Dutch Government Ordered to Cut Carbon Emissions in Landmark Ruling

THE GUARDIAN: Dutch court orders state to reduce emissions by 25% within five years to protect its citizens from climate change in world’s first climate liability suit

A court in The Hague has ordered the Dutch government to cut its emissions by at least 25% within five years, in a landmark ruling expected to cause ripples around the world.

To cheers and hoots from climate campaigners in court, three judges ruled that government plans to cut emissions by just 14-17% compared to 1990 levels by 2020 were unlawful, given the scale of the threat posed by climate change.

Jubilant campaigners said that governments preparing for the Paris climate summit later this year would now need to look over their shoulders for civil rights era-style legal challenges where emissions-cutting pledges are inadequate. » | Arthur Neslen | The Hague | Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Climat : Barack Obama ira à Copenhague
Obama avec un air d'arrogance. Crédits photo : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: La Maison-Blanche présente des objectifs chiffrés de réduction de leurs émissions polluantes. Mais des éléments relativisent cet engagement du plus grand pollueur par habitant de la planète

Barack Obama pouvait difficilement faire autrement. Mercredi, la Maison-Blanche a confirmé que le président se rendrait bien aux discussions de Copenhague sur le climat qui, à partir du 7 décembre, doivent réunir la planète entière en vue de négocier un traité qui fera suite au Protocole de Kyoto de 1997. Barack Obama y sera le 9 décembre, y apportera des engagements américains, mais devrait déjà être reparti lorsque les délégations entreront dans le vif de la négociation.

La Maison-Blanche explique que le président est prêt «à mettre sur la table» des propositions chiffrées de réduction des émissions américaines de gaz à effet de serre: 17% en 2020, par rapport aux niveaux de 2005, 30% en 2025 et 42% en 2030. Cet engagement, note le communiqué, est conforme à la volonté des Etats-Unis de réduire le niveau d’émissions de 83% d’ici à 2050. Il démontre leur souhait de contribuer à résoudre ce problème «que les Etats-Unis ont trop longtemps négligé». Engagement hypothétique >>> Luis Lema | Jeudi 26 Novembre 2009

NZZ ONLINE: China will Anstieg von Treibhausgasen bremsen: Peking nennt erstmals konkrete Ziele vor Weltklimagipfel in Kopenhagen >>> sda/dpa | Donnerstag, 26. November 2009

Saudis Seek Payments for Any Drop in Oil Revenues
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Saudi Arabia is trying to enlist other oil-producing countries to support a provocative idea: if wealthy countries reduce their oil consumption to combat global warming, they should pay compensation to oil producers.

The oil-rich kingdom has pushed this position for years in earlier climate-treaty negotiations. While it has not succeeded, its efforts have sometimes delayed or disrupted discussions. The kingdom is once again gearing up to take a hard line on the issue at international negotiations scheduled for Copenhagen in December.

The chief Saudi negotiator, Mohammad al-Sabban, described the position as a “make or break” provision for the Saudis, as nations stake out their stance before the global climate summit scheduled for the end of the year.

“Assisting us as oil-exporting countries in achieving economic diversification is very crucial for us through foreign direct investments, technology transfer, insurance and funding,” Mr. Sabban said in an e-mail message.

This Saudi position has emerged periodically as a source of dispute since the earliest global climate talks, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It is surfacing again as Saudi Arabia tries to build a coalition of producers to extract concessions in Copenhagen.

Petroleum exporters have long used delaying tactics during climate talks. They view any attempt to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by developed countries as a menace to their economies. >>> Jad Mouawad and Andrew C. Revkin | Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Americans Are 'Illiterate' about Climate Change, Claims Expert
THE TELEGRAPH: America's lack of knowledge on climate change could prevent the world from reaching an agreement to stop catastrophic global warming, scientists said in an attack on the country's environmental policy.

Professor John Schellnhuber, one of the world's leading global warming experts, described the US as "climate illiterate"[.]

He said Americans have a lower understanding of the problems of climate change than people in Brazil or China.

More than 100 scientists are meeting at Oxford University to discuss the dangers of climate change causing droughts, floods and mass extinctions around the world.

The conference is designed to put pressure on world leaders coming together at the end of the year for the "most important meeting in the history of the human species".

The UN Climate Change Conference in December will try to reach an international deal on cutting carbon emissions so global warming stays below an increase of 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels.

Prof Schellnhuber, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change, said the chance of getting such a deal was "pie in the sky" because rich countries like America are unwilling to sign up to ambitious enough targets.

"In a sense the US is climate illiterate. If you look at global polls about what the public knows about climate change even in Brazil, China you have more people who know about the problem and think deep cuts in emissions are needed," he said. >>> | Monday, September 28, 2009

Third World Population Controls Won't Save Climate, Study Claims
TIMES ONLINE: The population explosion in poor countries will contribute little to climate change and is a dangerous distraction from the main problem of over-consumption in rich nations, a study has found.

It challenges claims by leading environmentalists, including Sir David Attenborough and Jonathon Porritt, that strict birth control is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The study concludes that spending billions of pounds of aid on contraception in the developing world will not benefit the climate because poor countries have such low emissions. It says that Britain and other Western countries should instead focus on reducing consumption of goods, services and energy among their own populations. >>> Ben Webster, Environment Editor | Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Craggers Want to Plunge Our World into Darkness
BBC: Would you switch everything off and rely on natural light to save the planet? It's the only answer for the families going to extreme measures to cut emissions. 8am: Shower. Save the water. Save the planet (more) By Robert Greenall (Is this man trying to live up to his name?)

Mark Alexander