Lima Climate Talks: Update



Washout in Lima: CoP 20 ends without pledges for emissions cuts till 2020

Climate summit decisions will not result in a climate deal in 2015, says Centre for Science and Environment. World headed for a 3-4°C temperature rise

The two-week climate summit in Lima ended on a dismal note. Developed countries did not pledge to reduce their emissions from now till 2020. They also gave no concrete assurance to provide finance and technology to developing countries.

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Ecuador's anti-mining activist killed ahead of his visit to Lima

Government of the first country in the world to recognise nature's rights is under a cloud after murder of Jose Isidro Tendetza before he lodged a formal complaint against mining activities by China in Amazon's cloud forests

By: Anupam Chakravartty

Ecuador was the first country in the world to recognise nature's rights in 2008 after its president, Rafael Correa, backed by indigenous and Left parties, came to power. Instead of the common understanding of nature as a property or resource, these rights adopted in the country's Constitution acknowledge that nature has a right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles and vests with people the authority to enforce these rights on behalf of ecosystems.

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Lima climate summit: Commitment to deal with 'Loss and Damage' weakens

Least Developed Countries and civil society organisations call for an explicit inclusion of 'Loss and Damage' in the climate agreement being drafted

By: Arjuna Srinidhi

As climate negotiations in Lima head into the final 24 hours, several key issues remain unresolved, such as differentiation and the scope of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). It is still unclear whether and how adaptation and "Loss and Damage" (L&D) will find place in the final agreement.

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India committed to equitable climate deal: Javadekar

Indian environment minister says the country supports transparency of action but is against assessment of contributions


By: Vijeta Rattani

India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar said in Lima that the new climate agreement in the works must be based on equity and differentiated responsibility. He was speaking at the High Ministerial Meeting on Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, held on December 10, where ministers from various countries made their presentations. The meeting was presided over by Conference of Parties (CoP) president, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal.

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Developed countries face tough questions on emissions reduction

Inadequacy of targets and discrepancies in reporting highlighted at the first multilateral review of Annexe I parties


By: Arjuna Srinidhi

The first ever multilateral review of contributions by developed countries was conducted at the COP 20 in Lima. Sixteen countries and the European Union participated in the session, the objectives of which were to improve transparency and discuss the progress on their 2020 targets for emission reduction.

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Climate talks: developing nations on back foot in Lima

Developed countries seem well-prepared with a plan to end differentiation between developed and developing countries in climate change mitigation efforts


By: Chandra Bhushan

As the second week of the 20th climate conference started in Lima, developing countries are fighting to save even the semblance of the 1992 climate treaty-the Kyoto Protocol. There is a sense of despondency at the meeting venue.

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Developing nations fume over revised text released by ADP co-chairs

They claim their proposals on the new climate agreement in the works are not reflected in the revised text, tilted heavily in favour of rich nations


By: Vijeta Rattani

Two new documents released by co-chairs of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), Kishan Kumar Singh and Artur Runge-Metzer, at the ongoing climate talks in Lima left developing countries fuming.

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Latin American countries agree to stop deforestation at Lima summit

Pledge to replant nearly 20 million hectares of forest by 2020


By: Rajat Ghai

Eight countries of Latin America on Sunday pledged to replant nearly 20 million hectares of forest by 2020 on the sidelines of the UN climate conference in Lima, according to a report on the website of South African radio station Jacaranda FM.

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Indigenous people slam Peru government for unrestrained deforestation of Amazon

Around 13 per cent of original forest area deforested by 2014, according to a new report


By: Jemima Rohekar

As Peru hosts the UN climate change conference in Lima, representatives of indigenous people have called attention to the country's own policies related to development and deforestation in Peruvian Amazon forests.

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EU calls for 'Paris alliance' to ensure legally binding climate deal in 2015

European Parliament members in Lima to push for higher commitments from nations to keep world on course to below 2°C temperature rise


By: Kiran Pandey

As the climate talks in Lima entered the crucial second week, the European Union has called for responsible actions from all countries to achieve a climate deal in Paris that will not only contain global warming to below 2°C but also create jobs and foster sustainable growth.

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First global standard to measure greenhouse gas emissions from cities launched

The standard launched in Lima will help cities track their emissions and develop action plans to reduce it


By: Snigdha Das

Cities, the main source of global emissions, are central to the fight against climate change. Today, at the Lima Climate Change Conference (COP20), the first global standard to measure greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from cities has been launched.

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Health leaders call for concerted action on climate change at Lima summit

Climate change puts the health of people at risk, both directly and indirectly, say health professionals


By: Kiran Pandey

Health professionals, public health experts and policymakers have called for a fair and legally binding global climate agreement in Paris in 2015 to protect and promote human health. This message was conveyed at the 2014 Climate and Health Summit, as part of the ongoing Lima climate change conference.

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Failure to reduce emissions will dramatically increase adaptation costs

Even with measures to limit global warming to under 2°C, the costs of adaptation are likely to be two to three times the current estimates, says UN report


By: Arjuna Srinidhi

In a clear message to the negotiators at the Lima climate summit, a new UN report outlines the soaring costs of adaptation and the urgent need to protect communities from the intensifying impacts of climate change.

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Little progress in talks on new climate deal that will replace Kyoto Protocol

Even though differences over working mode of contact group was resolved, divide between developed and developing nations over content and language of draft text of new agreement and climate mitigation efforts persisted


By: Vijeta Rattani

There was little progress in climate talks at Lima at the close the first week of negotiations. Deep differences emerged at the very onset of contact group discussions on the draft text of the proposed new climate agreement which is scheduled to be signed at the Paris summit next year.

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Uncertainty over emissions reduction in near future

Only 21 nations have so far accepted Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol for emissions reduction up to 2020


By: Kiran Pandey

While talks are on in Lima to work out the new world climate deal which is to be signed in Paris next year, there is no certainty over the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol which is crucial for keeping the world on course to containing global average temperature increase below 2°C over pre-industrial levels.

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Development is top priority, says India at climate summit in Lima

Top ministry official confirms that India will not announce a 'peaking year' for emissions


By: Arjuna Srinidhi

The Indian delegation at COP20 in Lima spoke at length with civil society bodies and journalists on Friday to clarify India's stand in the ongoing climate negotiations as well as the country's priorities in the run up to the crucial summit in Paris in 2015.

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Varied visions for new climate agreement in Lima

As developed and developing countries continue to disagree over key elements of the new climate deal in the works, civil society groups suggest ways to keep nations on track for the final deal in Paris


By: Kiran Pandey

Progress in the UN climate negotiations continued to suffer from a failure to resolve deep-seated differences of opinion between countries about key issues that should be covered by the comprehensive new agreement to deal with climate change, due to be signed in Paris at the end of next year.

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2014 may turn out to be hottest year ever

What is particularly unusual and alarming this year are the high temperatures of vast areas of the ocean surface, including in the northern hemisphere, says WMO top official


By: Vineet Kumar

UN's specialized agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), released a provisional statement at the ongoing Conference of Parties in Lima, Peru (COP 20).

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Japan uses climate finance to lend $1 billion to Indonesia for dirty coal

Observers call for clear rules on climate finance to ensure money is not spent on projects that would cause climate change


By: Aditi Sawant

The fundamental premise of climate finance is climate debt-the debt that developed nations pay for their historical pollution of our common atmosphere, offering developing countries a sober and low carbon means of development.

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Climate negotiations on adaptation headed along divergent paths

Countries make little headway due to fundamental differences between developed and developing nations


By: Arjuna Srinidhi

The second day of the Lima summit saw a heated debate take place between developed and developing countries, particularly on the issue of adaptation.

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US $650 billion of annual climate finance flowed globally in 2011-12

UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance releases first assessment report on financial flows related to climate action


By: Vijeta Rattani

The UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance, tasked with enhancing transparency and clarity on climate finance flows, released a report titled "The 2014 Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance Flows" on December 3 at the Lima summit.

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Countries put forward their expectations of the Peru climate summit

BASIC and Arab group demand that the new agreement be based on equity and common but differentiated responsibility


By: Vijeta Rattani

The first day of the Peru climate change conference saw representatives of different groups present their agenda and expectations of the 2015 agreement and the role of the Peru summit therein.

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Peru summit: dignitaries call for equitable climate treaty

Negotiations in Lima expected to pave the way for new climate deal


By: Vijeta Rattani and Arjuna Srinidhi

The Conference of Parties (COP 20) and the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 10) began on Monday in Lima, capital of Peru.

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Lima climate conference has to 'write history' to save earth, says Figueres

Over the course of the next two weeks, delegates will attempt to hammer out the new universal treaty, which would enter force by 2020


By: Rajit Sengupta

More than 190 nations are participating in the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which began in Lima, Peru on Monday.

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