World’s mayors tackle climate change…

World's mayors tackle climate change on their own Cities consume two-thirds of the world's primary energy and produce more than 70 percent of its energy-related CO2 emissions. Five-day "cities summit" opens Monday to find ways for them to become more climate-friendly.

14/12/2009 - Copenhagen's lord mayor Ritt Bjerregaard (photo above) and some 80 other mayors and local officials of USA, Tokyo, Jakarta, Toronto and Hong Kong, have converged on the Danish capital in their own climate and energy summit.

They'll compare notes on how cities can combat climate change and save money on energy and other costs.

Today's cities and towns consume two-thirds of the world's total primary energy and produce more than 70 percent of its energy-related CO2 emissions, the International Energy Agency reports. That will grow to 76 percent by 2030, the agency says. Most comes from electrifying and heating private, commercial and municipal buildings.

In a report last week, the IEA's executive director, Nabuo Tanaka, said local authorities "have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" through renewable energy and other means. "Yet relatively few are taking up the challenge," he said.

Here in Copenhagen of 1.2 million, Bjerregaard has set ambitious goals.

Copenhagen reduced its CO2 emissions by 20 percent from 1995 to 2005. The lord mayor plans to reduce it by another 20 percent by 2015, and then to become "carbon-neutral," free of fossil fuel for core needs, by 2025.

Rows of scores of bicycles outside buildings are a common sight in Copenhagen where more than the one-third pedal each day to the office or school.

To reach its ultimate goal, the city plans to switch power and heat generation fully from coal to biomass — 97 percent of the city is linked to the waste heat generated by electricity plants — will make it easier to convert.

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Climate talks in turbulenceCopenhagen climate talks partly suspended on Monday noon after African-led protests.

Marianne Bom - 14/12/2009 - The main session of the UN climate talks in Copenhagen was suspended Monday just before noon, following protests led by African countries, Reuters reports. The African countries accused developed countries of trying to wreck the existing Kyoto Protocol.

"This is a walk-out over process and form, not a walkout over substance, and that's regrettable," Australian Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said about the action to Reuters.

At a press briefing Monday noon, UN’s climate chief Yvo de Boer said the Presidency of the conference would have informal talks with the negotiating parties in the early afternoon and that the talks would focus on the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol.

"The vast majority [of countries] want to see a continuation of the Kyoto Protocol," Yvo de Boer said. "This is not just an African concern."

Asked whether he had heard of any countries indicating that they might boycott the conference, Yvo de Boer answered:

"I am not aware of any country threatening to block anything."

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Russian call on big emittersAn agreement between the US, Brazil, India and China can form the basis of a global deal, says Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev.

Morten Andersen - 14/12/2009 - Four countries hold the key to combating climate change successfully. If the US, Brazil, India and China coordinate their commitments, an agreement will be found at the ongoing UN-led negotiations in Copenhagen – according to Russia’s president.

“These must be simultaneous commitments and commitments that we all abide by. Trying to do this by our own will be fruitless and pointless,” Dmitry Medvedev says, according to Bloomberg.

China, the US and India are three of the world’s largest emitters, while Brazil has a large impact on the global climate through its management of the Amazon forest.

Russia accounts for roughly six percent of global emissions and has recently pledged to reduce its emissions by 25 percent over the coming years. The cornerstone of the government’s plan is a huge rise in energy efficiency and more nuclear power.

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