Home - IDN-InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters

Vulnerable Communities Reject Proposed COP21 Accord

PARIS (IDN) - Leaders from the U.S. and Canadian grassroots and indigenous communities have expressed their opposition to the proposed global climate agreement, saying that it falls far short of what is needed to avoid a global catastrophe.

With more than 100 delegates from dozens of climate impacted communities across the U.S. and Canada, the It Takes Roots delegation is calling on world leaders to emerge from COP21 in Paris with an agreement based on real solutions. COP21 is the 21st session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change from November 30 to December 11, 2015.

: Jaya Ramachandran; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 30 November 2015

Thinking or Not Thinking About Tomorrow

BERLIN (IDN) - A series of interviews with the German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel and with leading representatives of energy industries of the country, broadcast by the German public television network in run-up to COP21 in Paris, seemed to prove what critics of climate change conferences often claim: The governments of industrialised countries model their opinions and policies on the criteria laid down by private businesses.

: Julio Godoy; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 29 November 2015

79-Nation ACP Group Set to Become a Global Player


Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama	Lesotho Finance Minister Dr. 'Mamphono Khaketla	ACP Secretary General Dr Patrick I. Gomes

BERLIN | BRUSSELS (IDN) - The 79-nation group of Afrian, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries is determined to become a global player within and outside the United Nations system and at the same time bring the Brussels-based Secretariat closer to the seven ACP regions by participating in regional summits, on-going discussions within the group reveal.

: Ramesh Jaura; GLOBAL GOVERNANCE; ACP Group of States; 27 November 2015

Climate Summit An Opportunity for Accelerating Transformation

TORONTO (IDN) - The Global Environment Facility (GEF) expects the twenty-first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – from November 30 to December 11 in Paris – to be a “turning point”.

It expects COP21 to send “a loud and clear signal to citizens, markets and the private sector that the transformation of the global economy is inevitable, beneficial, and already underway”.

Governments from around the world are meeting in Paris to reach a new climate change agreement that aims to keep global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) – the level beyond which there will be irreversible impacts.

: J C Suresh; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 26 November 2015

Renewable Energy Can Sustain Growth in ‘Emerging Asia’

KUALA LUMPUR (IDN) - The need for sustainable development, aligning multiple economic and environmental priorities, stressed by the leaders of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies, in their Manila declaration on November 19, has been reiterated in a new report that forecasts a robust growth for ‘Emerging Asia’ in 2015 and in the next five years. SPANISH | GERMAN | HINDI | JAPANESE

: Krishan Dutt; SUSTAINABILITY; DEVNET; 20 November 2015

Education Can Promote Global Citizenship and Help the SDGs Succeed

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) - Since its inception, the United Nations has highlighted people-centred development. This is echoed in the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to leave no one behind. But how can this be achieved?

: Tharanga Yakupitiyage; GLOBAL GOVERNANCE; United Nations; 16 November 2015

Experts Caution about Rising Perils of Climate Change

BERLIN | GENEVA (IDN) - Ahead of a landmark United Nations climate conference beginning on November 30 in Paris, two international organizations are warning that unless appropriate steps are taken, the planet would become “more dangerous and inhospitable for future generations” and poverty stretch its wings further by 2030.

: Ramesh Jaura; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 09 November 2015

UN Targets 'Hidden Source' for Development Funding

UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The United Nations has estimated a hefty funding requirement of over 3.5 trillion to 5.0 trillion dollars per year for the implementation of its ambitious post-2015 development agenda, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), approved by world leaders in September.

But at least one key question remains unanswered: how will the UN convince rich nations and the world’s multinational corporations to help raise the necessary trillions to reach those global goals, including the eradication of poverty and hunger by 2030? SPANISH | GERMAN | HINDI | JAPANESE

: Thalif Deen; SUSTAINABILITY; DEVNET; 06 November 2015

A Young Japanese Foundation Reaches Out to the World

BERLIN | MILAN (IDN) - “To safeguard the future of the planet and the right of future generations everywhere to live healthy and fulfilling lives. This is the great development challenge of the 21st century,” declared the Human Development Report 2011, an independent publication commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme. SPANISH | GERMAN | HINDI | JAPANESE

: Robert Johnson; SUSTAINABILITY; DEVNET; 25 October 2015

Development Agenda Crucial for Nairobi Global Trade Conference

BRUSSELS (IDN) - The year 2015 has witnessed a number of global events so important to development, namely; the Financing for Development Conference that took place in Addis Ababa from July 13 to16, 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in New York that took place from the September 25 to 27, 2015, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) scheduled to take place in Paris from the November 30 to December 11, 2015 and the World Trade Organization Tenth Ministerial Conference (MC10) scheduled for the December 15 to 18, 2015 in Nairobi Kenya.

This is the first time that a WTO Ministerial Conference will be held on the continent of Africa and in an ACP Country, therefore I have no doubt that we are all equally enthused by this fact. Some reports from Geneva on developments in the negotiations at the WTO might damper our enthusiasm.

Agreement on issues of particular interest to the ACP Group, especially the development aspect, remains elusive. We have learnt of sentiments from some WTO Members that suggest that it is now time to fold the Doha Development Round (DDA) and close shop because of this lack of agreement on the issues under negotiation.