement to roll…
As the dust settles after the storm of last month’s Copenhagen summit, we citizens are left with uncertainty regarding our well-being and that of future generations. World leaders, on the other hand, have the Copenhagen Accord to hold on to as part of what has now become a charade to put in place a strong…
Hoda Baraka 