International Climate Talks

Doha Climate Negotiations 2012

Bangkok Intercessional 2012

From August 30 to September 5, the UNFCCC held informal additional sessions of the ad hoc working groups in Bangkok, Thailand. The talks were held in preparation for the next UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 18), which will begin November 26, 2012 in Doha, Qatar. The Bangkok sessions set out to resolve and find practical solutions to various outstanding issues from the Durban negotiations held last year (COP 17) and the June 2012 Bonn intercessional meetings. Click here to read USCAN's Bangkok Round-up.

U.S. Submissions

United States submission on Cooperative Sectoral Approaches and Sector-Specific Actions - August 21, 2012
Advancing work of the ADP - July 27, 2012
US submission on REDD+ safeguards - April 11, 2012
The Durban Platform Plan of Work - Submission of the United States - April 30, 2012

Press & Analysis

The links below provide a brief round-up from the Bangkok talks.
- Progress Made at Bangkok Climate Negotiations, But Is It Enough?, World Resources Institute Blog, 9.6.12
- Climate Needs to Move to Top of Political Agendas, Denmark Says, Bloomberg Article, 9.5.12
- As UN Climate Talks Close in Bangkok, NGOs Demand Action, Ambition, and Accountability, CAN-I Press Release and Statements, 9.5.12
- Archived Video Footage from CAN-I Closing Press Conference, 9.5.12
- Bangkok Climate Talks Prep the Ground for Doha, Business Green Article, 9.5.12
- Bangkok Climate Talks Show Big Challenges Still Unresolved, Union of Concerned Scientists Commentary, 9.5.12.
- Global Climate Talks Make Headway: UN, AFP Article, 9.5.12
- Governments Set to Send Global Temperatures Above 3°C by 2100, tcktcktck Blog, 9.4.12
- Bangkok 2012 – Kaleidoscope of visions for Durban Platform make path forward unclear, Responding to Climate Change Blog, 9.4.12
- WWF REDD+ Expectations -- UNFCCC Bangkok Meeting, August 2012, WWF Global Blog, 8.27.12
- 3 Key Issues to Watch During the Bangkok Climate Talks, World Resources Institute Blog, 8.30.12
- Bangkok 2012 – USA Accused of Backtracking on Legally Binding UN Climate Treaty, RTCC, 9.3.12
- 'Delay in funds for adaptation imperils developing countries', Jubilee South News, 9.3.12
- Ghana: Future of Climate Finance At Centre of Bangkok Meeting, All Africa, 9.3.12
- Storms, drought overshadow UN climate change talks, AFP, 9.2.12
- United Nations begin ‘informal’ negotiations, Resource UK, 8.30.12
For more detailed coverage of the Bangkok talks, please see the following links.
- Bangkok Climate Change Conference Summary Highlights, iisd Reporting Services Webpage, 9.5.12
- ECO Newsletters, Bangkok 2012 Collection, 9.5.12
- The Adopt a Negotiator Project, Webpage, Latest post 9.3.12

CAN-I ECO Newsletters

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 1, August 2012
ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 2, August 2012
ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 3, September 2012
ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 4, September 2012
ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 5, September 2012
ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 6, September 2012

Other Resources

Bangkok Climate Change Talks August 2012, UNFCCC Press on Flickr

UNFCCC Meeting Homepage.
Important Issues at the Bangkok Climate Talks, Joint Briefs from Friends of the Earth US, Institute for Policy Studies, and more, 8.2012

Earth Summit (Rio +20), Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

June 2012

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development, more commonly recognized as Rio+20, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, came to a close last week. More than 50,000 delegates, private sector and civil society representatives attended. Some USCAN members were very active in Rio while others, like me, monitored from afar, hoping that the news of impending failure was overblown. The political outcome of the Summit was indeed called a failure by the media and various civil society groups and some governments. The Rio+20 Declaration itself, weak in terms of ambitious targets and commitments, did however include some important elements for climate change. It recognized the greenhouse gas mitigation ambition gap and the 2 or 1.5 degree Celsius target to prevent runaway climate change. It also recognized innovative sources of climate finance and the UNFCCC Durban outcome. Click here to read more.

Bonn, Germany Intercessional - May 2012

So We Have an Agenda, Now What? Climate Action Hotline 5.31.12

It seems like the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by parties at the end of the UNFCCC COP17 in Durban was not carried over to the 2012 Bonn intercessional meetings held May14-25. The two weeks of agenda fights and deadlock in Bonn regarding how to move forward on the Durban Platform make that... Read more of this article

Scroll down to find US submissions, an list of related blogs, press statements and reactions relating to the most recent climate conference.

U.S. Submissions

Views on Modalities and Procedures for Financing Results-based Actions, United States of America, 2012
The Durban Platform Plan of Work, United States of America, 2012

Blogs

The Lows and Highs of the Bonn Climate Talks, World Resources Institute, 6.1.12
Climate Justice: Creating Urgency and Safeguarding Rights, World Resources Institute, 5.31.12
Global Climate Justice Gets Its 15 Minutes, EcoEquity, 5.2012
International Climate Negotiations: Cutting the Gordian Knot, The Huffington Post Blog, 5.29.12
Special Bonn Edition, Climate Action Hotline, 5.18.12
Four Key Issues to Watch During Bonn Climate Talks, World Resources Institute Blog, 5.16.12
Kelly Rigg: From Binding to Fair, Looking Ahead at the Bonn Negotiations, Tcktcktck Video Blog, 5.14.12
A Spring Mood on the Climate Talks, Adopt A Negotiator Blog, 5.13.12

Recent Press

UN Claims Progress at Bonn, NGOs Disagree, Environmental Finance, 5.28.12
Slow Progress Since Earth Summit 20 Years Ago, TerraDaily, 5.26.12
India Scores a Crucial Victory, Times of India, 5.26.12
Stymied Climate Talks Heat Up, The Courier-Mail, 5.26.12
Climate Forum Offers a Chance for Qatar, Gulf Times, 5.26.12
UN Climate Talks End in Bonn with Progress on Technical Issues, Divide Over Durban Platform Negotiations, Environmental Defense Fund, 5.25.12
Climate Action International press briefing, 5.25.12
Reaction to the May 2012 Round of UN Climate Talks in Bonn, Oxfam International, 5. 25.12
ICLEI at Bonn Climate Talks, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, 5.25.12
Bonn Climate Talks Close in Disappointment; World Leaders Whistle Towards Disaster, Common Dreams, 5.25.12
Climate Talks Risk Sinking Like 'Titanic,' Independent Online, 5.25.12
Climate Deadlock Breaks as Slow UN Talks Frustrate U.S., EU, Bloomberg Businessweek, 5.25.12
Bonn Climate Talks End in Discord, Disappointment, The Guardian, 5.25.12
Little Progress Made at Bonn Climate Negotiations, Union of Concerned Scientists, 5.25.12
NGO Reactions as UN Climate Talks in Bonn Come to a Close, Climate Action Network International, 5.25.12
Rich-poor Divide Reopens at UN Climate Talks, Associated Press, 5.24.12
Emissions Gap Looks Set to Increase if Government Action Doesn't Step Up, Climate Action Tracker, 5.24.12
Countries Search for Consensus at Bonn Climate Talks, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 5.21.12
First UNFCCC Negotiating Session of 2012 Opens in Bonn, International Institute for Sustainable Development, 5.14.12
UN Meets to Discuss Global Climate Treaty, USA Today, 5.13.12

Press Statements & Analysis

Opening Press Statement of Climate Action Network - International, 5.14.12

Governments Meeting in Bonn Embark on Next Steps Following Historic Durban Climate Change Conference, UNFCCC Press Release, 5.14.12

CAN-I ECO Newsletters

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 11, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 10, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 9, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 8, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 7, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 6, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 5, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 4, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 3, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 2, May 2012

ECO Newsletter, Issue no. 1, May 2012

Other Resources

UNFCCC Meeting Homepage.

Durban Climate Talks - December 2011

From November 28th through December 11th 2011, representatives from around the world met to negotiate a global agreement to limit greenhouse gases in Durban, South Africa at the U.N’s 17th Conference of the Parties. The talks renewed the Kyoto Protocol in principle and a new process called the Durban Platform for Enhanced Cooperation (DPEC) was forged. Read more »

Panama City, Panama Intercessional 2011

Work for the third part of AWG-KP 16 were the same as for the June session, with Parties continuing to engage in the policy discussion in the contact group and in the work on the more specific issues in the spin-off groups. The Chair of the AWG-KP will prepare a scenario note in a timely manner before the third part of the session. Work for the AWG-LCA 14 will be similar to that for the June session, with Parties continuing their work on all agenda items in informal groups under the contact group. As agreed at the June session, this work will also take into account recommendations made at the session for focused in-depth discussion that would facilitate progress, in particular on technical issues. Click on the tabs to find US submissions, an list of related blogs, press statements and reactions relating to the most recent climate conference.

U.S. Submissions

SBSTA Work Program for REDD+, US Submission 9.26.11

Blogs

US Drags Heels in Panama, Tar Sands Action at Home, Adopt A Negotiator Blog, 10.12.11
Last Day of the Panama Climate Talks, Adopt A Negotiator Blog, 10.8.11
Hints from Panama: What can global warming negotiations accomplish in Durban, South Africa? (Part 2), Natural Resources Defense Council Blog 10.5.11
Hints from Panama: What can global warming negotiations accomplish in Durban, South Africa? (Part 1), Natural Resources Defense Council Blog, 10.5.11
Video Update from Panama Climate Talks, Adopt A Negotiator Blog, 10.5.11
U.S. Gets a "fossil of the day" for Keystone XL at the Global Warming Negotiations - Even Global Warming Diplomacy is Being Tainted, Natural Resources Defense Council Blog 10.4.11
US State Department Shaming Continues at UN, 350.0rg (Includes video clip of U.S. Fossil Ceremony)
Progress and Outrage. Another Day at the UNFCCC, Adopt A Negotator Blog 10.3.11
A Window of Opportunity at Panama UNFCCC Climate Negotiations, World Resources Institute Blog 9.29.11

Press Statements & Analysis

Nations Heading to Durban Climate Talks Remain Deeply Divided, The New York Times 10.10.11

Analysis

Earth Negotiations Bulletins, Main Page updated daily

CAN-I ECO Newsletters

Mid Week MRV, CAN ECO Newsletter 10.5.11
Increasing Ambition & Common Accounting – What are you Waiting for?, CAN ECO Newsletter 10.4.11
The Mandate, CAN ECO Newsletter 10.3.11
Building Capacity Building, CAN ECO Newsletter 10.2.11
Panama: Progress or Paralysis?, CAN ECO Newsletter 10.1.11

Other Resources

Climate Analytics Press Briefing for UNFCCC Panama Meeting, 10.4.11

CAN International Press Briefing for UNFCCC Panama Meeting, 10.1.11

WWF Expectations for the UNFCCC Panama Meeting , Member Only Log-in Required 9.1.11

Bonn, Germany Intercessional 2011

June 6-17 the second UNFCCC Intersessional Meeting in Bonn, Germany agenda included the 34th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), as well as meetings of the Ad Hoc Working Groups.