Last-minute deal saves fractious UN climate talks
UN climate talks in Poland ended with delegates reaching a compromise on how to fight global warming.After 30 hours of deadlock, they approved a pathway to a new global climate treaty in Paris in 2015.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25067180.
South Scores 11th-Hour Win on Climate Loss and Damage
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/11/south-scores-11th-hour-win-on-climate-loss-and-damage/
A climate for coal
The 19th Conference of Parties (COP-19) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Warsaw, Poland, seems to have continued the joint themes, of delivering less while being more dominated by corporations (& coal). Poland, as the hosting Government, is the world’s ninth-biggest coal producer. Unsurprisingly COP-19 may be the most coal friendly meeting yet. Confusingly, Poland actively facilitated a parallel International Coal and Climate Summit. That conference has been promoting so-called “clean coal” as a “climate solution”. And, according to a recent report, this growth in the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel is being financed by some major high street banks.
See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=12490.
Just 90 companies caused two-thirds of man-made global warming emissions
Chevron, Exxon and BP among companies most responsible for climate change since dawn of industrial age, figures show. Shell, BHP Billiton and Anglo American are also among the top twenty.
See http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/20/90-companies-man-made-global-warming-emissions-climate-change.
UK urges the world to prepare for action on climate change and puts brakes on coal fired power plants
All nations at the international climate change talks must leave Warsaw with a clear political understanding that a new global climate deal will be agreed in 2015, UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey told the conference.
See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-urges-the-world-to-prepare-for-action-on-climate-change-and-puts-brakes-on-coal-fired-power-plants.
End to UK coal investments overseas welcome – but it must include Kosovo
Amid the frustrating news coming out of the climate summit in Warsaw it’s refreshing to see that the UK government has finally come out with a clear statement on its intention to halt investments in coal overseas, joining the US and Nordic countries who expressed similar commitments in September this year as a step in fighting climate change. Nevertheless, as our enthusiasm about the US’s announcement was tempered by indications that it may still make an exception for the planned Kosova e Re power plant, we would urge the UK to make a public commitment that it will not support this project.
See http://bankwatch.blogactiv.eu/2013/11/22/guest-post-end-to-uk-coal-investments-overseas-welcome-but-it-must-include-kosovo/.
Dirty Money – an interactive documentary
Watch WDM’s online, interactive documentary exploring how UK banks are financing coal mining in Indonesia.Combining photography, video, graphics and voiceover, you can navigate your own way through a range of material exploring the issue. The documentary includes a wide range of interview clips, including indigenous people whose homelands have been destroyed by coal mining, people in the mountains of Java running their own renewable energy projects, finance experts and campaigners.
See more at: http://www.wdm.org.uk/webdoc#sthash.J19T0Jw2.dpuf.
Coal Seen as New Tobacco Sparking Investor Backlash: Commodities
About $8 trillion of known coal reserves lie beneath the earth’s surface. The companies planning to mine and burn them are being targeted by a growing group of investors concerned with the greenhouse gases that will be made. (Mentions Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Glencore Xstrata, HSBC)
See http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-20/coal-seen-as-new-tobacco-sparking-investor-backlash-commodities.html.
Glencore Xstrata to invest $100 million in South Africa’s coal sector
London-listed miner and trading house giant Glencore Xstrata is going full-speed with its plans to boost coal production in South Africa, and said it’s poised to invest close to US$100 million in new developments expected to supply nearly 60 million tonnes a year. In a presentation to analysts, the company — which started trading on Johannesburg’s stock exchange recently — said Monday that first production from its projects pipeline was already “being implemented,” while the balance of new production would start coming on-stream by 2015.
See http://www.mining.com/glencore-xstrata-to-invest-100-million-in-south-africas-coal-sector-20926.