Vanuatu emerges as global climate champion
The tiny island nation of Vanuatu, located in the Pacific Ocean, is highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of human-induced climate change. And along with other climate vulnerable island countries in the Pacific, it has been leading the world on the issue of loss and damage. Recently, Vanuatu prepared a resolution for the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US in September, seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the topic of loss and damage from human-induced climate change. Such an advisory opinion by the ICJ would not necessarily name any particular polluting country; it would rather give an opinion on whether or not a victim country can bring a case against a polluting country in the future. This would be a legal way to make polluters pay under international law if it goes into effect. An interesting feature of this bold action by Vanuatu, which has received strong pushback from some of the polluting countries, was that the idea was first put forward by a group of law students in the Pacific region, who prepared a brief on this procedure of going to the General Assembly first and then to the ICJ for an advisory opinion, and present it to the other island nations in the Pacific. The government of Vanuatu was the one who then took the lead in taking this forward formally, and is now seeking the support of all the vulnerable developing countries for the resolution at the upcoming UNGA session. If this resolution is passed, then the ICJ can give an advisory opinion on the legality of loss and damage claims between countries.
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.