Verification and Polar Bears - a tour of COP15 news and Blogs

Today's post will take a look at some of the most interesting and insightful blogs and news items that are out there on the weekend leading up to the COP 15 global climate change conference. 

1) The World Resources Institute's blog today, On Global Warming: Trust But Verify compares the Copenhagen negotiations between China and US to the SALT talks between Russia and the US in the 1980's. The principle of trust through verification goes beyond nations and into corporate claims and actions and consumer trust. If we are serious about reducing GHG emissions, then it will take a unified effort between governments, organisations and consumers.

The Marine sector and COP 15 - what are the issues?

So what are the discussions on marine?
I am frequently asked about what are the issues in relation to ship emissions and why are they on the table. This blog is not the place for a detailed discussion but here are some hints on the background and data.

It is worth remembering that shipping is on the agenda but is fairly low down on the list of topics that will have to be agreed in Copenhagen. Following the debate is important for me as the negotiations on adaptation finance may veer off in one direction and the sector debate in another so shipping may find itself required to pay a tax to the adaptation fund as well as being in a sectoral agreement (so required to also hit specific emission reduction targets).

Clean across the globe

With COP 15 only a few days away, it was interesting to be in the host city shortly before the big event. With climate change posters in the airport, large advertising hoardings in the city centre and locals wondering how their seasonal shopping is going to be affected - there can be no doubt what's coming to Copenhagen before Christmas this year.

We were in Copenhagen holding a press briefing with technology innovator NanoNord A/S and Danish shipowners J.Lauritzen to talk about Lab-on-a-Ship™ (LOAS), an innovation in fuel management and measurement for the shipping industry. We brought two of the leading marine technical journalists, Craig Eason of Lloyd's List and Duncan Payne of Marine Propulsion and Machinery, to hear about the LOAS system - which has been on board two of Lauritzen's bulk carriers for the last year.

CCS and the Crystal Ball

As with Dr. Warris, the one question that is asked most frequently as the world watches the developments leading up to the COP 15 negotiations is, “What do I think will happen in Copenhagen?”

Both the mainstream media and alternative media outlets provide a plethora of different views and prognostications on the outcome of the latest round of climate change negotiations. But the main question for me is not “What will be the outcome?” but “Is our global climate changing?”.

I am a strong believer in fundamentals. Many sceptics push the view that our biosphere has natural warming and cooling cycles, and that currently we are entering a warming trend.