Climate and Energy

An interview with Danielle Paffard and Melanie Mattauch from the UK and EU branches of 350.org.

The much anticipated Paris Climate Summit is only weeks away. Although there are many obstacles to securing a binding agreement in Paris, Green MEP Claude Turmes feels there are reasons for optimism, such as the changes taking place at the local and regional levels towards an energy transition. Now Europe has to be brave and show real leadership on technology and renewables.

The aftermath of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian military intervention and the undeclared war in eastern Ukraine.

The EU submitted its contribution (INDC) to the global climate change agreement in March, which is due to be adopted in Paris in December. It is worth noting that the EU was the first of the major economies to present its offer for the Paris agreement. Nevertheless, the extent to which the offer paves the way to an ambitious climate deal in Paris is questionable indeed.

It is deeply concerning that the Croatian government wants to return to the fossil era. And not only because oil drilling in the Adriatic threatens tourism, one of the most lucrative branches of the Croatian economy, which regularly contributes around 15% or more to the annual GDP.

The European Union has to revive its alleged climate leadership, build up trust and confidence, and form coalitions in order to make the 2015 Climate Summit (COP21) in Paris a success. Together, the EU and Latin American and Caribbean countries make up almost one third of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. An alliance between Europe and Latin America could revive and lead the negotiations towards a fair and ambitious global climate deal in Paris.

The European Commission recently released its vision for the global climate change agreement, which is due to be adopted in Paris in December. It is worth noting that the EU is the first negotiating party to present its offer for the Paris agreement. Nevertheless, the extent to which the offer paves the way to an ambitious climate deal in Paris is questionable indeed.

The aftermath of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian military intervention and the undeclared war in eastern Ukraine brought about a crucial change in the EU’s foreign affairs. The new understanding of a conflict-oriented and imperial rationality based attitude of the Russian leadership caused a substantial shift in the EU’s Russia-politics – and raises security questions not only at European level but also at the global scale.

By what laws of criminal justice does the Maldivian peasant claim redress for a home washed away into the Indian Ocean? To whom does the Brazilian smallholder farmer appeal when her crops fail to grow? A Review of Peter Christoff and Robyn Eckersley’s Globalization and the Environment.

Since enacting ambitious legislation in 2009, Scotland has been leading the way on climate change targets. But the campaign would never have been successful without the broad mobilisation of people across society, who came together to demand action. Now the activists are taking their story beyond Scottish borders, as efforts to build a European and global coalition gather momentum with Paris 2015 in sight.