At COP21, a Victory for 1.5 Degrees?
Major powers make a major concession on their stated climate targets. Given the money and the science, that concession remains largely rhetorical.
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Climate
106 posts
Three Words That Could Make or Break Global Climate Talks: ‘Differentiate,’ ‘Potodoso,’ and ‘Shall’
The closing week of COP21 will be defined by how—and whether—parties can agree to frame the final document around these three crucial words.
The First Week at COP21: Competing Realities in Paris
The climate summit emerges from a rocky week with a new text. Negotiations have been transparent and equitable—or maybe opaque and grossly unbalanced. Welcome to the COP-Spin Zone.
At COP21, a Frantic Debate Over Climate Aid, and Some Hopeful News About Climate Insurance
Last night's negotiations saw a lot of walkouts, with finance as the wedge. Climate insurance could be a major boon for the global south—and an easier pill for the West to swallow.
Climate Change and the Most Dangerous Places in the World
The 2016 Global Climate Risk Index, released today at COP21, quantifies the toll of climate change in countries most vulnerable. Delegations from richer nations should start paying attention.
From Sacramento to Paris, Bringing Divestment to Government as a Tool for Social Change
On Wednesday at COP21, divestment was king, as California touted its success, and Bill McKibben announced a major shift in global capital away from carbon.
Disaster and Migration in the South Pacific: A Failure of International Law
A new United Nations survey of South Pacific island nations highlights the necessity of easing mobility for climate refugees—and the importance of calling them refugees in the first place.
Hello, El Niño: The Pacific Ocean Is Looking a Lot Like It Did in 1997
Forecasters say we have a 95 percent chance of having an El Niño event this winter, but predicting its local effects is iffier.
Air Conditioners, Income, and the Changing Climate
A new study predicts growing income and increasing temperatures will boost air conditioner sales and energy consumption.
How Much of an Increase in Temperature Can We Tolerate?
An IPCC author assails the current two-degree target as scientifically bankrupt and geographically biased.