Historic Climate Agreement Finalized in Paris

Historic Climate Agreement Finalized in Paris

The final two-part agreement is 31 pages, down from the 86 pages agreed to last February in Geneva. The agreement consists of two parts: a formal text (11 pages) that houses the durable provisions and principles of the accord, known …

Climate change fuels Cumbria deluge

Climate change fuels Cumbria deluge

The severity of Storm Desmond in the mountainous Cumbria region of the United Kingdom is consistent with observed regional climate change trends and projections, including increases in the heaviest rainfall events and the occurrence of persistent atmospheric rivers. It’s likely Desmond also gained strength from Atlantic sea surface temperatures that are 1.8°F (1°C) above average and global-scale warming that adds extra moisture to the air.

Adaptation

Adaptation

Adaptation is a set of actions and policies designed to help communities prepare for and respond to unavoidable climate impacts. Read on for more on its role in the international climate talks.

Climate Change, Extreme Events

Climate Change Worsened 2014’s Extreme Events, Special Report Finds

NOAA has released its fourth special issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, featuring the research of 32 groups of scientists that investigated 28 extreme weather events in 2014 to determine the degree to which natural variability and human-caused climate change played a role.

Climate Action

UNEP Report to Show Climate Action Commitments (INDCs) Start to Close the Gap

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its annual report on the rate of global progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions at 3:30AM ET on Friday, November 6. So far, 156 countries have submitted climate action plans (also known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, or INDCs), covering almost 87 percent of global emissions. The UNEP Emissions Gap report is expected to indicate that the INDCs, combined with current global policies already in place, would result in substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, moving the direction of the global economy significantly closer to the cost-optimal pathway for holding warming under 2˚C.

Country Finance Pledges

Country Finance Pledges

National Pledges to the Green Climate Fund Countries listed in order of contribution magnitude. United States: $3 billion​ ​The largest single donor to the Green Climate Fund, the United States announced a $3 billion pledge (not to exceed 30 percent of …
Loss and Damage

Loss and Damage

There are limits to adaptation. Some climate impacts are already exceeding the the abilities of affected populations to adapt, causing loss and damage. The question of how to address these losses and damages is a key issue in the international negotiation process.

Emissions

Emissions Trading

The United States and Europe are leaders in regional and multinational cap and trade programs, and both are poised to expand their current markets. China recently implemented a series of regional cap and trade programs that have come online in …