This week’s top climate politics and policy stories. Sign up here to have our Friday briefing sent to your inbox
Negotiating chamber, Bonn (Pic: UNFCCC/Flickr)
By Megan Darby
After a week of talks in Bonn, some signs of compromise over the shape of a global climate deal are emerging.
The US, EU, Australia and Switzerland are working on proposals to address the loss and damage inflicted on the world’s poor by climate change.
Developed economies have previously resisted the idea of climate compensation, so this more constructive engagement was welcomed by NGOs.
Rich countries are set to unveil details of how they will meet their climate finance promises at a World Bank conference next month, Ed King discovered – another crucial element.
Negotiators from 195 countries have entrusted the two co-chairs, Ahmed Djoghlaf and Dan Reifsnyder, with the task of slimming down the lengthy text by early October.
But fears remain about the sheer volume of work to get through before the critical summit in Paris this December, with just five more negotiating days to go.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I wonder if government officials love their children enough” – scientist and community organiser Leehi Yona reflects on Barack Obama’s words and the Arctic’s climate predicament
California coal
In the biggest divestment news since Norway, California’s two biggest public pension funds are ditching shares in coal.
Lawmakers voted 43-27 to pass a law requiring Calpers and CalSTRS to cut their stake in mines, citing climate, health and wealth concerns.
Meanwhile in Brussels, a coalition of investors urged nine multinationals including BP, Glencore and Rio Tinto to cut ties with Business Europe, a lobby group known for undermining climate policies.
INDC watch
Algeria submitted its contribution to a UN climate deal on Friday, pledging to cut emissions 7-22% from business as usual by 2030.
Indonesia mooted a 29-41% emissions cut, but the details have yet to be revealed.
Carbon-neutral Khyber
A Pakistani province better known for terrorism than climate action is planning to go carbon neutral by 2018, Aamir Saeed reported from Islamabad.
Dutch cowardice
The Dutch government is planning to appeal a landmark court judgment that requires it to make deeper emissions cuts.
Urgenda, the campaign group behind the lawsuit, expressed confidence the ruling would hold.
Trying Dutchman
Former UN climate chief Yvo de Boer has criticised the French presidency’s plans to invite heads of state only for the first day of the Paris summit.
He told Megan Darby: “My experience is, politicians travel in order to celebrate success. To fly to Paris and just show a bit of leg at the beginning of a conference is not really enough of a reason.”