Senior Environmental Markets Correspondent
Gerard's Feed
Dec 11, 2010

Global climate talks agree modest package, fund

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – The world’s governments approved a modest plan on Saturday to combat climate change, including a new “Green Climate Fund” to help poor nations, after sidelining objections by Bolivia.

“This is a new era of international cooperation on climate change,” Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa told delegates at the end of two weeks of talks that were overshadowed by disputes between rich and poor countries.

Dec 10, 2010

Climate talks down to wire, Mexico pushes for deal

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – Mexico scrambled to break an impasse between rich and poor nations over future cuts in greenhouse gas emissions on Friday as 190-nation climate talks went down to the wire.

Delegates said there was little progress in overnight talks in Mexico’s beach resort of Cancun and that the negotiations, due to end on Friday, may well be extended into Saturday as all sides seek a deal to address global warming.

Dec 10, 2010

China needs new place in climate talks: Zoellick

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – China and other big emerging economies must find “some place” between rich and poor countries to help in the global fight against climate change, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Thursday.

Disputes over sharing the burden of emissions limits between developed and developing nations have hobbled a two-week meeting in the Mexican resort of Cancun that is due to end on Friday.

Dec 9, 2010

U.N. climate talks on “knife edge”, Kyoto deal unsure

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – The outcome of U.N. climate talks is “on a knife edge” on the penultimate day of 190-nation talks with an impasse over the future of the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol, Britain said on Thursday.

A deadlock on whether or not to preserve Kyoto after 2012 has hobbled the two-week meeting in Mexico, and countries will have to agree to defer the issue if they are to unlock other deals on climate aid and protection of rainforests.

Dec 9, 2010

U.N. climate talks on “knife edge”

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – The outcome of U.N. climate talks is “on a knife edge” on the penultimate day of 190-nation talks with an impasse over the future of the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol, Britain said on Thursday.

A deadlock on whether or not to preserve Kyoto after 2012 has hobbled the two-week meeting in Mexico, and countries will have to agree to defer the issue if they are to unlock other deals on climate aid and protection of rainforests.

Dec 8, 2010

U.N.’s Ban urges climate deal, short of perfect

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – Saying the health of the planet is at stake, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged 190 nations meeting in Mexico on Tuesday to agree to steps to fight climate change without holding out for a perfect deal.

“We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” Ban told a first session of environment ministers at the November 29 to December 10 talks in the Caribbean resort of Cancun where rich and poor nations are split over cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Dec 7, 2010

Solving Kyoto row said key to unlock Cancun deal

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – Resolving a dispute between rich and poor nations over cuts in greenhouse gas emissions is key to unblocking progress on all issues at U.N. climate talks in Mexico, a senior official said on Tuesday.

New draft texts at the November 29 to December 10 talks gave widely varying ways out of the deadlock pitting Japan, Canada and Russia against developing nations who accuse them of breaking promises of future cuts under the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol.

Dec 6, 2010

Climate talks must heed business, set binding caps

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – U.N. climate talks must heed investor demands for binding cuts in greenhouse gases to cement the financial returns that will support low-carbon energy, said the co-head of green investment at a $45 billion British pension fund.

Two weeks of international talks in the Mexican beach resort of Cancun are unlikely to produce a firm decision on emissions targets for developed countries after 2012, when the present round of the Kyoto Protocol ends.

Dec 5, 2010

Brazil, UK asked to help end Kyoto climate rifts

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – Participants in United Nations climate talks asked Brazil and Britain on Sunday to help break a deadlock over the future of the Kyoto Protocol for fighting global warming as host Mexico expressed cautious hope for a deal.

Delegates called for swifter progress at the November 29 to December 10 meeting among almost 200 nations on a modest package of measures after a summit in Copenhagen last year failed to produce agreement on a treaty and damaged relations between rich and poor countries.

Dec 5, 2010

U.S., poor nations criticize new U.N. climate text

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – The United States and some developing nations criticized on Saturday a new U.N. draft text seeking to break a deadlock at U.N. climate talks in Mexico on a modest package to help slow global warming.

The 33-page text, outlining options for a possible deal at the halfway mark of the November 29 to December 10 meeting, underscored deep rifts between rich and poor about future curbs in greenhouse gas emissions and aid to help the poor.

    • About Gerard

      "Based in London, for four years I have helped coordinate Reuters global coverage of green business and environmental markets. I focus on policies and investment related to renewable energy, carbon markets, energy efficiency and emerging clean technologies including electric cars. I also cover UN climate negotiations, biodiversity, land use and climate science. Previously I covered distressed M&A and credit markets on the corporate finance desk."
    • Follow Gerard