WRI Stories Feed: COP 18: Doha

Reflections on COP 18 in Doha: Negotiators Made Only Incremental Progress

Jennifer Morgan — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:09:27 -0500

This piece was written with analysis from Athena Ballesteros, Edward Cameron, Yamide Dagnet, Florence Daviet, Aarjan Dixit, Heather McGray, and Clifford Polycarp.

Expectations…

What Is Equity in the Context of Climate Negotiations?

Edward Cameron — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:15:00 -0500

This post was co-authored with Wendi Bevins, an intern with WRI’s Climate and Energy Program.

If you asked five different people what they think “equity” means, you’d probably…

STATEMENT: Climate Talks Wrap Up with a Deal in Doha

James Anderson — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 09:30:41 -0500

The climate talks (COP18) wrapped up today in Doha, Qatar, with package of decisions, including an agreement to move forward an international climate agreement by 2015.

Following are key developments:

The parties resolved the Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol by adopting amendments;
They wrapped up and closed the long-term cooperative action (LCA) track, including rules around finance, accounting and review; and
They agreed to move forward with the core elements of the Durban Agreement, including a workplan for 2013 to begin negotiating the 2015 legally binding agreement.

Following is a statement by Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute:

“It wasn’t pretty, but Doha delivered just enough to keep the process moving. By resolving the key issues, all countries are now on a single track to enter into a new international climate agreement by 2015.

“Yet, much more remains to be done. Over the coming year, negotiators need to step up their intensity and hammer out a plan that will lead to an agreement that is ambitious and fair for all. Moreover, they need to raise their level of ambition in the near term, even before a new agreement kicks in.

“Getting on the right track will take a greater commitment and sense of urgency than we saw in Doha. There were a couple of bright spots, including the EU countries that stepped up with important financial pledges. But the United Nations is primarily a reflection of the political will of its members– and right now we’re lacking leadership on climate from most world powers.

“Following President Obama’s re-election and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, many people were watching to see if the United States would shift its strategy. The US made some gestures, but it didn’t significantly change course. All eyes will be on the administration to see what further action it takes to lower emissions at home. President Obama’s legacy– like all world leaders– will in part be measured by his response to the climate crisis.

“The stakes are high. Whether it’s events like Typhoon Bopha and Hurricane Sandy, or record-breaking droughts and rapidly rising seas, the dangers of a warming planet cannot be ignored.

“The door is now open. It’s up to all countries to step through and get on course to a strong and fair climate agreement.”

Domestic Ambition: A Key Ingredient to Tackling Climate Change

Jennifer Hatch — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 11:31:27 -0500

In the UNFCCC international climate negotiations, “ambition” refers to countries’ collective will to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions enough to keep global…

Dispatches from Doha: “The Lack of Urgency Is Disquieting”

Michael Oko — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:59:52 -0500

Doha, Qatar, may not the first place that you’d pick for a global conference—many people would be hard-pressed to find it on a map. Yet, it’s the location of…

Fast-Start Finance: Where Do We Stand at the End of 2012?

Taryn Fransen — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:39:58 -0500

This piece was co-authored with Smita Nakhooda of the Overseas Development Institute, with inputs from Noriko Shimizu (IGES) and Sven Harmeling (Germanwatch)….

Week Two of COP 18: Moving Forward with 7 Key Issues

Jennifer Morgan — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:17:31 -0500

As we move into the second week of the UN climate talks, the desert sand is swirling around the conference center in Doha, Qatar. Countries spent the…

Making Progress on Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) at COP 18

Yamide Dagnet — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:11:36 -0500

The international climate deal reached in Durban, South Africa last December marked an important milestone in designing a system for…

What Is Ambition in the Context of Climate Change?

Edward Cameron — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:02:47 -0500

This post was co-authored with Kate DeAngelis, an intern with WRI’s Climate and Energy Program.

Ambition is a word often used in the context of…

Issues to Watch at the Doha Climate Negotiations (COP 18)

Jennifer Morgan — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:03:18 -0500

As the U.N. climate change conference in Doha, Qatar (COP 18) rapidly approaches, the urgency of climate action has never been more evident….