Global Issues: Environment ~ Cancun : A slight step forward

The UN climate meeting in Cancun took modest but important steps on a wide range of challenges. But the road ahead is still rocky. The Cancun deal seeks to curb climate change, including a fund to help developing countries. According to the CFR: ‘The climate agreement (PDF) reached in Cancun is modest but important. It builds on the political compromise embodied in the unreasonably maligned Copenhagen Accord in two important ways. First, substantively, it begins to flesh out many of the details of the accord. Second, politically, it takes what was a toxic agreement and obtains much more solid buy-in from the most important parties.’

The BBC’s article outlines its key outcomes: UN climate change talks in Cancun agree a deal

CANCUN CLIMATE DEAL THINGS ACHIEVED:Fund to channel money from the West to developing nations Formal recognition that current emissions pledges need to rise A framework on paying countries not to cut down their forests THINGS NOT ACHIEVEDDeeper emissions cuts Mechanisms for negotiating deeper emission cuts Deciding on the legal status of any new global agreement

The CFR website also some some excellent analysis and comment: Cancun Outcome a Modest Step Forward

A brilliant resource is CFR’s Interactive Crisis Guide: Click here

This is just a start - I am sure a flood of aticles will follow in the press. Here is one from the Independent - At last, climate changes.