Day 8 Policy Updates: Coal-land

By Anna Odell and Bohdan Zymka SBSTA closed early Sunday morning (late Saturday night) and SBI closed this morning before the stock-taking plenary. Overall, the G77 remains unified in the face of growing political pressure, particularly on the issues of loss and damage and finance. The G77 has stated that they won’t discuss post 2020 finance until pre 2020 finance has been addressed, and LDCs...

12 Years Old Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) Revenue – a Slap to Every LDC

by Surya Karki Rajendra K Pachauri in his opening statement at COP 19 said, “it is extremely likely, about 95%, that humans are causing climate change.” So the question is, are we going to wait for the remaining 5%, to take climate change seriously? Or do the climate negotiators need more disasters like typhoon haiyan to prove the urgency to agree on a just climate deal? According to Mr....

Expelled from the United Nations: How the Executive Secretary Reacts to Solidarity with the Phillippines

By Maria Alejandra Escalante and Graham Thurston Hallett Before anything please watch this moving testament by Yeb Sano, head of the delegation of the Philippines. Four hours in, day one, COP19: Poland. Half a planet away, while the other half perishes with 20 years of inaction. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is tasked with saving the planet from anthropogenic...

Press Release: Climate activists thrown out for solidarity with victims of typhoon Haiyan

12 NOVEMBER 2013 The UN climate talks opened on Monday in the backdrop of the devastating impacts of Typhoon Haiyan one of the strongest storms ever to hit landfall. Yeb Sano, climate commissioner for the Philippines made an electrifying and emotional appeal for action on climate. Delegates held an unprecedented 3 minute silence in solidarity, and Mr. Sano broke down recounting how his brother...

First day, first actions, first signs of hope

by Lucas Burdick                 This is a late post, and very much a developing story. “Climate change means we face a future where super typhoons will no longer be one-in-one hundred year events…” said head negotiator for the Philippines, Yeb Sano, at the opening plenary of the COP. You could hear the tiredness in his voice and as he spent much of...