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Crunch time at COP24

It’s crunch time in Katowice, on what it supposed to be the last day of COP24, but the talks are heading for an all-nighter.  It is not unusual for climate conferences to run late—in fact, they all do. But it is always a question of how late.

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Most vulnerable countries

Some of the world’s countries that are most vulnerable to climate change took center stage at COP24.  Led by the Marshall Islands, the Climate Vulnerable Forum countries issued a plea for accelerated action. “We are out of time,” said Marshall Island President Hilda Heine in a video. Rising sea levels, she said, threatened the country with extinction, yet that has not stopped the country from submitting a new nationally climate commitment.

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The clock is ticking

Ratcheting up the pressure – Tension is rising at COP24 as the clock ticks down on the time available to complete the Paris Agreement Work Programme—which is supposed to guide countries as they implement the agreement.  UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the meeting that “it is a moment of truth” and that “Katowice must be the dawn of a new determination to unleash the promise of the Paris Agreement.” 

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Mid-week, final week

Mid-week, final week

Dec 11, 2018 | COP24, Events, Sustainable Development Goals

Significant progress in the negotiating texts has been achieved, but several political issues remain, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa told ministers and other high-level officials who have come Katowice to complete the negotiations on the guidelines for implementing the Paris Agreement.
Historic Global Compact for Migration Adopted

Historic Global Compact for Migration Adopted

Dec 10, 2018 | Events

In Marrakech, Morocco on Monday, 164 countries adopted the historic Global Compact for Migration, a blueprint for helping the 258 million migrants worldwide achieve a life of safety and dignity. Speaking to world leaders, United Nations Secretary-General António...

Shaping the Outcome

Shaping the Outcome

Dec 10, 2018 | COP24, Events, Sustainable Development Goals

Shaping the outcome - After a week of hyper-technical negotiations over the Paris Agreement Work Programme, the outcome of COP24—the guidelines that will determine how countries manage the process for implementing the Paris Agreement-- now sits in the hands of ministers and high-level officials.
Midway Point at COP24

Midway Point at COP24

Dec 8, 2018 | COP24, Events

Midway Point - With one week down, COP24 is ready to enter its second phase as more than 100 ministers are set to arrive in Katowice to hammer out the implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement. And while there has been progress, COP24 President Michal Kurtyka says there is “still a lot to do.”
Sharing the roads and Adapting to Climate Change

Sharing the roads and Adapting to Climate Change

Dec 7, 2018 | COP24, Events

Sharing the roads - Look at any highway in just about any city during rush hours—bumper-to-bumper traffic everywhere. But on closer inspection, many cars have only one occupant. But what if there were better forms of sharing and carpooling. According to experts, shared mobility in cities can provide all car trips with only two per cent of existing vehicles.