Klima

1. YOUR LOW PRICED STEAK IS PRODUCED BY 2. CATTLE FED CHEAP CORN AND SOY, 3. GROWN IN FIELDS WHERE RAINFORESTS WERE SLASHED AND BURNT, 4. MEANING THEY ARE NOT LONGER ABLE TO GENERATE RAINFALL IN DRIER REGIONS, 5. WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES ACCELERATE DRASTIC DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT!

1. THE BIGGER YOUR CAR, 2. THE MORE EMISSIONS IT RELEASES, WHICH 3. DRY OUT AGRICULTURAL REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD, 4. MAKING IT HARDER FOR SMALL FARMERS TO MAKE A LIVING 5. AND FORCING THEM TO MIGRATE TO CITIES, INCREASING THE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR!

Deadline for application 1st May 2012

Climate change will result in grave consequences for the health of the world population. While industrialized countries have begun to protect themselves by starting adaptation programs developing countries have only limited resources to do so. They however - and especially least developed countries - will suffer most from climate change. Yet historically the global warming is a result of the industrialization in the north although meanwhile emerging economies contribute more and more.

The expectations towards the UN climate summit in Durban were low. This briefing paper analyses and assesses key discussions and results of the climate summit in Durban and considers next steps.

One can perhaps say that, with Cancún, the major emerging economies have, to some extent, assumed the lead in the global negotiation process. After Mexico, namely South Africa (next Climate summit in 2011) and Brazil (Rio-plus-20 summit 2012) carry the central responsibility as the hosts of the next major summits.

Up to the climate summit in Copenhagen, international climate policy followed the strategy to achieve a "big bang" in the form of an international climate agreement covering the commitment period until 2020. At least for the time being, the window of opportunity for such an approach has closed after the moderate results of Copenhagen and the recent political developments in the US.

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.