Category Archives: UNFCCC
A Conference Carol
What does this difficult time for global cooperation mean for the future of the climate negotiations? We genuinely cannot say. In the spirit of the season, however, let the ghosts of climate change conferences past, present, and yet to come show us glimpses of what was, what is, and what could be. Continue reading
A Conference Carol – III
The disenchantment with unfair globalisation should be a wakeup call for those who think justice and ethics have nothing to do with global climate negotiations. Any global treaty or process that imposes an unfair burden will eventually be rejected. The “citizens of the world” may not have a vote through which to express their anger, but they will express themselves nevertheless, by rejecting the unfair. Continue reading
A Conference Carol – II
Some climate experts have tried to soften the blow of Trump’s election by saying the transition to renewable energy is “unstoppable”. This is misleading and dangerous, playing down the importance of US participation in the international regime. Continue reading
Justice is still critical in the post-Paris world of “nationally determined” climate action
Can we really solve the climate change problem without some notion of fair burden sharing? Talking about equity, it is alleged, may derail negotiations. But not talking about it can kill the possibility that the outcome of the negotiations will ever be implemented in good faith, with maximum possible ambition, or that countries will continue to engage. Continue reading
Scaling up adaptation 4: Empowering women is a process, not a project
Kudumbashree demonstrates, once again, the importance of community-drivenness, fiscal freedom, and a strong capacity development drive. Continue reading
As Indian budget increases climate allocation, coherent governance becomes an even more critical need
Anju Sharma and Pratim Roy* India’s 2015 budget was announced last week – the second budget of the National Democratic Alliance government, in power since May 2014. Although it includes an allocation for climate change, it sends out very confusing … Continue reading
Will India be the Grim Reaper again?
Before the 2011 Durban conference on climate change, China had announced that it if developed countries agree to a second commitment period, it is not averse to legally binding obligations as part of the post-2020 regime, as long as they … Continue reading
Climate change and the Post-2015 goals: Passing ships or all in the same boat?
CBDR was viewed as a dilution of the more straight-forward polluter pays principle, where the concepts of responsibility and liability are better defined. Two decades later, developing countries feel that even this diluted version of the polluter pays principle is threatened. Developed countries would like to replace CBDR with “applicable to all” in the climate negotiations, and “universally applicable” in the post-2015 negotiations, to reflect the “changing world order”. Continue reading
Vulnerable India 6: Decentralisation and its discontents
One of the most critical elements for successful adaptation by poor and vulnerable communities – if not the most critical element – will be their ability to identify local climate-related threats and respond quickly where response is possible, with locally … Continue reading
Vulnerable India 3: The politics of vulnerability
What is the nature of India’s vulnerability to climate change? This is a very important question. How we choose to answer it will determine whether we see and respond to the whole picture; or whether we choose to see only … Continue reading
It must be said! 