PRESS/NEWS

Press Headlines

The "press headlines" is a daily compilation providing a general overview of international media coverage of climate change-related issues, that does not purport to be exhaustive. The information contained in the compilation is taken as is from sources external to the UNFCCC secretariat, that are freely available on the Internet. No evaluation on the part of the UNFCCC secretariat has been done in terms of the information that they contain. The UNFCCC secretariat makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or content of such information.

updated: 10 October 2008 09:41

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UN: Financial chills are ill wind for climate NEW YORK (AP) — The financial turmoil rippling across the globe will set back efforts to fight climate change, drying up capital that could help poorer countries upgrade to clean energy technology, the U.N. climate chief said Thursday. "You can't pick an empty pocket," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the U.N. climate secretariat. In an Associated Press interview, de Boer said a pledge of northern investment in developing countries, for "green" economic growth and for adapting to droughts, floods and other impacts of warming, would be essential to get poorer nations to sign onto a new global climate agreement.	The Associated Press

Carbon tax seen as best way to slow global warming NEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Climate taxes, not cap and trade markets alone, will lead to the vast technological changes the world's energy system needs to fight global warming, a top U.S. economist said on Thursday. Cap and trade has emerged as the dominant attempt to slow global warming. Global deals in permits to emit greenhouse gas emissions have hit nearly $65 billion a year. The European Union, under the Kyoto Protocol, has embraced cap and trade since 2005 and voluntary markets have developed in the United States, the developed world's top carbon polluter.	guardian.co.uk

Debate Over Climate Change at Columbia In a wide-ranging debate at Columbia University on Thursday morning, Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia’s Earth Institute, faced off over how best to address climate change. Mr. Sachs criticized current international measures as inadequate, and called for a global fund to finance new technology to help poor countries battle the problem.	New York Times

India refuses World Bank aid to fight climate change NEW DELHI: The World Bank cannot help India fight climate change. Claiming so much, the ministry of environment and forests has rejected the institution's recently created Climate investment Funds meant to provide resources to developing countries to battle the emerging climate challenge. In a stiff refusal, the environment ministry, the government's nodal agency on climate change issues, told the finance ministry that it was not interested in seeking funds from the World Bank to address challenges of climate change	Times of India

Carbon market is no safe haven yet LONDON: New carbon commodities are government-guaranteed in the climate change fight, but are still too complex and immature to provide a haven for investors fleeing financial markets' rout. Cap and trade schemes place a limit on industry emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, introducing a growing global trade in carbon permits worth $64bn last year. (...) But the market's relative novelty and complex regulatory framework are deterring a wave of investment for now.	Times of India

Dion put on defence as Harper renews attacks Conservative Leader Stephen Harper went on the offence Thursday, attacking the Liberal Green Shift plan and criticizing leader Stephane Dion for stumbling during a media interview. Harper, speaking at a campaign stop in Vancouver, told supporters Thursday that a Liberal win on Oct. 14 would drive Canada's economy into recession because Dion would raise taxes and increase government spending. "If you elect Prime Minister Dion, who would impose and raise carbon taxes and run deficits, interest rates will go up," said Harper, who continued to present his party as the best choice to manage Canada's economy during a time of global financial turmoil.	CTV.ca

Ed Miliband faces first test as minister for climate change A meeting of European energy ministers in Brussels is due to discuss the EU's target to generate 20 per cent of all energy from renewable sources. The issue has been the subject of some controversy after it was leaked that the UK wanted to remove aviation from the target. The government are concerned it would ground the aviation industry but this had led to accusations of "wrecking" plans to tackle climate change.	Telegraph.co.uk


In the spotlight

Ban warns leaders of perils of inaction on food crisis and climate change Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened a high-level gathering tonight on the combined impact of the global food crisis and climate change with a call to world leaders to hold each other accountable for making real progress to helping the hundreds of millions of people in need.	UN News Centre

Global leadership more vital than ever to solve today’s crises – Ban Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today opened the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate by urging world leaders to rise to the “challenge of global leadership” and work together to solve the most pressing and intractable problems, from climate change and the energy crisis to entrenched poverty and the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.	UN News Centre

Global advertising leaders and Ban join forces to fight climate change Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and nearly two dozen global advertising giants have launched a partnership to support United Nations-led efforts to reach agreement on slashing greenhouse gas emissions at a major international conference next year in Copenhagen.	UN News Centre