Climate Change

Research Paper 89, November 2018

History and Politics of Climate Change Adaptation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

By Harjeet Singh and Indrajit Bose

This research paper provides a perspective on how climate change adaptation has progressed in the multilateral space, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It describes adaptation and financial institutions under the climate regime and the current scope of their activities. The paper highlights the challenges that lie ahead, particularly around financing, for developing countries to adapt to a rapidly warming world and presents recommendations for the governments to accord higher priority to adaptation.

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SC Lunch Briefing with the Executive Director, 17 April 2018

Title:                 The Global South Facing a New Era of Unilateralism and Protectionism: Challenges and                                            Prospects

Date:                 Tuesday, 17 April 2018, 13h00-15h00

Venue:              Room XXIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva

Organizers:      The South Centre

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Climate Policy Brief 20, February 2018

Overview of outcomes of the November  2017 UNFCCC climate talks

The annual climate change talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol (KP) and the Paris Agreement (PA) took place in Bonn, Germany, on 6-18 November 2017, ending a day later than scheduled due to last-minute wrangling among Parties, mainly over issues related to finance.

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SouthViews No. 161, 2 February 2018

Create “sponge cities” to tackle worsening floods

By Martin Khor

With floods now causing more damage more frequently around the world, it is time to counter their effects by turning our towns into “Sponge Cities”, a recent trend popularised by China to absorb rainwater through permeable roads and pavements, parks, rooftop gardens and other green spaces. (more…)

SouthViews No. 159, 3 January 2018

Critical issues to watch in 2018

By Martin Khor

There are several key social and environmental issues to watch out for in 2018 as they are close to reaching a tipping point, says this preview of the new year by the South Centre’s Executive Director Martin Khor. (more…)

Climate Partnerships for a Sustainable Future, November 2017

Climate Partnerships for a Sustainable Future: An initial overview of South-South cooperation on climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty

At COP23, the United Nations Southern Climate Partnership Incubator (SCPI) released a report entitled “Climate Partnerships for a Sustainable Future: An initial overview of South-South cooperation on Climate Change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty”. This report was jointly produced by the South Centre and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).

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SC Side Event to COP23, 6 November 2017

Title:                What to expect from COP23

Date:                 Monday, 6  November 2017, 11h30-13h00

Venue:             Room 7 (Bonn Zone), Bonn, Germany

Organizers:    The South Centre, The Third World Network

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Research Paper 81, November 2017

Promoting Sustainable Development by Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change Response Measures on Developing Countries

Response measures arise in the context of developed and developing countries taking actions to combat climate change at global, national and regional levels, such as for the protection and stabilization of the climate, emissions leakages and/or the costs of environmental compliance. They may have unintended and adverse economic and social consequences for developing countries’ economies, most often on the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of those economies.

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SouthViews No. 150, 6 June 2017

US pull-out from Paris deal: What it means

By Martin Khor

By withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement, President Donald Trump abdicated not only leadership but membership of the community of nations cooperating to tackle climate change, the most serious crisis facing humanity. (more…)

SouthViews No. 149, 8 May 2017

Global climate policy in an uncertain state of flux

By Martin Khor

Global climate change policy is in a state of flux, with all other countries waiting for the United States to decide whether to leave or remain in the Paris Agreement. That treaty, adopted by 195 countries with great fanfare in December 2015 and came into force in November 2016, symbolizes the efforts of governments to cooperate to avert disastrous global warming that threatens human survival. (more…)