southafrica Archives - Global Warming is Real

The Choice to Move Forward on International Efforts to Address Global Warming

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

Every day a huge amount of oil is spewing into the Gulf of Mexico in the US. This is symbolic of the energy choices that we have made to date. And it shows the dramatic implications of that energy choice. But those energy choices are also having devastating impacts which are less visual but more damaging. Rampant global warming is…

Now is the Time to Shift World Bank Resources to Clean Energy

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

The World Bank has just announced its intent to seek $86 billion for a general capital increase (the GCI) from its donor countries (see World Bank press release). It is time for the World Bank to become a full part of the solution to global warming, not part of the problem and part of the solution at the same time….

Brazil, South Africa, India and China want Legally Binding Outcome in 2011 at the Latest

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

Ministers from four of the major emerging economies – Brazil, South Africa, India, and China (the “BASIC” group) – met over the weekend and through Monday to discuss the next steps in international efforts to address global warming. These four countries played a critical role in Copenhagen and collectively account for around 30% of the world’s global warming pollution* so…

Where Do Things Stand on International Efforts to Address Global Warming?

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

It is almost 3 months after the Copenhagen Accord was hammered out by 28 of the world’s key countries that represent over 80% of the world’s global warming pollution and some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (as I discussed here). Given the state of the Accord just after Copenhagen with some calling it a failure,…

80% of the World’s Emissions are Taking Steps to Curb Their Global Warming Pollution

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

As I mentioned here by the end of January countries were to register their actions to reduce global warming pollution as agreed under the Copenhagen Accord. And by deadline countries accounting for over 80% of the world’s global warming pollution (and a bit more) have registered their actions to reduce their pollution. So what does this all mean? The Natural…

Copenhagen Accord = Climate Action

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Jake Schmidt | 0 Comments

In December 2009, more than 120 Heads of Government attended the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, the largest meeting of world leaders in history (the previous largest one was the funeral of the Pope according to Wikipedia). Many of the leaders came to Copenhagen with new commitments to actions on global warming pollution (as I discussed here and here). Under the…

Climate Change Accords, Tree Plantations & Human Rights

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Andrew Burger | 2 Comments

With organizations and representatives around the world gearing up for key international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen this December, the experience of industrial tree farming in South Africa highlights the perils and pitfalls associated with hammering out a more comprehensive, multidisciplinary and integrated accord.