diplomacy&development

The resources will help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the negative effects of global warming, such as rising sea levels, record temperatures, prolonged drought, and more frequent and severe weather events. The amount pledged exceeds the USD 9.3 billion announced at the Fund’s previous pledging conference in 2014, even though some of those contributors have yet to pledge. Three-quarters of the countries increased their pledges in national currency. Nearly half of them doubled or more than doubled their pledges. This is a seventy percent increase in our programming resources on an annual basis. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Sweden are the top contributors. The Fund will continue receiving contributions in the coming four years. The pledges demonstrate strong and continued confidence in the Fund’s unique ability to promote a paradigm shift towards low-emission, climate-resilient development. In particular, these commitments ...

The world’s highest peaks, ranging from the Andes to the Alps and the Third Pole to the tropics, are being hit hard by climate change, and the impacts of this are cascading down to some of Earth’s most densely populated areas. The rapidly melting mountain glaciers serve as a source of freshwater for major rivers. Those rivers are vital for humans, ecosystems, agriculture, industry and serve as a means of transportation. Weather forecasts, climate and water management services are often inadequate, and hazards such as glacial outflows and landslides regularly destroy lives and livelihoods. The World Meteorological Organization and a wide array of partners are therefore convening a High Mountain Summit on 29–31 October.   It will bring together more than 150 stakeholders from all over the globe to identify priority actions to support more sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation both in high-mountain areas and downstream. This inc...

A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found the fact at that time, the region would become a global leader in wind, accounting for more than 50 per cent of all onshore and over 60 per cent of all offshore wind capacity installed globally. According to the “Future of Wind” published at China Wind Power in Beijing today, global wind power could rise ten-fold reaching over 6000 GW by 2050. By midcentury, wind could cover one third of global power needs and – combined with electrification – deliver a quarter of the energy-related carbon emission reductions needed to meet the Paris climate targets. To reach this objective, onshore and offshore wind capacity will need to increase four-fold and ten-fold respectively every year compared to today. “With renewables, it’s possible to achieve a climate-safe future,” said IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Low-cost renewable energy technologies like wind power are readily-available today,...

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends, I am very happy to meet with you. First of all, I would like to express my condolences in connection with the lives lost in a traffic accident and a plane crash in your country. These are always tragic events. Speaking about our relations, I must say from the start that we view the Democratic Republic of the Congo as one of our most promising partners in Africa, on the African continent. It has substantial trade and investment potential. We know this potential is linked with rich natural resources and the capabilities of your people. Russian-Congolese cooperation is constructive and based on mutual respect. In the very first months of your independence in 1960, the Soviet Union rendered significant assistance to the government of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. He is a truly legendary man, a legendary fighter for the liberation of African nations from colonialism. He was well known in this country ...