5 November 2007Murray Armstrong
January
· The European Commission adopts its energy and climate change package, which includes a proposed unilateral commitment by the EU to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, improve energy efficiency by 29% and ensure that 20% of energy generation is from renewables by the same date. It is agreed by leaders of member countries in
March
· The Confederation of British Industry's climate change task force meets for the first time.
· Ten major companies form the US Climate Action Partnership, which calls for mandatory federal legislation to reduce greenhouse gases.
February
· The science working group of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports on key areas of research and shows that warming of the climate system is unequivocal.
· A Christian Aid report on the UK's emissions, Coming Clean, argues that hundreds of millions of tonnes have not been disclosed by Britain's biggest businesses.
· A European survey shows that 45% of business leaders think environmental protection should be top priority for global political leaders. Another 40% think sustained economic growth should be highest on the list.
· Australia's government announces plans to phase in energy-efficient fluorescent and LED bulbs within three years.
March
· A second IPCC working group reports on the increased probability of very large sea level rises caused by melting Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets. "Relocating populations, economic activity and infrastructure would be costly and challenging," it says.
· UK government publishes draft climate change bill and opens consultations. Main proposals are that "at least" a 60% reduction in the 1990 level of carbon emissions by 2050 should become a statutory requirement, with a 26%-32% reduction by 2020, and has provisions to set up a domestic emissions trading scheme.
· Manchester University's Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research says the government's targets are too low and they could mean future temperature rises of 4C or 5C instead of the intended upper limit of 2C. They say a 90% cut in greenhouse gases is needed by 2050.
April
· Canada announces plans to ban incandescent light bulbs within five years.
May
· A third IPCC working group reports on the future likely impacts of climate change on the planet and says time is running out. Global emissions need to peak "within the next two decades" and the problem requires "more stringent mitigation".
June
· At the G8 summit hosted by Germany in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, the US signals willingness to work within a UN framework and to consider emissions targets. Mr Bush agrees to "seriously consider" a 50% cut in carbon emissions by 2050 but says US involvement depends on India and China being included in any agreement.
· A YouGov survey finds more than half of leaders and major shareholders in Britain's biggest companies put climate change at the bottom of the priority list. Just 14% have a clear strategy. Most say that brand awareness, marketing strategy and "corporate responsibility" are more urgent issues.
· A report from Headland, a communications consultancy, says fund managers do not pay much attention to climate change issues when taking investment decisions, although they admit it will be important in the future. Typical fund managers "are not looking at 2012, let alone 2050".
· European Commission publishes its green paper on the continental impact of global warming and strategies for adaptation.
July
· The second UN global compact leaders summit takes place in Geneva. Leaders of 153 companies call on governments to regulate emissions and establish carbon trading mechanisms.
· Research from PricewaterhouseCoopers finds 49% of UK companies think current government policy is insufficient to change environmental behaviour. More than two thirds say climate change and environmental issues affect the way they conduct business. Regulation is seen as the most effective policy, with taxes ranked next and emissions-trading schemes the least favoured.
· Trucost, an environmental research organisation, releases its Carbon Counts 2007 report, which claims that one quarter of socially responsible investment funds sold in the UK have higher carbon footprints than their mainstream competitors.
· The House of Commons environmental audit committee's report for 2006-07 says: "The government's policy towards the UK's 2050 target is clearly incoherent. The government remains committed to limiting global warming to a rise of 2C; but it also acknowledges that, according to recent scientific research, a cut in UK emissions of 60% by 2050 is now unlikely to be consistent with delivering this goal. This target should be strengthened." And of the shorter-term goal it says: "It is clear to us that the government will have to introduce more radical policies into its climate change programme very soon if it is to meet even the 2020 target as currently set." It also recommends that international shipping and aviation emissions should be included in the climate change bill.
· China, the world's largest producer of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halon, shuts down five of its six remaining plants, putting the country two and a half years ahead of the Montreal Protocol's 2010 deadline for phase-out of the two ozone depleting chemicals.
August
· A joint committee of both houses of parliament reports on the draft climate change bill and, while welcoming the proposed legislation, argues that annual carbon budgets should be set and policed through greater parliamentary accountability as well as being legally enforceable. Like the environmental audit committee, it questions the adequacy of the 2050 target of a 60% reduction, and also expresses doubts about too much reliance on carbon trading to meet emissions budgets. It says that aviation and shipping emissions should be included in the UK figures and criticises the Department of Transport for its failure to carry out work on the impact of planes and ships.
· Government awards more than £1m to projects approved by the Carbon Trust, bringing the amount of state investment in low carbon projects during a four-year period to over £17m.
· A draft US Senate bill to mandate emissions cuts of 70% of 1990 levels by 2050 is unveiled in Washington. The bill, from independent Senator Joe Lieberman, is supported by influential Republicans and also proposes a cap and trade scheme.
· A survey by Ernst & Young suggests that investment in renewable energy is likely to increase sevenfold in the next decade to £375bn. The industry is currently growing at between 20% and 30% a year.
· A Guardian investigation uncovers a Whitehall memo revealing that officials from the former DTI say the UK has no hope of reaching the EU's 2020 target of 20% energy from renewables. The government is advised to stick to present policies and use "statistical interpretations" to explain the shortfall. Tony Blair signed the agreement in March. The memo is undated but may have been written as early as May.
· Australia introduces draft greenhouse and energy reporting bill requiring large emitters to report their GHGs from 2009, in preparation for a domestic emissions trading scheme.
September
· Fifth annual report of the Carbon Disclosure Project published. " One trend above all is becoming increasingly clear: climate change and the various regulatory, policy and business responses to it are driving what amounts to a worldwide economic and industrial restructuring."
· Gordon Brown tells the Labour party conference in Bournemouth: "I am proud that Britain will now become the first country in the world to write into law binding limits on carbon emissions. But I am not satisfied: so I am asking the new independent climate change committee to report on whether the 60% reduction in emissions by 2050, which is already bigger than most other countries, should be even stronger still."
· The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney agrees voluntary, aspirational emissions cuts well below the UN, EC, and G8 limits.
· UN summit of leaders from 150 nations tries to jump-start talks on the replacement Kyoto agreement. George Bush does not attend in person but is represented by Condoleezza Rice. She advocates technical solutions such as clean coal and biofuels and he organises his own White House summit later in the week comprising the world's 16 biggest polluters. In it he advocates voluntary limits according to each country's national priorities.
October
· Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change share a Nobel peace prize.
· A leaked draft document from the office of John Hutton, the secretary of state for business, contains recommendations that the target Tony Blair signed up to this year for 20% of all European energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 should be revised because it is expensive and faces "severe practical difficulties".
· The UN environment programme's Earth audit warns that humanity is "at risk". Climate change is a global priority that demands political leadership, it says, but there has been "a remarkable lack of urgency" in the response, which the report characterised as "woefully inadequate".
· China announces phase-out the use of incandescent light bulbs by 2010, as part of a $25m investment by the Global Environment Facility.
November
· IPCC The final synthesis - the fourth assessment report - is expected.
December
· UN climate change conference will be hosted by the government of Indonesia on the island of Bali. The conference is designed to prepare the way for a post-Kyoto agreement.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/nov/05/greenlist.climatechange
