Our journey towards bold climate action is at a critical moment.

Five months from tomorrow, COP21 will open in Paris.

Today, we have come together to take stock of what we have pledged, what we have delivered, and what else we must do to ensure that world leaders and their governments adopt an ambitious, universal agreement in December, in Paris.

Today I would like to share my thoughts on what I hope to see in that agreement, and on how I plan to support this process.

In many ways, the stars are aligned as never before.

The world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases have announced ambitious climate actions and are showing leadership based on mutual respect and collaboration. Other major economies in the G7 and G20 have announced their intention to act.

Since 2009, the number of national climate laws and policies has nearly doubled, with three-quarters of the world’s annual emissions now covered by national targets.

The world’s three biggest economies – China, the European Union and the United States -- have placed their bets on low-carbon, climate-resilient growth.

The price of renewable energy sources is falling dramatically, and in some places has reached price parity with fossil fuels. The world is now using more renewable electric power each year than it is from coal, natural gas and oil put together.

Investors and insurers are starting to integrate climate risk into their decision-making. A growing number of CEOs, including a select few from the oil and gas sector, are revamping their energy systems, strengthening resilience and calling for a price on carbon.

Citizens, civil society and faith leaders, most recently His Holiness Pope Francis, are demanding action and reminding us of the moral imperative to protect the vulnerable and care for our common home.

I take this opportunity particularly to thank His Holiness Pope Francis for his adding his spiritual and moral strength. And I also thank Cardinal Turkson who has been working very hard, and I thank him very much.

These efforts demonstrate that the world is hungry for – and capable of – serious steps that can meet the climate challenge.

However, the pace of the UNFCCC negotiations is far too slow. It’s like snails, moving at snail’s pace. The key political issues are still on the table. With only ten days left, negotiating days, I really count on leaders, Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers to exercise their political direction so that this negotiation will move much faster.

Now is when true leadership is needed from the highest levels. Heads of State and Government must give clear guidance to their ministers and negotiators so that they take personal responsibility for the outcome in Paris. The success or failure of the world’s first truly global climate agreement will happen on their watch.

As science is telling us loud and clear, we have only a few short years in which to do what is needed to have a reasonable chance of staying within the internationally agreed temperature rise threshold of 2 degrees.

If we fail, we will condemn our children and grandchildren to a future of climate chaos.

If we succeed, we can set the world on course for greater stability, better health and stronger economies that benefit all.

Alongside the current COP Presidency of Peru and the incoming COP Presidency of France, I will be engaging with leaders on a regular basis.

All countries can and must be part of the solution.

With that in mind, allow me to highlight what I believe a meaningful agreement could include.

First, it must provide a strong signal to governments and markets that the world is committed to building a low-carbon future, and that there is no going back.

Second, an agreement must be durable so that it provides the private sector with the predictability and policy frameworks it needs to invest in clean energy and climate-resilient approaches.

Third, it must be flexible so that it can incentivize and incorporate more ambitious, science- based nationally determined targets over time.

I applaud those countries that have submitted their INDCs, and I urge others to follow suit as soon as possible.

Those INDCs currently on offer provide a floor, not a ceiling for ambition, and are critical for building momentum and trust. However, it is already clear that these INDCs will not be sufficient to place us on a less-than-2-degree pathway. An agreement must therefore enable countries to regularly review progress towards this goal, and encourage more ambitious, nationally determined targets to meet it.

Fourth, an agreement must uphold the principle of equity, support the adaptation needs of developing countries, and demonstrate solidarity with the poorest and most vulnerable countries through a focused package of assistance.

Fifth, a new agreement must have clear mechanisms for measuring, monitoring and reporting progress in a transparent manner on a full range of actions.

Sixth, credible climate financing is essential.

I strongly urge developed countries to provide a politically credible trajectory for mobilizing $100 billion per year by 2020 to support developing countries in curbing emissions and strengthening their resilience.

It is imperative that developed countries provide greater clarity on the public finance component of the $100 billion before Paris, as well as on how they will engage private finance. I will proactively engage with leaders from both the global north and south to make sure this goal is met and is considered credible by all.

An agreement must also acknowledge the need for long-term, very significant financing beyond 2020. I welcome the recent announcement by Germany to double its climate finance support by 2020, and encourage other developed countries to follow this example.

The Green Climate Fund must also be up and running, with funds that can be disbursed before Paris.

Taken in sum, this finance package should build trust and help unlock the additional trillions in financing needed to build low carbon, climate resilient economies.

Alongside an agreement, I will continue to work with the COP Presidents and the UNFCCC Executive Secretary to advance the Lima Paris Action Agenda.

This Action Agenda builds on the many successful partnerships that were showcased at last year’s Climate Summit. Public, private and civil society partners are achieving real results on the ground – and in the atmosphere.

The Action Agenda is not a substitute for an ambitious agreement, but a complement to it. It is also fully consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals by providing solutions at all levels, from the local to the global, on transport, cities, and energy, among others.

Let us always remember that climate change and sustainable development are two sides of the same coin. The two agendas are mutually reinforcing: progress on one benefits the other, from food security to health, from energy security to water and the full scope of human need and endeavour. Development cannot be sustainable if it does not address the challenge of climate change.

As we move from Addis to New York to Paris this year, I will meet with and convene all actors, public and private, needed to support a comprehensive sustainable development agenda. I pledge to you that I will spare no effort to ensure that the world leaders who are responsible for an ambitious agreement in Paris -- and the financing needed to implement it -- are directly engaged.

I encourage you to quicken the pace and raise your ambition as the December conference draws near.

A climate change agreement in Paris will not be the end point, but it must be a turning point in how the world collectively responds to the defining challenge of our time.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment. Let’s work together to make this world better.

Carbon Tax and Dividend - a straightforward, equitable and efficient way rapidly to achieve a large  reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

"I've been an active supporter of the "Tax and Dividend" approach for a long time...you can definitely count on my personal support."  - Jonathon Porritt 

We have been writing to organisations and individuals seeking support for a UK coalition of support for a Carbon Tax and Dividend which we believe would bring public support for the necessary price rise for carbon to aid the transition away from a fossil fuel economy. It would also help politicians to ‘sell’ a carbon tax.

Politicians are not honest with us about the damaging and widespread impacts of failing to put this central stage of Government policy and are frightened to impose further taxation on their electorate, knowing that many people would also oppose a carbon tax.

For this reason, the US-based Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) proposes a Carbon Fee (Tax) and Dividend – a revenue neutral tax whereby the revenue from the fee is returned to all households on an equitable basis to shield families from rising energy costs.

http://citizensclimatelobby.org/

The proposal is that a Carbon Fee (Tax) and Dividend would place a steadily-rising fee on the CO2 content of carbon-based fuels at the source (well, mine, port of entry), the fee on each ton of CO2 rising $10 each year. All revenue from the fee would be returned equitably to all households to shield families from rising energy costs. Carbon tax border adjustments would protect exports and encourage importing countries to follow suit.

In June, CCL released a study from Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) that examined their proposal and found that

 1) CO2 emissions would be reduced 50 percent in 20 years and

 2) during that time, recycling revenue from the fee back into the economy provides a stimulus that adds 2.8 million jobs.

http://citizensclimatelobby.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/REMI-National-SUMMARY.pdf

Representatives from Citizens’ Climate Lobby have been invited by both the World Bank and the IMF economics staff to provide technical briefings on the policy’s potential for propagating strong carbon pricing even in the absence of a binding UN protocol.  

This is clearly not within a debate vacuum about carbon tax or pricing:     

"The most powerful move that a government can make in the fight against climate change is to put a price on carbon," Vice-President of Sustainability for the World Bank.

 And from the Wall Street Journal - October 2014 - “It’s Time to pass a Carbon Tax. It would encourage more private capital investment in low-carbon energy resources. It would provide more policy certainty for financiers, regulated utilities, and energy entrepreneurs.”

In this post Hugh Chapman explains why he is behind a campaign calling for carbon pricing as a way to mobilize the transition to clean energy. 

We urgently need to get society off fossil fuels. Individual and community action to reduce emissions is a great way to show that a low carbon future is possible, but if we’re going to reduce global emissions at anything like the scale and speed required we also need to be thinking about pushing for big structural solutions.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is a supportive network of volunteers who lobby elected representatives to take decisive action on climate change. Having started in the US in 2007, CCL has now grown to be an international network of over 200 groups campaigning in countries around the world.

CCL has a specific policy proposal for pricing carbon called Carbon Fee and Dividend and the Pathway to Paris initiative aims to get this centre stage at the United Nations Conference of Parties which takes place in Paris in December 2015.

What is Carbon Fee and Dividend?

A fee is placed on the carbon dioxide content of fossil fuels. This fee is levied at the mine, well, or port of entry. The fee starts at a low level and rises steadily over time and the revenue is redistributed to citizens. This means that households are protected from the financial impact of the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Countries with fee and dividend can charge a tariff on imports from countries which aren’t pricing carbon in order to ensure a level playing field for goods in the domestic market. These border adjustments are to ensure fairness and competition.

CCL’s research shows that this is not only good for the climate, but also promotes a stronger economy.

What does the Citizens’ Climate Lobby do?

CCL aims to empower individuals to make their voices heard in the climate debate. Some of the ways it does this are by providing toolkits for direct lobbying of local and national elected representatives and their staff. The Lobby trains members in getting letters and articles published in print media and online and building relationships with editorial boards. CCL also conducts monthly actions and conference calls with experts to expand members’ knowledge and understanding and develop their capability as agents of change

At CCL we believe that pricing carbon is the most powerful mechanism we have available to galvanise the huge transition we need to make in the next few decades away from fossil fuels and towards clean alternatives. With an increasing number of expert endorsements and in this important year for climate action it’s clear that the right time has arrived to be pushing governments on this.

As James Grant, former executive director of UNICEF, reminds us: “Each of the great social achievements of recent decades has come about not because of government proclamations, but because people organised, made demands, and made it good politics for governments to respond. It is the political will of the people that makes and sustains the political will of governments.”

If you would like to find out more about CCL’s work email CCLobbyUK at gmail.com or connect via social media on Facebook or Twitter @citznsclimateUK. The website is http://citizensclimatelobby.org

Hugh Chapman is a carpenter and creative activist based in Cambridge. He is currently co-writing a musical about climate change with fellow CCL representative Clive Elsworth. Hugh is on Twitter @_Hugh_Chapman

Photo: By Ian Britton, under a Creative Commons License.

This is straightforward, equitable and efficient way rapidly to achieve a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.  

We are writing to organisations and individuals seeking support for a UK coalition of support for a Carbon Tax and Dividend which we believe would bring public support for the necessary price rise for carbon to aid the transition away from a fossil fuel economy. It would also help politicians to ‘sell’ a carbon tax.

"I've been an active supporter of the "Tax and Dividend" approach for a long time...you can definitely count on my personal support."  - Jonathon Porritt

                                                                                          Average monthly dividend for a family of four.

It is apparent that moving from a fossil fuel to a low carbon economy is not happening with the necessary urgency for tackling climate change.

Politicians are not honest with us about the damaging and widespread impacts of failing to put this central stage of Government policy and are frightened to impose further taxation on their electorate, knowing that many people would also oppose a carbon tax.

For this reason, the US-based Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) proposes a Carbon Fee (Tax) and Dividend – a revenue neutral tax whereby the revenue from the fee is returned to all households on an equitable basis to shield families from rising energy costs.

The proposal is that a Carbon Fee (Tax) and Dividend would place a steadily-rising fee on the CO2 content of carbon-based fuels at the source (well, mine, port of entry), the fee on each ton of CO2 rising $10 each year. All revenue from the fee would be returned equitably to all households to shield families from rising energy costs. Carbon tax border adjustments would protect exports and encourage importing countries to follow suit.

In June, CCL released a study from Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) that examined their proposal and found that
1) CO2 emissions would be reduced 50 percent in 20 years and
2) during that time, recycling revenue from the fee back into the economy provides a stimulus that adds 2.8 million jobs.

See: http://citizensclimatelobby.org/remi-report/

Also: http://citizensclimatelobby.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/REMI-National-SUMMARY.pdf

This is clearly not within a debate vacuum about carbon tax or pricing:

"The most powerful move that a government can make in the fight against climate change is to put a price on carbon," Vice-President of Sustainability for the World Bank.

And from the Wall Street Journal - October 2014 - “It’s Time to pass a Carbon Tax. It would encourage more private capital investment in low-carbon energy resources. It would provide more policy certainty for financiers, regulated utilities, and energy entrepreneurs.”

Representatives from Citizens’ Climate Lobby have been invited by both the World Bank and the IMF economics staff to provide technical briefings on the policy’s potential for propagating strong carbon pricing even in the absence of a binding UN protocol.

It doesn't seem to matter that we are making the effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, they are still rising, to record high levels, according to a report published by the World Meteorological Organsiation today (9/9/14). 

Concentrations of carbon dioxide, the major cause of global warming, increased at their fastest rate for 30 years in 2013, despite warnings from the world’s scientists of the need to cut emissions to halt temperature rises. Experts warned that the world was “running out of time” to reverse rising levels of carbon dioxide to tackle climate change. Concentrations of carbon dioxide, according to the WMO report today, increased at their fastest rate for 30 years 2012 - 2013, and the question is.....why?

We are trying so hard....arn't we? Making the effort to cut emissions, with legally binding targets and reports that we are making them. So why are we measuring levels increasing last year by 2.9ppm – the largest annual increase seen from 1984 to 2013?

Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for many hundreds of years and in the ocean for even longer. Past, present and future CO2 emissions will have a cumulative impact on both global warming and ocean acidification

Oceans cushion the increase of carbon dioxide, being sinks for atmospheric and terrestrial carbon, forests also play their immense role of being carbon sinks, with steady acidification of the ocean with more and more anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation on a massive scale in the tropics particularly, and erosion of natural ecosystems around the world from unsustainable business practices forgetting nature is not "free" - We are feeling the effects.

Natures carbon 'sinks' have so far been protecting us from some of the largest impacts of carbon dioxide rise, they have locked away almost half the carbon we emit. But if these natural safety systems start to fail, if their capacity has been reached which is why carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are rising, although emissions are falling, this is reason for grave concern.

Prof Joanna Haigh, co-director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said: “Far from a slowdown, the concentration is rising faster than ever – with an inevitable impact on future global temperatures... steps need to be taken now to reduce CO2 emissions.”

The planet we live upon, and with, has a self regulating, homeostatic function. It will always work to self equilibriate. If we continue to push the Earth Systems beyond capacity, continue Business as Usual something will give, simply put, this is the key to runaway Climate Change. We need to do more, and we need to do it now.

This article appeared in the latest Scientific American. The full text and graphics can be found here.

On Climate, the People Agree.

US public opinion varies over a surprisingly narrow range

From what politicians and commentators say in the media, the U.S. would seem torn asunder over the matter of climate change. Not so, according to an assessment of 21 surveys encompassing almost 20,000 people in 46 states, which found ample agreement about global warming and what to do about it. In each state, a majority of those polled believe that temperatures are rising and that human actions are part of the cause —and this consensus holds for residents of states that voted strongly Republican in the 2012 presidential election. More than 60 percent of Americans in every state favor government-imposed limits on greenhouse gas emissions from businesses and power plants. “A huge percentage of the public supports legislation that politicians have yet to pass,” says Jon Krosnick, a senior fellow at Stanford University who led the analysis.

People also agree on another point: fewer than half the residents in states nationwide indicate that global warming is “extremely important” to them personally.

The House of Lords is due to vote on a clean power target in less than two weeks.

You can sign a letter from Ali Abbas, Friends of the Earth supporter, living in Manchester, where he works as a business analyst for a FTSE100 software company, in support Lord Oxburgh's amendments for a 2030 decarbonisation target. 

Please sign my letter, asking the Lords to vote YES to clean power 
 

These are Keith Fryer's notes from Green Drinks, 14th May 2013

• In broad terms, only 10% of World’s Forest Is Certified
• PEFC is by far and away the largest Certifier
• FSC is very significant, but more tropically centred
• In mainland Europe, PEFC is far better known
• FSC tends to be NGO ‘Centric’
• PEFC is far more industrial ‘Centric’
• There is almost open hostility towards PEFC from many NGO’s who support FSC
• This squabbling saps energy as we should be concentrating on the other 90%!
• Both FSC & PEFC are accepted as equals by the UK government  -  see the Timber Procurement website
• All government procurement must have Chain of Custody (CoC) from a CPET approved scheme
• The ONLY way to verify CoC is via the Certifiers websites, where you can check online
• All timber supplied has to be declared on delivery notes and invoices  -  that’s the ‘Chain’.
• This level of Chain proves ‘Legality’ & ‘Sustainability’
• In general, all mainstream timber companies support the CPET model for timber, even if it is just to meet their CSR requirements!
• There has been recent new EU legislation, called EUTR, which sets out a legal requirement, whereby the entity that first places timber in the EU must be able to prove that it is ‘Legal’
• While this sounds positive and is a good step, it might actually dilute the mainstream efforts, by focusing on Legality, instead of Legality + Sustainability.
• Remember: Timber is the ONLY sustainable building material that we’ve got!
• Timber absorbs Co2 as it grows and this is locked in when used as a building material
• The energy required to convert timber into a useful product is incredibly low, especially compared to things like aluminium.
• Recycling of timber is commonplace and effective in many areas (paper, newsprint, chipboard, MDF etc)
• The British Isles are producing well over half of their total timber requirements, sustainably, creating jobs in rural areas.
• Biofuels, agriculture (eg beef production) and local use are far greater issues on deforestation than EU imports.