National Government Responses

 

The responses of national governments are a key to the solution of this problem. It is too deep to be helped by voluntary restraint although personal examples of carbon zero activities are valuable. How quickly will they ban fossil fuel power stations or ensure that their carbon emissions are captured? How quickly will standby circuits be regulated to 1 watt maximum? When will the cement industry or forest depletion be tackled? Intentions are important but actions and legislation are vital. However a great deal is happening. Which nation will take the lead? How will unions react?

 

United Nations Climate Meetings

 

US Will Sign Paris Agreement  in spite of Supreme Court action 05/02/16

Hansen Supports Fossil Fuel Tax  December 2015

$61 billion to help poor countries to adapt and fight climate change in 2014 10/10/15 

Local Regions Set Ambitious Targets  03/07/15

Company Bosses Call for Strong Paris Deal  18/04/15

China Overtakes US Since 1990  14/04/15

Paris Difficult after poor Lima Deal  30/12/14

Green Climate Fund Promise  12/12/14

Green Fund Falls Short  at G20  21/11/14

Pope Urges Climate Action  18/01/15

G7 backs 2015 deal on Climate  07/06/14

Rich Nations EmissionsFalling  01/05/14

UN Tackles Aviation Emissions  30/08/14

Wild Weather puts Climate Change back on Agenda  10/02/14

Major Powers Move Towards Green Free Trade  29/01/14

UN tackles deforestation  25/11/13

World Bank Restricts Coal Finance  18/07/13

World Bank sees Carbon Finance Role for Years  27/01/12

World Divided on New Climate Plan  15/10/11

Will Nations Keep $30 billion Promise ? 03/09/10

Why did Copenhagen Fail ? 01/01/10

Monbiot Copenhagen and Beyond 18/12/09

Global Deal in 2010 'almost impossible' - Guardian 31/01/10

Copenhagen 12th December 2009

Nations Talk the Detail 01/10/09

Clean Tech Investments Increasing prior to Copenhagen 04/12/09

Secretary General Warning pre Copenhagen 01/09/09

$155 billion invested in 2008 worldwide 01/01/09 

Global Industrial Partnership 2008

Carbon Trading for Forests 13/04/08

$5 billion climate fund 05/06/08 now $6 billion for Climate Funds 30/09/08

UN Panel on Biodiversity 06/06/08

 

Denmark leads the way

Denmark Plans to Phase out Coal by 2025 04/11/14

Denmark Aims to be Greenest  27/03/12

 

USA

Obama Plan not Blocked by Court  28/01/16

Problems of Emissions Control USA  19/02/16

US Initiates 32 percent cut by 2030  24/10/15

China USA Reach Landmark Agreement  12/11/14

California Legislates an ambitious target  10/10/15

Fracking not a climate solution 22/10/14

US legislation to cut 30 percent of emissions  from Power plants by 2030 03/06/14

Obama Protects Pacific  21/06/14

Obama Stimulates Solar Industry   21/05/14

Obama Helps Communities Adapt  17/07/14

Supreme Court Upholds Obama Controls  24/06/14

Obama Doubles Power Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa  24/07/13

US backs Aviation Emission Controls  by 2020  30/09/13

Pacific States Combine to Fight  Climate Change 30/10/13

New Regulator signals a Clean Energy Future 01/07/13

Battle Over Clean Air Act for powerstations  22/07/13

US - China agree to regulate vehicle emissions  14/07/13

Obama Promises Significant Action  13/02/13

Mayors Urge Obama to Tackle Climate Change 21/01/13

Romney plans to favour coal  07/10/12

Keystone Tar Sands Re-reviewed until 2013 by Obama 11/11/11

10 Years to get permission for Cape Cod Wind Farm  06/09/10

Iowa Approves Wind Energy  by 85% 02/07/11

Obama Pledges 36 mpg average for cars by 2016 07/10/10

US Climate Legislation now unlikely in 2010  23/07/10

Obama Stimulates Solar  06/07/10

Colorado Cleans up 80 percent by 2017  05/05/10

Complexities of Climate Bill for Forestry 12/10/09

US Farmers Oppose Bill 11/01/10

New US Lighting Standards 01/07/09

USA Fishing Ban for Arctic 30/08/09 

US Ready to take Carbon Mantle 07/04/09

USA Prepares for Offshore Wind Generation 25/04/09

US Tests Options to Control CO2 17/04/09

US Greenhouse Gas Increase 2007 16/04/09

EPA tests CO2 emissions from Ethanol 05/05/09

Poznan Dilemma for Obama 23/12/08

Climate Bill 2010 - Obama

Green Growth Slows as Oil Price Falls 09/02/09

California Tests New Administration 22/01/09

Obama picks energy secretary for efficiency 12/12/08

USA back in the game - Obama 19/11/08

Obama to Invest $150 billion in cleantech 04/11/08

Renewable Subsidies and Candidate Voting Records 01/08/08

The monitoring work of NOAA http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/aggi/

US ready for carbon trading economy 05/06/08

Getting Governments Together in California 30/09/08

California Style 27/06/08

New York Plans 22/08/08

US Carbon Capture Plans 17/07/08

Suspected of Smothering Warnings 09/07/08

Bush Kills Carbon Emissions Bill as a threat to economy 09/06/08

Bush v Science 17/03/08

Oil Chiefs Brought to Court James Hansen pleads 20/06/08

New Energy Tax Plans from Democrats 08/05/08

Obama may be best for the climate 23/04/08

Kansas Government Vetoes Coal Plants 25/03/08

Promised US Legislation is encouraging 04/07/07

First US Global Warming Case

Bush Calls Conference 06/08/07

Press Cover Up 14/03/08

US Bans drilling in Arctic Wetland to save wildlife 19/05/08

Environmental Magna Carta under siege by Bush 28/11/07

Green Jobs approved by US Unions 12/03/08

US Auto Industry Loses Tough New State Limits are legal 13/09/07

Democrats make a good start as Tax Breaks removed in USA

Democrats attempt a US Carbon Tax Bill 08/07/07

California Industry Must Report CO2 in 2008 10/12/07

Solar and Wind grow 45% pa in 2007

 

China

China Plans Green Sector 3% GDP November 2016

China Steers from Coal  06/03/15

India Bangladesh and China most at risk from river floods  06/03/15

China USA Reach Landmark Agreement  ahead of December conference 12/11/14

Growth Before Green Policies in China  30/10/14

China Plan to Cap Emissions Brings Hope to Conference 04/06/14

China Jails Rare Animal Eaters  01/05/14

China Places Environment Higher  15/04/14

Chinese man sues for smog  26/02/14

US - China agree to regulate vehicle emissions  15/07/13

China Plans to Cap Emissions  in 2015 National Plan 05/08/11

China Tops Clean Energy Table  31/03/11

China Bleak on Targets 20/09/09

China's Electric Vehicle Plans 14/04/09

China May Take the Lead 01/10/09

China Advances Coal Fired Closures 05/05/09

China to Adjust Water Pricing to prevent waste 24/07/09

China or USA could kill it - Stern 28/10/08

Chinese Think Tank 20/03/09

China Promotes Eco Vehicles 28/01/09

China India Negotiate Grants 27/11/08

China Takes the Initiative 07/11/08

Carbon Capture in China 06/08/08

China Comitted to Copenhagen Agreement 24/10/08

China - Light Bulb Subsidy 23/04/08

China Legislates against Desertification 20/03/08

China to switch to Eco-Bulbs in ten years 06/10/07

China Pollution Problems 18/09/08

 

African Nations

South African Wind Farms  17/10/14

Sahel Under Climate Change 17/04/09

 

 

 

Europe

EU Controls Coal Plants  30/06/15

All Electricity in Austria's Largest State Comes from Renewables  11/11/2015

EU on Track to targets so far  29/10/14

Europe sets tough 40 percent targets  26/10/14

EU Plans Subsidies and Cuts to meet 2030 Targets 02/09/14

EU Cuts Back Permits  28/02/14

Europe on Track for 2020 Goal  for Energy Efficiency 21/06/14

EU approves Toughest Pollution Legislation  26/02/14

EU problems of integrating renewables  29/01/14

Europe Plan to end Overfishing 02/02/14

Clash Over European Emissions Taxes on airlines 01/02/14

EU to study Fracking  21/05/13

EU Delays Airline Carbon Tax  13/11/12

EU New Climate Promotion  08/10/12

The European Answer to the Recession  31/01/12

Making the Airlines Pay for Carbon  31/01/12

Europe DECOMMISSIONED more coal, fuel oil and nuclear capacity than it installed in 2009. 02/02/11

Europe in 2080  Report commissionned by EU 15/02/11

Study for Renewables in Europe  says zero carbon viable 20/04/10

EU discusses electric transport network 08/02/10

EU Attempts to Green Biofuels 15/02/10

Europe to Spend E73 billion on Energy Technologies 12/10/09

EU Pledges Funds for Poorer Countries 23/03/09

EU Propose a $200billion Carbon Tax 20/01/09

EU Tightening the Rules 15/03/09

Incentives Drive Solar Contracts East to Bulgaria 17/11/09

Europe Battles Climate Change 15/12/08

EU Includes Aviation in Controls 28/10/08

EU says beware Carbon Offsets 08/12/08

Europe Bans Bad Biofuels produced by deforestation on wetlands etc. 28/02/08

EU tax on energy saving bulbs 15/10/07

UK and Poland Top EU Dirty Coal List 16/02/09

Europe Sets Key Targets 14/08/08

EU Boosts Green Transport 23/10/08

Weak European Environmental Law 20/05/08

EU Must take more action - report 21/05/08

EU Cap and Trade Working Well says MIT study 08/06/08

 

Japan

Japan OK to restart reactor  30/09/13

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Avoidable  15/10/12

Japanese Proposals 2011  28/01/11

Asian Super Grid Plans  03/03/12

Japanese Stimulus for Eco Industry  20/08/10

Japan buys Carbon Credits 19/03/09 Japan Buys Credits 26/03/09

Japan Stores Face Trading Limits over Carbon 19/06/08

Japan leans towards voluntary carbon trading 19/09/08

 

Canada

Australia and Canada Reduce Actions  to help economy 30/05/14

Canada Muzzles Scientists  17/02/12

Canada Finances Carbon Capture over 15 years 15/10/09

Green with Teeth  Nova Scotia 16/10/11

Obama and Canada 25/02/09

Canada May Lose Local Preference 17/10/12

Canada Invests in Carbon Capture 20/05/09

Ontario Publishes First Feed in Tariff in North America 14/03/09

Alberta Plans 2,700 MW windfarms 17/12/08

Canada Opposition Carbon Tax 21/06/08

Canada Carbon Tax proposed in report

Canada Enacts Carbon Tax in British Columbia 20/03/08

 

Germany

Germany's Great Renewables Objectives  20/12/12

Hope for Carbon Credits  in Europe 06/11/13

Germany dwarfs California Solar  31/01/12

German Greens Hold Balance  of power 14/11/11

Germany could be free by 2050  of fossil fuels 09/07/10

German Wind Power 45 kms Out to Sea 28/08/09

Good Wind Generation Cuts Prices 13/03/08

France, Germany discuss Auto Cap 14/04/08

 

Norway

Norway Leads the Way - 30 percent by 2020 21/02/10

Norway's Floating Wind Parks 15/02/10

Indonesia Signs Forest Deal with Norway  21/05/11

Norway budgets $640 million Carbon Capture for 2010 14/10/09

Norway gives $1billion for Amazon 20/09/08

Norway - bold ambition 20/03/08

 

UK

UK Pledges over 1 billion dollars for Green Climate Fund 21/11/14

Pitcairn Marine Reserve  19/03/15

UK doing badly in reaching targets for pollution flooding and biodiversity 19/09/14

Wood Pellet Madness  18/03/14

UK breaks emission rules  with 22 EU nations 22/02/13

UK 2013 Emissions 1,9 percent lower  28/03/14

UK Emmissions meet target after trading 16/02/2014

Tightening Biomas Regulations  to benefit CHP 20/07/13

UK Support Carbon Capture and Storage  13/10/12

World's Largest Wind Farm Opens 24/02/12

Coalition Commits UK to Legally Binding Emissions Cuts  16/05/11 

Sustainable Development Enshrined  in legislation proposed 27/02/11

UK Largest Solar PV Project  01/03/11

UK Tidal Power Expanding  16/03/11

First Annual Eco Plan for UK  from new coalition 05/09/10

Severn Barrage Cancelled  20/10/10

Funding Cuts will not harm Energy Targets  20/10/10

Scotland 100 percent Renewable by 2025  30/09/10

Big Changes Needed to Meet Climate Targets  28/07/10

OFGEN considers UK power options 12/02/10

Scotland Takes The Lead 24/06/09

David Cameron Speech to Environmentalists 19/06/08

Restoring Clean Energy Finance Q2 UK 03/07/09

UK court justifies criminal damage to coal fired generator 15/09/08

A Reply from David Cameron regarding retrospective car tax 13/08/08

UK Companies Report Carbon Emissions mandatory 01/04/08

Cameron Green Policy 17/01/09

Britain must do more - Benn 05/12/07

UK leader in Carbon Offset Trading 29/06/08

Local Authority Guidance

Gordon Brown promises UK action 20/11/07

UK Waste Digesting Plants far behind Germany 19/02/08

Parliament

Government axes Bottled Water from its meetings.

 

 

India

India Subsidises Green Cars  03/02/16

France and India Solar Deal  01/12/15

India's First Smart City  14/04/15

India Bangladesh and China most at risk from river floods  06/03/15

Worlds Largest Solar Station in India 04/10/09

Central Role in Community Regeneration 12/03/08

New Indian Climate Body 10/02/10

 

France

Macron Promises Coal Free 2021 25/01/18

France Cuts Nuclear Dependence  11/02/16

France to Spend Billions on African Green Projects  02/12/15

France Builds Europe's Largest PV Generator 07/11/14

France Motivates Insulation  24/06/14

France to Have 3GW Wind by 2015

 

Vatican

Pope Speaks to UN 22/04/08

 

Indonesia

Indonesia Worst Forest Losses  30/06/14

Indonesia Signs Forest Deal with Norway  21/05/11

Indonesia Joins World Bank Forest Scheme 05/03/09 

 

Australia

Australian Wine Industry Threatened  15/01/16

Australia Raises Green Fund  as a small step towards targets 25/10/14

Australia and Canada Reduce Actions  to help economy 30/05/14

Australia Opens Solar Farm  20/10/12

Australia Passes Carbon Tax  17/10/11

Forest Fire Initiative by Aborigines 30/11/09

Australian Response Inadequate say Greens 26/11/09

Australia 20 percent New Power Renewable projects 19/11/09

Australian Position pre Copenhagen 25/09/09

Australia Wavers in Recession 28/04/09

Australia's Green Power Plans 14/05/09

Australian 500 million Green Fund 15/12/08

Australia will not delay 01/12/08

Rudd promises action now 25/11/07

Australia Ratifies Kyoto 03/12/07

Australian Carbon Trading Assessed 19/07/08

Australian Courts Factor in Climate Change 27/11/07

Old forest logging not justified 21/02/08

 

New Zealand

NZ sets 10-20 percent target by 2020 11/08/09

New Zealand Suspends Emission Trading 20/11/08

 

 

Spain

45 million Spanish Trees 15/09/08

Spanish Government Plans 50% renewables by 2012

Spain Makes Grants for Green Homes 14/12/07

 

Sweden

Sweden Well Ahead 03/12/07

Sweden Leads in Cutbacks of 49% by 2020 13/03/08

 

Quatar

Oil Economy Switches to Solar  15/10/11

 

South America

Brazil Protects More Rainforest  22/10/14

Argentina and Exxon Back Algae Biodiesel  30/08/10

Brazil - pioneers of bio-ethanol 20/03/08

United S American Approach says Brazil 20/10/09

Peru Endangers Forest - Congress reprieve 25/08/08

 

Taiwan

Taiwan Invests in LED's and largest Solar Farm in Asia 29/04/09

 

Commonwealth

Commonwealth Climate Politics 25/11/07

 

OPEC

OPEC Adjusts to Climate Change Measures 20/03/09

Climate Talks Threaten Saudi Arabia 09/04/09

UAE Carbon capture 23/01/08

 

Philippines

Manila Converting buses taxis to LPG 17/06/08

 

South Africa

South Africa Committed to Climate Legislation 03/03/09 

South Africa Keen to go Green 04/03/09

 

Malaysia 

Malaysia Still Destroying Forests for Palm Oil   02/02/11

 

Portugal

Portugal Increases Renewables from 15% to 43% in 5 years 02/02/11

 

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Plans 40 percent oil use cuts  15/02/11

 

Austria

All Electricity in Austria's Largest State Comes from Renewables

 

North Africa

Morocco Leads the Way in Solar