Global Deal

Act fair and fast

TomAllen — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:56:00 +0000

Deliver a fair global deal that keeps global warming under 2 degrees C.

The UK is historically one of the countries most responsible for climate change. Even today Japan, Europe and the US pump out over 40 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. It is only fair that rich countries like the UK must act first and fastest to cut their emissions.

Durban: disappointment as climate talks end

Gail — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:15:55 +0000

Sunday 11th December 2011

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland today expressed disappointment at the desperate lack of ambition contained within the UN climate agreement in Durban.

Despite the growing warning from scientists, the reality is that this will be woefully insufficient to avoid global temperatures rising by more than 2 degrees, as was committed to at the talks last year in Cancun.

Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said:

"It is really disappointing to see such a desperate lack of ambition resulting from the Durban talks. What we are left with falls short of what scientists say will be needed to avoid runaway climate change.

Climate change talks in Durban

Gail — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:18:32 +0000

November 2011

The UN climate change talks will take place in Durban, South Africa from 28th November to 9th December 2011.
UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne MP, at the UN talks in 2010

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland will be represented at the conference to try to promote the example set by the Scottish Climate Change Act, which remains the strongest climate change legislation in the world.

Time is running out for an ambitious global deal on climate change to be agreed, as the only agreement we currently have – the Kyoto Protocol – is due to end next year. We urgently need a follow-on agreement if we are to keep emissions under control and avoid the catastrophic effects of runaway global warming.

Minister packs Scotland's 'Suitcase of Hope' ahead of Durban climate talks

Gail — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Thursday 24th November 2011

As he prepares to pack his suitcase and join the UK delegation at the COP17 climate talks in Durban, Stewart Stevenson MSP, today received a few extra items to take with him to South Africa.

Check out the African Climate Connection!

FionaD — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:03:03 +0000

26 November - 3 December

In the run up and during the first week of the UN Climate talks in Durban, South Africa, grassroots groups connected with each other and with the climate talks at African-themed events around the UK.

Speak Out for Climate Justice

FionaD — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:30:31 +0000

Thanks to all those who came to Manchester on Saturday 1st October - the hottest October day on record - to speak out for climate justice ahead of the Conservative Party Conference.

The Scottish Climate Change Act and how SCCS helped influence it

Gail — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:44:44 +0000

The Scottish Climate Change Act was passed in 2009 and remains the strongest climate change legislation anywhere in the world.

Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions are a small percentage of global emissions, so we cannot tackle this problem alone. In order to encourage other rich countries to commit to similarly ambitious climate laws, we have produced a short film about the Scottish Act which explains our role in influencing it.

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is the largest and most powerful civil society coalition in Scotland, made up of organisations ranging from community and faith groups, environment and development organisations and students and trade unions. Part of our success has come from working together across such a diverse range of organisations under the common goal: to stop climate chaos.

We are keen to encourage and support other civil society groups in other countries to work together to create momentum for urgent action on climate change. Please feel free to get in touch with us for more information at info[at]stopclimatechaosscotland.org.

Watch our short video to find out more: SCCS Climate Change Act film

The African Climate Connection is coming…

FionaD — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:02:53 +0000

26 November - 3 December

During the first week of the UN Climate talks in Durban, South Africa at the end of November, grassroots groups will connect with each other and with the climate talks at African-themed events around the UK.

This will be a great chance to build local connections and show MPs the strength of local concern about climate change.

Cancun climate talks: A small step forward

FionaD — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:22:21 +0000

The UN Climate Talks in Cancun are now over and finally we have some good news. Of course your interpretation of good news depends on where you’re coming from, and coming from last year’s failed negotiations in Copenhagen, any step forward is a relief.

Mixed progress sets the stage for major progress in South Africa

Gail — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:25:14 +0000

11th December 2010

As the UN climate conference in Cancun finishes, the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition urged Governments to build on the progress made and aim for a major global deal at next year’s summit in Durban, South Africa.

Tom Ballantine, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said: “Some good progress has been made on a Green Climate Fund, protecting forests and reporting systems, but there has been little movement on critical issues like setting targets under the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol.

SCCS at UN climate change conference in Cancun

Gail — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:03:01 +0000

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland @ Cop16

The UN climate change talks are now underway in Cancun, Mexico. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland will be represented at the conference to try to promote the example set by the Scottish Climate Change Act, which is currently the strongest climate change legislation in the world. We'll be reporting back via this web blog each day.

Read the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland Cancun blog below.

You can see photos from Stop Climate Chaos Scotland at Cancun here.

Read Stop Climate Chaos Scotland's closing media statement on Cancun here and our opening media statement here.

The November Big Climate Connection

FionaD — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:55:00 +0000

Starting on 5-6th November last year, people across the UK from all walks of life – from supporters of environment and development groups, to local community groups and health professionals - joined up to lobby more than 220 MPs as part of the Big Climate Connection.

Big 5 for 350 Global Day of Climate Action

TomAllen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:31:09 +0000

Aerial photograph led by 350 ambassador Bianca Jagger marks global day of climate action to spread most important number in the world on Saturday 24 October, Jubilee Gardens, London’s South Bank.

One of over 3,000 Simultaneous Events in Over 160 Countries

Photocall

When: 14h00 – 15h30, Saturday 24 October 2009

Gordon Brown right to acknowledge importance of global climate deal

AndyBrace — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:01:01 +0000

Gordon Brown is right to acknowledge the vital importance of reaching a global deal on climate change, Friends of the Earth said today.

The Great Persuasion

TomAllen — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:22:00 +0000

173 million people across the world, including 220, 565 in the UK, took part in lobbies, demonstrations, petitions, public meetings and special faith services from 16-18 October to deliver a message to politicians that action must be taken to tackle Global Poverty and Climate Change.

Gordon Brown's climate manifesto for Copenhagen

TomAllen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:34:51 +0000

In a manifesto launched today, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged UK leadership in tackling climate change during the run-up to the UN climate summit in Copenhagen this December. Alongside the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband, he has outlined his vision for a new deal where the emissions of developed nations will peak by 2020 (we believe the deal should be no later than 2015) and decline thereafter.

Brown sets out his climate stall for Copenhagen

AndyBrace — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:46:52 +0000

It's been a long time since there were polar bears at London Zoo, but the famous attraction still houses many other species which are threatened by the effects of climate change. So I can't help but wonder whether this fact registered with Gordon Brown (himself an endangered species) as he stood up at the zoo to present his blueprint for a global climate
action plan.

World Development Movement response to the government's 'Road to Copenhagen'

AndyBrace — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:53:10 +0000

The World Development Movement strongly criticises the government's 'Road to Copenhagen' as 'riddled with pot holes.'

Tim Jones, climate policy officer at the World Development Movement said:

Brown climate speech - Greenpeace responds

AndyBrace — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:14:19 +0000

Commenting on today's climate change speech by Gordon Brown, Greenpeace Chief Scientist Dr Doug Parr said:

Stars go blue in the face for climate change

TomAllen — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:01:04 +0000

Oxfam have produced a new Stop Climate Chaos video for Glastonbury as part of their Here and Now climate change campaign.

The video features Fatboy Slim, Jarvis Cocker, VV Brown, Little Boots and more, and they want you to join them 'demanding action until you're blue in the face'. They've also got photographer Rankin to take some great shots of everyone involved. Have a sneak preview below!

World Governments Urged to do More to End the Recession

Timystic — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

At the end of March, ahead of the London G20 Summit, the Put People First alliance – made up of over 160 unions, development agencies, faith and environmental groups – brought 35,000 people onto the streets of London, where they marched for action on jobs and climate change, and justice for the world’s poor.

After the Summit, Put People First welcomed positive moves made in London, such as a commitment to better regulation of the global financial system and a promise to crack down on tax havens, but said that much more still needed to be done.

Join the Climate Emergency Parliament

Timystic — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:55:54 +0000

Have your say on the UK Government’s measures on climate change on Campaign Against Climate Change’s Climate Emergency Parliament.

The Climate Emergency Parliament is all about taking the emergency measures on climate change that the government is failing to... in particular a package of radical commitments at the national level that will send a strong positive message to the international community meeting at the Copenhagen Talks at the end of the year.

Europe's finance stalemate threatens global climate deal

AndyBrace — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

European ministers are failing to agree a finance plan to tackle climate change, threatening the global deal in Copenhagen.

Carteret Islands sunk by climate change

AndyBrace — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:22:25 +0000

For most people in the UK, climate change feels like something that will happen at some undefined point in the future - to our children and grandchildren's generation. For the people of the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea, it's a bit more serious than "one of those summers". As the sea level rises, their drinking water and crops have been poisoned by salt. The 1000 Islanders are packing up and their home abandoned to the waves.

Big, cold and slow? Ice speeds up as climate talks slow down

AndyBrace — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:20:28 +0000

Antarctic ice sheets are formed when glaciers meet the sea.

17 years later, world leaders haven't moved on when it comes to the climate

AndyBrace — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:12:49 +0000

Stability, growth, jobs all good - but where's the climate leadership? CC Image from London Summit on Flickr

Put People First march for jobs, justice and climate

TomAllen — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:07:52 +0000

* This article has been updated since the march, to read how the event went, see here.

We can and must tackle climate change and the economic downturn together.

On 2 April, 20 world leaders (the G20) meet in London to talk about the global financial crisis.

However even before the recent banking collapse, the world was already suffering poverty, inequality and the threat of climate chaos.

Our future depends on creating an economy based on the fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a low carbon world. Sign this petition to get your message to the G20, and add the petition to your Facebook page.

African leaders ask Brown to put people first at the G20 Summit

AndyBrace — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:36:39 +0000

The buzz around the G20 has well and truly begun. Well kind of. Unfortunately, it's not yet getting quite as much press coverage as the football results. But here in our office, people are talking about our hopes for the upcoming summit.

Act fair and fast for a global deal (our policy)

TomAllen — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:59:10 +0000

The UN Climate Change negotiations in Copenhagen held in December 2009 failed to deliver an international plan of action to prevent runaway climate change. However we must continue to pursue a binding global deal that delivers the scale and speed of emissions cuts that are required to keep average global temperature rises as far below 2 degrees as possible, and in the longer term stabilise global temperatures well below this level. Such a deal must be fair and equitable, and must protect the world’s ecosystems.

US climate campaigners turn up the heat on Congress

AndyBrace — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:45:38 +0000

UK's 'green' aid to be spent on building new coal power stations in developing world

AndyBrace — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:10:30 +0000

The World Development Movement slammed a UK government plan to put almost £400 million of 'green' aid designed to assist developing countries low carbon development into a World Bank fund that will subsidise new dirty coal power plants.

The £400 million represents almost half of the UK’s Environmental Transformation Fund – Gordon Brown’s flagship £800 million fund to assist developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change and develop low carbon economies.

Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:

Huge new alliance to tell world leaders to put people first

AndyBrace — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:05:46 +0000

A huge new platform of unions, development agencies, faith and environmental groups plans to tell world leaders attending the G20 summit in April that only just, fair and sustainable policies can lead the world out of recession.

The alliance, which includes the TUC, Oxfam, ActionAid, Friends of the Earth and CAFOD, is calling on people to join a major demonstration for jobs, justice and climate in London on Saturday 28 March, five days before the summit.

Tar sands speaker event

TomAllen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:39:56 +0000

As part of People & Planet's Ditch Dirty Development campaign, they are hosting a tar sands speaker event at Room V111, Vernon Campus, SOAS on 25th February from 7pm till 9pm.

Cash needed to avert climate disasters

AndyBrace — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:49:42 +0000

Last year the EU, one of the worst polluters, acknowledged that rich nations would have to cut emissions first and fastest and help poorer nations to adapt to the changing environment - that's a start

Working together for the right choice at Copenhagen

TomAllen — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:11:47 +0000

2009 is one of the most important years in human history. In Copenhagen in December, the world's leaders will decide if we head towards a future of a safe climate for ourselves, and future generations, or we head for a hot, glowering planet with greater poverty and conflict than we have ever seen. They must make the right choice.

Sleepwalking away from world news

AndyBrace — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:47:46 +0000

At Oxfam, we understand that some people love watching John Sergeant not be able to dance. We also understand that TV stations need, to an extent, to chase ratings and entice viewers to watch their shows. However, we're worried that coverage of the world outside of Britain is dwindling.

Obama takes first steps on climate

AndyBrace — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:01:01 +0000

Barack Obama's pledge today to establish a new energy economy aimed at tackling climate change and creating new jobs "by choosing a future safer for our country, prosperous for our planet, and sustainable" has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth.

Flights from Heathrow's third runway will emit same greenhouse gas emissions as Kenya

AndyBrace — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:43:10 +0000

Heathrow decision: 'Government is all mouth and no trousers on climate change' say World Development Movement.

Flights from the new third runway at Heathrow will produce the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as Kenya every year according to figures from the World Development Movement.

Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:

Britain's day of climate shame

AndyBrace — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:34:42 +0000

This morning, (10 Jan) the average person in Britain will have already produced more carbon in 2009 than a person from the poorest countries emits in a whole year warns the World Development Movement [1].

Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:

"It is shocking that by today the average Briton will have already produced more carbon this year than someone in a poor country will in the whole of 2009. The world’s poorest people contribute little to climate change but will suffer most from its consequences."

Question: How do you make the world a better place?

AndyBrace — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:16:56 +0000

Imagine that you've got the undivided attention of big business, big leaders and big thinkers. Imagine that they're sat on your sofa listening intently to what's on your mind. What would you ask them?

EU climate deal: 'We're still way, way off the mark'

AndyBrace — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:42:12 +0000

This blog by Greenpeace UK exective director John Sauven first appeared on the Guardian's Comment Is Free.

As the science of climate change gets increasingly urgent, the will of Europe's political leaders to act on the climate crisis seems to be weakening by the day.

National Climate March 2008

TomAllen — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:56:51 +0000

On Saturday 6th December the National Climate March went from Speaker's Corner (Hyde Park) to Parliament Square in London.

As part of the Global Day of Action there were National Climate Marches across over 70 countries this year. The date was chosen as it is the midway point of a fortnight of climate talks in Poznan.

The march in London had four major themes:

NO to a 3rd runway at Heathrow and further aviation expansion.
NO new coal - no new coal power stations like Kingsnorth.
NO to the expansion of agrofuels - with negative impacts on forests, the climate and world food supply.
YES to a renewable energy revolution and the creation of green jobs.

Europe fails to show climate leadership

AndyBrace — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:01:01 +0000

The European Union's failure to agree on effective measures to tackle climate change has been slammed by Friends of the Earth.

While the EU fumbles, ice sculptures call for climate action

AndyBrace — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:38:12 +0000

We're into the all-important last three days of United Nations climate talks.

It's at this point that government ministers - the people with the power to make decisions about whether their country signs on to a global agreement to tackle climate change - have started to arrive in Poland.

Greener Electronics – major companies fail to show climate leadership

AndyBrace — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:50:23 +0000

Letter to Brown asks for change at G20 summit

TomAllen — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:38:39 +0000

As Gordon Brown prepares for the G20 summit in Washington DC this weekend, a coalition of 24 of the most influential trade unions, development charities, environmental groups and religious leaders wrote to the Prime Minister calling on him to put people and the environment at the heart of the international economic system.

Obama must lead World to a low carbon future

AndyBrace — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:01:01 +0000

Climate change must be a major priority for Barack Obama, the US President-elect, Friends of the Earth said today.

European States agree to water down renewable energy plans

AndyBrace — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:01:01 +0000

European States agree to water down renewable energy plans

Campaigners and politicians warn loophole in climate bill could see UK carbon emissions rise.

AndyBrace — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:25:54 +0000

The World Development Movement welcomes the government’s commitment to a climate bill that includes an 80 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction target, but warns that, despite the target, a loophole in the bill could allow emissions to rise in the UK.

Dr Julian Oram, head of policy at the World Development Movement explained:

Paint for the Planet (UNEP)

TomAllen — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:39:53 +0000

The United Nations Environment Programme held an International Children's Painting Competition and have just posted the results.

Picture by Jerrika C. Shi, 12 years old, from the Phillipines

EU renewable energy target: House of Lords calls for urgent action

AndyBrace — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:01:01 +0000

Responding to today's House of Lords report on the European Union's renewable energy plans, Friends of the Earth urged ministers to get on with the job of harnessing Britain's huge potential for green power

'Make the link' with Practical Action

TomAllen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:34:57 +0000

Practical Action are trying to encourage world leaders to make the link between climate change and poverty. They have an action on their site enabling you to contact Gordon Brown to persuade him to review the policy around emissions and resourcing for adaptation.

Activists urge Italy to quit coal

AndyBrace — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:21:03 +0000

Responding to Brown’s Crisis Plan: new world order must be pro poor not pro bank

AndyBrace — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:39:38 +0000

16 October 2008

Last night, Gordon Brown set out proposals to fix the broken global economy, including fundamental reform of the IMF and World Bank. Analysis of the operations of the World Bank and the IMF leaves the World Development Movement sceptical that reform of these powerful institutions is possible.

Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:

Flights from Stansted after expansion will emit more CO2 than Tanzania

AndyBrace — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:48:19 +0000

Today’s announcement to expand the number of flights from Stansted airport will mean that each year, flights from the airport will emit more CO2 than Tanzania, where an estimated 4000 people die every year from climate change related causes. The World Development Movement brands this move as ‘simply irresponsible and unfathomable’.

Tim Jones, climate change policy officer at the World Development Movement, said:

Royal Bank of Scotland sells its shares in Phulbari mine scheme

AndyBrace — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:12:28 +0000

British bank Royal Bank of Scotland has sold its shares in Global Coal Management Resources (GCM ltd), the British company behind the Phulbari open-cast mine project in Bangladesh.

In August 2008, 110 organisations from across the world wrote to RBS calling on it to withdraw its investment from the disastrous Phulbari project. The British bank has now responded by selling its shares, held through subsidiary ABN Amro, and telling campaigners RBS is “no longer an investor in GCM Resources”.

Final nail in the coffin for Heathrow expansion and Kingsnorth

AndyBrace — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:06:48 +0000

Today’s, report from the influential committee on climate change has recommended that the UK cuts greenhouse gases emissions by at least 80 percent and that this target should include emissions from aviation and shipping. The World Development Movement welcomes this news as a potential ‘reprieve’ for the poorest people in the world.

Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:
“These recommendations will potentially be a reprieve for the world’s poorest people, whose lives and livelihoods are threatened the most by dangerous climate change.