Climate Change
Global Issues

The Compact of States and Regions, the only global platform to record greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets and inventory data from sub-national governments, has today announced that 20 governments, representing over 220 million people and $8.3 trillion GDP, have committed to a series of ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions.

These reporting governments currently represent about 1.81 GtCO2e, or 5%, of all global emissions, and with many more due to report over the summer, the potential emission savings through the Compact are set to be one of the most significant commitments presented ahead of COP21.

Presented at the World Summit Climate and Territories in Lyon, France, the initial round of targets include:

  • All reporting governments have a series of reduction targets across their operations in place – some as ambitious as 90% by 2050 and 100% by 2060.
  • 90% have also reported renewable energy targets. 
  • In total, 85 GHG reduction, energy efficiency and renewable targets have been reported – the total amount of climate recorded actions exceeded 200.

In addition, the Compact will be a platform for governments to report climate data going beyond 2015 – ensuring that they continue to accurately report against their climate targets with reliable, publically available data.

Climate Change
Security
Europe
Planetary Security Initiative

Initiated in 2015, the French Ministry for the Armed Forces organized the first international conference “Defence and climate: what are the stakes?”. Since then, the Ministry has been constantly adapting and developing its capacity of anticipation.

Climate Diplomacy
Security
Global Issues
Benjamin Pohl and Stella Schaller, adelphi

On 25 January 2019, the UN Security Council held an open debate to discuss the security implications of climate-related disaster events. The meeting, initiated by the Dominican Republic, underscored the global nature of climate-related disasters. Most speakers highlighted the need for better climate risk management as an important contribution to safeguarding international peace and security. The debate marks the beginning of a year in which climate security ranks high on the UN’s agenda.

Planetary Security Initiative

Today, Friday 25th January 2019, the UN Security Council will hold an open debate addressing the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security (at 4pm CET and 10am EST). President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic will chair the meeting, which will also include the participation of several member states at ministerial level.

Adaptation & Resilience
Climate Change
Co-Benefits
Development
Global Issues
Stacy D. VanDeveer, Raimund Bleischwitz and Catalina Spataru, New Secuirty Beat

The unabated growth of natural resource consumption raises risks that we will outstrip the capacities of ecosystems and governance institutions. At the same time, to achieve important global goals related to poverty alleviation, public health, equity and economic development such as those embodied in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we will simultaneously need more resources and better management of natural resources everywhere.