Climate

September 2010, the German government presented the draft of its energy concept. It is marked by striking contradictions. In view of the large energy utilities’ financially strengthened role and the shift of competition rules into their direction, it is doubtful whether the concept can be successful.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an innovative instrument that enhances transparency in international climate politics. On the basis of standardised criteria the index evaluates and compares the climate protection performances of the 57 countries that, together, are responsible for more than 90 percent of global energy-related CO2 emissions.

The fifth Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) [1] – a worldwide national ranking of climate performance - was published today by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, Europe's leading network for climate and energy issues. The annual report ranks countries based on which ones show the strongest climate protection performance relative to one another, comparing 57 industrialised countries and emerging economies [2]. This year’s index showed Brazil to be the biggest mover, knocking the usually strongest player Sweden farther down the scale.

Climate change threatens to make the already difficult situation of food security in the world even worse. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - based on the evaluation of many scientific studies - has made a critical assessment of the possible impacts of climate change on agriculture, livestock and fishing, particularly in the countries of the tropics and sub-tropics.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an innovative instrument that enhances transparency in international climate politics. On the basis of standardised criteria the index evaluates and compares the climate protection performances of the 56 countries that, together, are responsible for more than 90 percent of global energy-related CO2 emissions.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an innovative instrument that enhances transparency in international climate politics. On the basis of standardised criteria the index evaluates and compares the climate protection performances of the 56 countries that, together, are responsible for more than 90 percent of global energy-induced CO2 emissions. The objective of the index is to increase the political and societal pressure on those countries, which up to now have failed to take initiatives in climate protection and which still neglect the importance of the issue.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an innovative instrument that brings more transparency into international climate politics. On the basis of standardised criteria, it evaluates and compares the climate protection performance of the 53 countries that, together, are responsible for more than 90 percent of the world-wide energy-related CO2 emissions. The goal of the index is to increase the political and societal pressure on those countries that have neglected their homework on climate change up to now.

The spectacular worldwide receding of mountain glaciers is one of the most reliable evidences of the changing global climate since mid 19th century. Mountain glaciers therefore, are seen as key indicators for climate changes and act as a sort of "global thermometer" (Haeberli et al. 1998b, IPCC 2001, OcCC 2002). And although the global temperature rise of about 0.6°C in the last hundred years might seem negligible at first sight its impacts are tremendous. Alone the Alp glaciers have lost around one third of their surface area and half of their volume by the 1970s. Likewise, since the 1980s 10-20% of the estimated 130 km3 of ice reserves have been lost (Maisch/ Haeberli 2003).

Hot summers, floods, and winters without snow – during the last decade extreme weather events have given rise to worldwide concerns. One can hardly fail to notice that these extreme events indicate potential impacts of climate change in the future. Other consequences, however, which are at least as serious, emerge only gradually. One example are rising sea levels which threaten huge areas and coastal settlements and have serious effects particularly on people in developing countries.

Brief information about the climate impacts of aviation.