> Negotiations briefing by an insider (our own mole): “The US is arguing for 4 years ‘reflection’, and then restarting the negotiations. (Yet the IEA says we have to have emissions going down by 2017. Yech.) Our insider is depressed – says it feels like the whole negotiations are back where they were five years ago. The US is trying to trap China into being part of the Emission Trading Scheme, but everyone knows the US can’t deliver on their own involvement. China is willing, but doesn’t want to move ahead of the US. India is making mad demands, but will probably flip and agree if it gets to the last minute. Venezuela and Brazil are playing a blocking game but can be turned. Russia and Japan will go with the flow once everyone else has agreed.
Climate Bonds Blog
We've been pressing governments - and the UNFCCC's Green Climate Fund - to use public finance mechanisms (PFMs) to support low-carbon investments. Yet not enough work has been done on evaluating the relative efficiency of PFMs.
We've just completed this (quick) report for the UNEP SEF Alliance, working with consultancy Irbaris. There are eight case studies - Germany, France, Canada, Ireland, the UK, China, Chile and Brazil - evaluated against a developed methodology, with "best" practices identified.
> The World Bank is exploring issuing the first Green Sukuk to fund low carbon development or environmental projects. They’re collaborating with the Islamic Financial Service Board (IFSB) to work out a framework to identify issues involved for Islamic financial institutions in the event of insolvency.
New York Times / International Herald Tribune - http://goo.gl/ZEop9
The Financial Times - http://goo.gl/pTVWu
The Economist - http://www.economist.com/node/21534810
Thanks to Sonia, Sophia and James.
Opening speech at the launch of the Climate Bonds Standard by co-founder, Nick Silver
Let me deal with each word in turn: Climate, Bonds and Standards
1. Climate.
Everyone seems to have forgotten about climate change – it’s dropped right down or even off the agenda. We have been distracted by rather serious problems elsewhere.
Climate Bond Standard released, open for business; Goal to Assure Integrity of Green Claims for Investors, Governments
LONDON TODAY – The Climate Bonds Initiative today released the final approved text of the prototype Climate Bond Standard. See http://standards.climatebonds.net/
The Standard is a screening tool for investors and governments to support investment in delivering a Low Carbon Economy. Bonds complying with the Standard will be certified as ‘Climate Bonds’— a mark that assures their contribution to the delivery of a Low Carbon Economy.
And then you get snippets to cheer you up:
- China’s State Council is studying the introduction of a green tax. They're also planning to cut emissions the unit of GDP by 16% within 4 years; that's very ambitious.
- Australia's Parliament passed carbon tax legislation. And their $10 billion green investment bank (they're calling it a Clean Energy Finance Corporation) should be through Parliament mid-next year and operational in 2013.
Earlier this month two news items rocked me, and I'm still rocking.
The first was the US Government's CO2 Analysis Centre reporting that global emissions had grown 5.9% in the past year. That's the highest ever recorded; it was chilling news. A friend called to say he was going ahead with buying land in Canada for his kids; not an option for most people.
We welcome three new members of Climate Bonds Advisory Panel:
Abyd Karmali, a Managing Director and Global Head of Carbon Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He serves on Bank of America’s Environmental Council and has worked for two decades on climate change and the carbon markets. He is also President of the Carbon Markets & Investors Association and Chairman of Just Energy, a new Oxfam initiative focused on access to energy.
The Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme will be formally launched in the London at 4pm on 24 November, 2011. The Scheme will provide assurance for investors about the low carbon integrity of bonds for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Speakers at the launch will be:
Greg Barker MP, Minister of State, UK Department of Energy & Climate ChangeBill Lockyer, California State Treasurer (by video)Christian Kjaer, CEO European Wind Energy AssociationJames Cameron, Climate Change CapitalSteve Lambert, GM Capital Markets, National Australia BankNick Robins, HSBC Centre for Climate Change