But several journalists with whom I’ve talked think the decentralization of the COP16 venue is going to take some fizzle out of what is usually a lively cultural and artistic scene. In fact, at the physical heart of the COP so far seem to be the autoroutes between the…
Yesterday the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to its Kyoto Protocol (KP) kicked off in Cancun, Mexico. The opening ceremony as usual helped set the tone of the event. After having attended four COPs and a few intercessional UNFCCC meetings, one thing I always look forward to is the opening of the COP. In addition to speeches by local politicians, the head of state, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, and a representative of the science community, there is always an element showcasing the local culture. While we are here to work, I still think it important to make sure that there be some symbolism as to why we are meeting…
I am a member of the Yale Delegation at COP 16, but I am also a delegate with the Federated States of Micronesia. The conference officially opened this morning with a welcome session.
Prior to the welcome session I spoke with a woman from another delegation on the shuttle ride over to Moon Palace, one of the main meeting locations. She seemed apprehensive about what, if any outcome would be achieved during the Conference. I am hopeful, that there will be a positive outcome from the conference, but I also wasn’t in Copenhagen at COP 15. People are still talking about it, and it’s disheartening to see that many of them still aren’t happy about it. It seems that the trust amongst parties has taken a beating, which is…
REDD+ Partnership Work Plan Meeting in Cancun
As part of the Yale delegation, I am working for the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) to promote the adoption of policies and language in the negotiating text that addresses international demand side drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The EIA is working in tandem with the Environmental Climate Alliance (ECA) a conglomeration of international NGOs that have similar goals with regards to REDD and international forest policy. Prior to arriving in Cancun, I analyzed the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’s (FCPF) REDD readiness plans (R-PPs) and UN REDD National Programme documents (NPDs) of several REDD countries to determine how they have incorporated drivers of forest degradation and deforestation into their…
The Mexican Government arranged offsetting the emissions derived from the COP16/CMP6 activities for all Government and UN Delegates, but not for Civil Society Organizations, as Yale University. Following with F&ES principles, and committed with sustainability, the Yale delegation to will offset it emissions trough a project in the Mexican State of Oaxaca, that
“promotes the sustainable management of natural resources, increasing biomass and forest coverage that will contribute to conservation, improvement and maintenance of biodiversity, promotion of biological corridors, soil conservation, increased water quantity and quality, and climate change mitigation.”
The offset include air transportation from New York City Airports, ground transportation and other activities while in Cancun.
More info about the project: http://pronatura.org.mx/Calculadora2010COP/archivos/SAO%20General.pdf…
Climate Change is again attracting public attention as the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change is getting closer. F&ES students from the International Conferences and Organizations, Environmental Diplomacy Practicum, and Environmental Protection Clinic classes will participate in the COP16 from November 27th to December 11th, 2010 to be held in Cancun, Mexico, with the objective of acquiring experience in the international climate change negotiation process.
During the semester the classes hosted guest speakers to share the last updates in climate science and in the international climate negotiations, such as Gary Yohe, IPCC leading author, Lumumba Di-Aping, former spoke person for the G-77 plus China the last year, and Crispine Gregoire, permanent representative from Dominica to the UN. There was also a mock negotiation…
![A summer at URI: Like a Clockwork [Osage] Orange](http://environment.yale.edu/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/IMG_9162-150x150.jpg)
“Nature is a language and every new fact one learns is a new word . . . I wish to learn this language, not that I may know a new grammar, but that I may read the great book which is written in that tongue.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, November 5, 1833
While many of my fellow colleagues moved away from New Haven immediately after graduation, I needed a bit of time to unwind and contemplate the last two remarkably grueling years volleying bombardment by new ideas, amazing people, creative projects to take on, and additional problems to solve, while peppered with the latest news on the rapidity and enormity of environmental and social
President Nasheed, seated in the center
“There is nothing wrong with being helped to go on living. And that is what this[climate change] issue is all about,” stated a senior official from the Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia. I am at a ministerial gathering of 28 nations of the Cartagena Group/Dialogue for Progressive Action convening in the beautiful island of Bandos in the Republic of Maldives. The participants are from Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Samoa, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uruguay, UK and the European Commission. The Cartagena Group/Dialogue is an informal space, open to all countries that…
I took a great courses at FES last spring which has been pivotal in shaping my summer internship experience with Axio Power: Dan Esty’s Environmental Law and Policy course.
For those of you unfamiliar with Dan, I encourage you to check out how much comes up from a simple GOOGLE SEARCH. Dan has his own page on Wikipedia, so he is definitely a big deal. Dan’s course focuses primarily on US environmental laws and regulations, including the political, regulatory and legal aspects of how we attempt to address environmental problems. We were challenged in the class to approach each regulation critically, and identify ways that we would choose to improve it. Perhaps someone in the Massachusetts legislature took one of Dan’s courses, as they seem to have…
Last week was a watershed moment for the Massachusetts solar market. Governor Deval Patrick joined Greenfield, MA Mayor William Martin and Paul Curran, Executive Vice President of Axio Power, in signing two contracts for the Greenfield Solar Farm – a 2 megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) project on Greenfield’s capped landfill. Greenfield Community Television published a video of the event, which is available on their WEBSITE.
I am interning with AXIO POWER for the summer to assist with their solar projects in the Northeastern markets, with a specific focus on Massachusetts. Prior to the announcement of the Greenfield Solar Farm, the only significant, larger-scale solar developments in Massachusetts were completed by the regulated utilities, especially National Grid. Other commercial and residential…
