Global Issues
Caitlin Werrell and Francesco Femia

Ambassador Susan Rice, recently-appointed to be President Obama’s National Security Advisor, gave parting remarks on her last day as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday. In her speech, she expressed the need for the U.S. and the international community to address the “grave consequences of climate change.” Here’s the full quote:

    "There remain big questions about the future of development—including how to forge a post-2015 development agenda that continues to eradicate poverty and foster economic growth in a sustainable way. And as President Obama discussed today, we have significant work ahead to prepare for and mitigate the grave consequences of climate change."

 

For the complete article, please see The Centre for Climate & Security.

Kate Guy, University of Oxford/Center for Climate & Security

How might a single threat, even one deemed unlikely, spiral into an evolving global crisis which challenges the foundations of global security, economic stability and democratic governance, all in the matter of a few weeks?

Climate Diplomacy
Global Issues
Isabel Hilton, chinadialogue

The former lead climate negotiator for the UK and the EU, Peter Betts, welcomes the decision to move COP26 to 2021 and discusses what is needed from the postponed climate summit.

Climate Diplomacy
Finance
Europe
Frédéric Simon, EURACTIV

Paris and Berlin have added their names to a growing list of EU capitals asking for the European Green Deal to be placed at the heart of the EU’s post-pandemic recovery plan.

Sustainable Transformation
Global Issues
UN News

Greenhouse gas emissions are down and air quality has gone up, as governments react to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, has cautioned against viewing this as a boon for the environment. In this First Person editorial from UN News, Ms. Andersen calls instead for a profound, systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.