Read more … AEFJN Factsheet Climate Change

Climate scientists have called for urgent measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally in order to avoid an out-of-control temperature increase. However, Environmentalists believe the newly proposed target by the European Commission is not enough to prevent out-of-control global warming. The cornerstone of the EU’s climate and energy policy will remain the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) that allows polluters to buy “rights to pollute”. Therefore, it is very unlikely that the ETS has effectively reduced emissions. On top of that western economies are depleting the earth’s resources to satisfy their soaring demand for new gadgets such as tablets and smart phones. So, the EU’s climate policy should rather focus on reducing energy consumption and sustainable management of natural resources instead of the neoliberal of infinite growth of finite resources to effectively reduce climate change.

Read more … 1402 No to Carbon Trading and to Infinite Growth

For generations, African family farmers have been tuning in to the knowledge of their ancestors to help them adapt to changing weather conditions and so provide enough food. This article gives examples of how this can continue to be done.

Read more … Farmers must be involved in climate negotiations!

A study by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security highlighted the creativeness of African family farmers in adapting to climate change. These creative and innovative practices which should inform the global debate on climate change were ignored at Doha, where policy-makers once more focused on neoliberal solutions which serve the interests of rich polluting countries.

Read more … African family farmers creatively seek to adapt to climate change

November 28, the conference for climate, COP 17, opens in Durban until December 9, 2011. Africa, a victim of global warming even if not responsible, hosts the conference.

2012 marks the end of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to fight against climate change. New obligations should be negotiated at the international level to extend the influence of Kyoto.

But there will be no post-Kyoto 2015. The European Union plays a crucial role for an extension of the Kyoto Protocol between 2012 and 2015.

Read more … Durban, COP 17 (2011)

November 2011 - This UNDP report highlights that equity and sustainability are inextricably linked. It notes that, if bold actions are not taken, environmental damage, including climate change effects, can slow or reverse development progress made in recent years.

Read more … Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All

Behind the climate issue, and the economic responses to it, lies everyone’s and every nation’s responsibility for ethical behaviour and solidarity towards their peers, near and far. The Church, as an authority and a people, has a share in this responsibility.

Read more … CLIMATE : the ethical responsibility of Churches

Read more … Glossary of terms

December 2010 - The geopolitical climate dominates talks

The first challenge was to manage multilateral negotiations. The adopted text does not contain sufficient measures to reduce the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The Green Climate Fund for aid is approved.

Read more … Climate change negotiations in Cancun

(Bolivia, 20-22 April 2010) was attended by nearly 20,000 people, including many representatives of indigenous communities in response to the failure of Copenhagen. Participants discussed issues that affect, among other things, family farming, adaptation to climate change, forests and the need to defend the rights of Mother Earth. They propose to create a court of climate justice  ... 

Read more … World People’s Conference on climate change

Read more … Outline of Copenhaguen Accord