Michael de Laine's Blog - The Copenhagen Voice

#COP15 New tool lets you see how much GHG is released in your area and its sources

From the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 16 December 2009 Scientists from the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) have made it possible to visualise the distribution of GHG emissions all over the world at local level through an add-on layer to Google Earth. Their grid size is a tenth of a geographical degree of latitude by the same extension in longitude, or simplified, a circa 10 km x 10 km square, roughly the size of central Paris. Data used in the… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 16, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

#COP15 Avaaz posts petition to the 110 Presidents and Prime Ministers negotiating in Copenhagen

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 16 December 2009 Avaaz.org, the global web movement that wants to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want, has posted a petition to the 110 Presidents and Prime Ministers negotiating in Copenhagen. "In three days, world leaders will arrive for an unprecedented 60 hours of direct negotiations. Each one will have to decide whether to step forward as heroes, or fail us all. But they will only act if we do," the… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 16, 2009 at 8:13am — No Comments

#COP15 Studies show that subsidies green jobs do not generate growth, extra jobs

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice 14 December 2009 Studies and analyses of green energy, policies and ways to reduce CO2 emissions indicate that subsidised jobs in the green energy sector do not create growth, nor do they increase the number of people in employment. Researchers and economists who have published studies and analyses of green energy, policies and ways to reduce CO2 emissions in Germany, Spain and Denmark discussed their findings today at a meeting arranged by the… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 16, 2009 at 1:31am — No Comments

#COP15 Mayors sign communique to show they mean business in mitigating climate change

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 15 December 2009 More than 80 mayors from cities all over the world have signed a communique to show they mean business in mitigating climate change and at the same time call to leaders to reach agreement at the climate conference, COP15, in Copenhagen. Dozens of mayors from cities all over the world have signed a communique to show they mean business in mitigating climate change. At the Climate Summit for Mayors today, they also called to lead… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 16, 2009 at 1:07am — No Comments

#COP15 Greenland ice sheet discharges 30% more icebergs than 10 years ago – report

From the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, 14 December 2009 Scientists are alarmed by a 30% increase in the discharge of icebergs from the Greenland Ice Sheet over the past decade. Scientific observations confirm that all parts of the Arctic are reacting to global warming. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme has issued a new report synthesizing the latest scientific findings on the Greenland Ice Sheet, 'The Greenland Ice Sheet in a Changing Climate'. This prelimina… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 16, 2009 at 12:18am — No Comments

#COP15 Climate change in 2000 BC led to new shared identity, not war - research

From the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), 15 December 2009 The climate change that took place in Mesopotamia around 2000 BC did not lead to war, but in fact led to the development of a new shared identity. Although increasing drought often leads to competition and conflict, there seems to be no evidence of this in northern Mesopotamia, according to Dutch researcher Arne Wossink. Wossink studied how the farmers and nomads in northern Mesopotamia - currently the bor… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 11:01pm — No Comments

#COP15 Less than 48 hours left for climate conference

From the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, 15 December 2009 Today the environment ministers arrived in Copenhagen for the high-level segment of the conference, which opened at 17.00. So far, the negotiations have been led by officials, but with the arrival of the ministers the meeting enters a new phase. “The situation is serious if we are to achieve a result,”, said Swedish Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren. “We environment ministers have less than 48 hours left unt… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 10:45pm — No Comments

#COP15 Green operations help reduce costs, say Copenhagen businesses

From the the Copenhagen Business Center, 15 December 2009 Almost half of the businesses in Copenhagen are convinced that operating in a climate-friendly way will pay off in the long run, a survey shows. According to a recent study from the Copenhagen Business Center, businesses in Copenhagen believe in being climate-frendly. Almost half of them are convinced that operating in a climate-friendly way will pay off in the long run. “Copenhagen should be very pleased with this development,”… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 10:38pm — No Comments

#COP15 Canadian youth outraged at Canadian government lies about their future

From the Canadian Youth Delegation, 15 December 2009 Leaked documents have revealed a proposed secret framework that would weaken sectoral commitments laid out in the 2007 'Turning the Corner' plan, exposing the Canadian government's lack of intention to meet its national reduction target of 3% below 1990 levels by 2020, and to truly act on the climate problem. Leaked documents revealed by Canadian public broadcaster CBC late last night have slashed hopes that the Canadian government wo… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 10:30pm — No Comments

#COP15 The world is watching, holding its breath, waiting for the deal – Danish PM

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 15 December 2009 "The world is watching - literally holding its breath. We have until the end of this week to make a deal that creates a better future," was the message that Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark, had for the heads of state and government and other high officials when he spoke at the opening of the High Level Segment of the UNFCCC COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen this afternoon. "The world is watching - literally… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 10:18pm — No Comments

#COP15 Action rather stalemate: Let’s make history! - Hedegaard

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 15 December 2009 "Let’s walk those last steps! Let’s get it done! Let’s make history!" was the message that Connie Hedegaard, Denmark's Minister for the Climate Summit, had for the heads of state and government and other high officials when she opened the top-level part of the UNFCCC COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen this afternoon. “In these very hours, we are balancing between success and failure,” Connie Hedegaard, Denmark's Minister fo… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 15, 2009 at 10:00pm — No Comments

#COP15 NGOs criticize secretariat's 'draconian access rules'

From Climate Justice Media, 14 December 2009 Over 50 civil society organizations, from every continent have released a letter criticizing the UNFCCC's decision to limit access to the Copenhagen climate negotiations. The UNFCCC secretariat and the Danish Government, as President of the Conference, have announced that, in addition to previously publicized limits on observers on Tuesday and Wednesday, only 1,000 observers will be allowed into the Bella Centre on Thursday and only 90 observ… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 9:56pm — No Comments

#COP15 Antarctic scientists warn that rapid changes in GHGs and ozone layer 'give cause fcor concern'

From the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 25 November 2009 Although scientists studying Antarctica can estimate the impact of increased greenhouse gases and decreases in the ozone layer over the South Pole on the temperature, precipitation and sea ice in the region of the South Pole, they cannot say with confidence how the large ice sheets of Antarctic will respond. But they say in a new report that observed recent rapid changes give cause for concern – especially for the stabilit… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

#COP15 Danish-Swedish initiative to further climate mitigation steps for developing countries

From the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, 14 December 2009 During the UN climate summit in Copenhagen today, Sweden's development aid minister, Gunilla Carlsson, and her Danish colleague, Ulla Tørnæs, took a joint initiative that aims at to furthering the work on climate mitigation for developing countries after COP15, the UNFCC, summit ends. "We must ensure that the fight against both poverty and climate change takes place concurrently and not at the expense of each other," Ca… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 8:57pm — No Comments

#COP15 EU will not undersell the climate

From the Swedish Presidency of the European Union , 12 December 2009 The proposals that are now on the table do not deliver enough to keep the temperature rise to less than two degrees. This was the EU’s comment during Saturday’s plenary discussion. During the sixth day of negotiations, the countries commented on yesterday’s text proposals. At today’s press briefing with the EU Troika Sweden, Spain and the European Commission, Swedish Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren also c… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 8:35pm — No Comments

#COP15 "Time is short"

From the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, 14 December 2009 As the second week opens in Copenhagen, the negotiations are intensifying. In order to make progress, the Danish Presidency is today raising some issues from senior official level to ministerial level. “We welcome the Danish Presidency’s intensification of the negotiations. Time is short if we are to succeed. It is important that the key issues are now passed over to the politicians,” says Swedish Minister for the Envir… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 8:32pm — No Comments

#COP15 'Bright green' is solution to our global challenge - Danish PM UPDATE

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 13 December 2009 Adds video reports from 13 December. “We have faced global threats and challenges before and we have dealt with them,” Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said when opening the Bright Green trade fair for businesses showing climate solutions yesterday. “We know what the problem is and we have a clear answer: 'Bright green'.” “Something is stirring in Copenhagen these days,” Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen sai… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 14, 2009 at 10:00am — No Comments

#COP15 Low-carbon food indicates the future as COP15 takes a break

By Michael de Laine, the Copenhagen Voice, 12 December 2009 Low-carbon food does not have to boring, but can be a tasty work of art, as Tiffany Ng and Fabian Moraga demonstrate in a new guerilla dining concept in Copenhagen. In warfare, a guerilla pops up in expected places, attacks the opposition and then disappears into the local background, where he or she blends in totally. In Silver.Spoon, Tiffany Ng's guerilla dining concept, an ethereal restaurant appears for an evening or three,… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 13, 2009 at 7:55pm — No Comments

#COP15 Art exhibition shows how gender and climate change are inter-related

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 12 December 2009 International artists are exploring the inter-relation of gender and climate change at the most significant UN conference on Climate Change since Kyoto. Artport - Making Waves presents the exhibition '(Re-) Cycles of Paradise', commissioned by the Global Gender and Climate Alliance, in Copenhagen, until 18 December 2009.

… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 12, 2009 at 5:46pm — No Comments

#COP15 Double whammy to Canada for obstructing progress in the global climate talks

From Avaaz.org, 11 December 2009 The Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, made a special guest appearance tonight in Copenhagen to collect first and second place 'Fossil of the Day' awards, after NGOs from around the world voted to present Canada with a double dishonour for doing the most to obstruct progress in the global climate talks today. The European Union collected the third-place 'Fossil of the Day' award for failing to seize not one, not two, but five opportunities to show real leadership… Continue

Added by Michael de Laine on December 12, 2009 at 3:39pm — No Comments

< Previous Post

Michael de Laine's Blog (618)