developed countries

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The Kyoto Protocol’s ultimate goal was to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at a level needed to mitigate future climate change. Despite Protocol signatory Developed Countries generally complying with current carbon reduction targets, World atmospheric carbon concentrations continue to grow at alarming rates. Can Developed Countries actually reduce future total World carbon emissions to mitigate climate change?[read more]

The governments of six developing countries may now be investing more in energy research than the governments of twenty-one of the world's most developed economies, according to a new report by the Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. The report takes a close look at the federal energy innovation policies of...[read more]

One of the most significant issues that world leaders will attempt to deal with at Cancun is the agreement on specific carbon emission reduction targets, particularly for Annex I developed countries, as part of a legally binding climate change treaty. This is of particular importance as the current set of emission targets set forth in the Kyoto Protocol is due to expire in 2012.[read more]

Today, our Mother Earth is wounded and the future of humanity is in danger. If global warming increases by more than 2 degrees Celsius, a situation that the “Copenhagen Accord” could lead to, there is a 50% probability that the damages caused to our Mother Earth will be completely irreversible. Between 20% and 30% of species would be in...[read more]

The intensity is palpable and spread thick across Copenhagen.  Within the Bella Center, the pressure is mounting on all parties as we launch into the final week of negotiations and hit crunch time. Developing countries are reacting negatively to demands being made by developed countries, which haven't been matched by commitments...[read more]

The first Tuesday in Copenhagen saw the leak to the Guardian newspaper  of a document called “The Copenhagen Agreement”, a proposed political agreement prepared by the Danish hosts, supposedly in consultation with the USA, the UK and some others. This may be one of several such texts in circulation. Neverthless, it raises a...[read more]

A new term has entered our lexicon without much fanfare, but that is about to change. When the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meets next month in Copenhagen, we will hear a lot more about "carbon debt" and the obligation that developing countries believe the developed world owes them...[read more]

There’s a familiar dance being performed on the world stage. It’s called the Climate Shuffle.  It has been going on for decades, but more people are watching now and every nation is practicing the steps. The dance is not complicated. The goal is to get everybody dancing together, a kind of Clean Electric Slide. But first, insist...[read more]

Originally posted at The Breakthrough InstituteHere's the current climate stalemate: While US and EU negotiators keep pushing for an international treaty based on cutting emissions, developing nations like China and India keep refusing to adopt hard emissions caps. But according to a new report by the Center for Clean Air Policy, those...[read more]

Princeton researchers are recommending a new approach to “common but differentiated” responsibilities for developed and developing countries, based on individual emissions and described in "Sharing Global CO2 Emissions Among 1 Billion High Emitters,” first published online in PNAS last week (PDF) and covered by the New York Times...[read more]