UN Climate Research Articles

Quantifying international public finance provision needs for the new UN climate finance goal

Quantifying international public finance provision needs for the new UN climate finance goal

The green libraries partnership and green libraries campaign

The Green Libraries Partnership, rebranded as the Green Libraries Campaign in 2023, was established in February 2022 in response to the UN Climate Change Conference and the climate emergency declarations by local authorities in England. The initiative, led by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and supported by key organisations, aims to foster a sustainable future for libraries and their communities. Central to its mission are four key aims: enhancing sustainability efforts within libraries, facilitating community engagement, aligning with local environmental initiatives, and positioning libraries as vital contributors to climate action. Over its first eighteen months, the Partnership conducted research, launched a Green Libraries Manifesto, established a grant fund, and hosted the inaugural Green Libraries Conference, reflecting its commitment to environmental action. The Green Libraries Campaign seeks to expand the programme’s reach across the UK library sector, encouraging collaboration and innovation to address climate change effectively. This article outlines the objectives of the Partnership and Campaign, evaluates achievements thus far, and discusses future aspirations, emphasising the importance of libraries in promoting climate awareness and action. As the initiative evolves, it aspires to ensure financial sustainability while fostering an inclusive network of libraries dedicated to environmental stewardship. The programme is also committed to learning from global library initiatives to support diverse communities in their sustainability efforts and the measures being taken across the international library sector to work towards achieving new zero across library buildings and services.

Design by Transitional Committee: learning from the Green Climate Fund

ABSTRACT In 2022 at the UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh (COP27), countries agreed to establish a new fund for loss and damage. This decision was one of the most significant outcomes of the COP, and something Small Island Developing States had spent the previous three decades calling for. The approach taken to realize this new funding arrangement includes many similarities to that taken to create a similarly significant new fund twelve years earlier – the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – including its design by a Transitional Committee. The aim of this article is to assess the extent to which the ambitions for the GCF have been realized, with a view to informing the ongoing design and early implementation of the new fund. To do this, the article compares the GCF’s present-day outcomes to its original intentions as described by the COP16 decision text. This paper finds that the GCF’s operation today only partially reflects the ambitions expressed at COP16. While the ambition for a Board with equal representation by developing and developed countries has been achieved, ambitions to expand the sources of finance and increase funding for adaptation have been mixed. The influence of the World Bank was a key point of tension over the GCF’s Transitional Committee period, and the Bank continues in the Trustee role today. The role of the Committee’s Technical Support Unit – the group of staff seconded from various international development banks and agencies to provide technical and administrative support to the GCF’s Transitional Committee – had an outsized influence on the shape of the GCF, such that these organizations continue to receive the bulk of GCF funding today. These findings suggest a greater plurality of voices providing such technical inputs would enhance the design of new funding bodies. The creation of new international finance institutions is relatively rare, so understanding the history of the GCF’s design is important for contextualising discussions about other climate finance options.

The First Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement: Role, Functioning and Legal Implications

Abstract At the 2023 UN climate conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the outcome of the first global stocktake (GST) under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement was adopted. This result was hailed by some as a historical achievement, while others considered it a failure. This article explains (i) what the role of GST is; (ii) how it functions; (iii) what the GST outcome from Dubai contained and why it provided reasons (for some) to celebrate; and (iv) what its implications are for the processes under the Paris Agreement and for Parties’ climate change obligations. Importantly, the article sheds light on the role of the GST – which will take place every five years – in informing the increasing level of ambition of Parties’ climate action and support. Regularly conducting the GST is a means for providing an evidence-based, updated assessment of the collective progress of Parties and where they ought to be to achieve the Agreement’s goals. The outcome of the GST shall be taken into account by Parties, as a matter of legal obligation. If undertaken effectively, the GST can thus provide the basis for increasingly ambitious actions and for driving transformational action across all sectors.

The dramaturgical infrastructure of counter-summitry – ethnographic insights from the Glasgow climate conference

ABSTRACT The annual UN climate conferences synchronize major social worlds, including politics, media, business, science, and law. They therefore attract anyone interested in high-profile performances such as protest action. With the post-Paris turn in global environmental governance, scholarly interest in theatrical aspects of climate governance is increasing. Activism at climate conferences, however, has not yet been studied through a dramaturgical lens. We propose the concept of ‘dramaturgical infrastructure’ to complement Goffman’s focus on self-presentation with the material and immaterial context beyond the micro-level of situated interactional practices. Based on fieldwork at the 2021 climate conference in Glasgow, we describe how activists draw on and mobilize a dramaturgical infrastructure of scripts, spaces, rituals, and requisites for their performances, and how this results in role-taking on the Glasgow stage. We identify the roles of the watchdog, the participant, the disrupter, and the connector, each with distinctive patterns of compliance with or distancing from post-Paris climate governance and the news media. The dramaturgical perspective suggests that climate conferences provide encounters that educate activists to be aware of the component of self-presentation in their activism and to design performances for high public, policy, and media attention.

Comparative Discourse Strategies in Environmental Advocacy: Analysing the Rhetoric of Greta Thunberg and Chris Packham

This paper examines the rhetoric and argumentation of two prominent environmental activists, Greta Thunberg and Chris Packham. From the perspective of Ecolinguistics, Thunberg has given voice to a generational movement for change, galvanising young people everywhere through high-profile protests and speeches. Packham represents British mainstream environmentalism, notably as the presenter of the acclaimed nature documentary ‘Springwatch’. We argue that their influence partially stems from their alignment with dominant cultural narratives: Thunberg’s emphasis on intergenerational discord and Packham’s connection to the natural world. We analyse both figures via the lens of the ‘emotionalisation of media discourse’, highlighting argumentation strategies that feature expressions of negative emotions of which anger is a type. Thunberg’s famous ‘How dare you?’ outburst at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit and Packham’s statement to Novara Media, ‘I am more angry now than at any point since my 20s’, exemplify this trend. We explore the pragmatic implications of their argumentative and discursive strategies, suggesting that while both have significantly elevated the profile of ecological activism, their discourse may also have a potentially divisive aspect.

Spatial Analysis and Trend Prediction of UN Climate Change News based on Proximization Theory

Climate change is a major global challenge. The United Nations plays a key role in conveying information on climate change. This study using Piotr Cap’s Proximization Theory analyzes UN News samples, focusing on the usage of Proximization Theory and how the United Nations constructs the threat of peripheral entities under the Proximization Theory. The UN’s reports predominantly employ spatial proximization, supplemented by temporal proximization, emphasizing climate change’s impact on people’s lives and urging immediate attention. Spatial proximization highlights the impact of human activities on the environment, urging urgency. Axiological proximization constructs positive and negative values, justifying defensive action. Temporal proximization focuses on imminent dangers, urging immediate response.

Global sustainable development programs: Challenges to the achievement of the goals

In this interview the Head of the Chair of Sociology of Public Administration of the School of Sociology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vladimir P. Vasiliev, shares his assessments of the results and significance of the UN climate Conference held in November-December 2023 in the UAE (Dubai). He examines the current dynamics of the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, the key provisions of the reports of the World Health Organization and the International Energy Agency, and focuses on the discussions that unfolded at the conference on the use of fossil fuels and the transition to renewable energy sources. It is noted that the process of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is currently facing a number of serious obstacles, both economic and socio-political in nature. Meanwhile, failure to implement the SDGs is fraught with a sharp aggravation of the problems of global inequality, food security and climate migration, especially dangerous for the most vulnerable groups of the population. It is noted that under these conditions, the Russian Federation is pursuing a long-term climate policy aimed at achieving a balance between anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and their absorption, in a way that is consistent with national interests and priorities of socio-economic development. Hopefully, scientists from Lomonosov Moscow State University will be able to contribute both to improving the environmental policy of the Russian Federation and to defining the global climate agenda. And for this, in turn, it is important to develop and strengthen the dialogue between the leading scientific schools of Moscow State University.

Characterization of wood plastic composites made with recycled waste tire rubber

Abstract Green materials are currently demanded for construction as well as other products since the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2021. Using renewable and sustainable resources to innovate new materials such as composites is encouraged. This study aimed to investigate the physical and mechanical characteristics of wood plastic composites (WPCs) when adding waste tire rubber as filler for 10% or 20% by weight. The results showed that the density of the WPC samples (50 wt% wood − 50 wt% high density polyethylene) increased with the addition of the waste tire rubber (WTR) while the dimensional stability of samples was reduced. The mechanical properties of the WPC samples were determined, including flexural strength, flexural modulus, elongation at break, tensile strength, tensile modulus, and impact strength. The WTR as filler in the WPC tended to decrease the tensile strength and flexural strength whereas it improved the impact strength of materials. The results indicated that the WTR as recycled material in WPC affected the physical and mechanical properties of the WPCs. Although the use of the WTR in the production of the WPC adversely affects the mechanical properties, the use of 10 wt% WTR was acceptable. The results of the study showed that the addition of the WTR to the WPC production process can be useful for its recycling and for reducing the cost of the WPC.

Estimating the daily flooding probability by the compound effect of rainfall and tides in an Amazonian metropolis

Belém, the capital of the state of Pará, host of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), which is located in the Brazilian Amazon, suffers from flooding caused by rainfall and tides. The objective was to estimate the daily flooding probability in Belém based on the two assumptions, i.e., the compound effect of rainfall and tides and rainfall only. In this case, rainfalls were analysed considering intensity and duration. Thus, it was possible to evaluate the flooding probability for each assumption and propose technological solutions to reduce this probability. Rainfall and tide height data for the 2003 to 2021 period were used. The minimum level causing flooding was defined analysing the compound effect (rainfall + tide height). The effects of rainfall and tides were also separately analysed with the aim of isolating the entry of tides into city canals. The daily flooding probability was estimated based on the study of the a priori probability derived from the ratio between the number of flooding events and the number of possible floods. The results showed that certain areas of Belém-PA could be flooded with a minimum value of rainfall plus tide height is 640.4 mm, if the rainfall intensity reaches at least 30 mm/h. Regarding the rainfall duration, the minimum value of rainfall plus tide height is 1398 mm for flooding to occur if rainfall lasts at least two hours. The flooding events were validated by examining local newspaper reports and photographic records describing and capturing flooding, respectively. The highest daily flooding probability occurred during the wettest period in the city, from January to May. The daily flooding probability was greatly reduced when only rainfall was considered. Thus, if city canals encompass floodgate systems, flood damage could be reduced. A floodgate systems project would be an important COP30 legacy for Belém. This system could help reduce the losses suffered by the poorest populations in Belém, who live in floodplain areas.

A satellite imagery-driven framework for rapid resource allocation in flood scenarios to enhance loss and damage fund effectiveness

The impact of climate change and urbanization has increased the risk of flooding. During the UN Climate Change Conference 28 (COP 28), an agreement was reached to establish “The Loss and Damage Fund” to assist low-income countries impacted by climate change. However, allocating the resources required for post-flood reconstruction and reimbursement is challenging due to the limited availability of data and the absence of a comprehensive tool. Here, we propose a novel resource allocation framework based on remote sensing and geospatial data near the flood peak, such as buildings and population. The quantification of resource distribution utilizes an exposure index for each municipality, which interacts with various drivers, including flood hazard drivers, buildings exposure, and population exposure. The proposed framework asses the flood extension using pre- and post-flood Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework, an analysis was conducted on the flood that occurred in the Thessaly region of Greece in September 2023. The study revealed that the municipality of Palamas has the highest need for resource allocation, with an exposure index rating of 5/8. Any government can use this framework for rapid decision-making and to expedite post-flood recovery.

Europejski Zielony Ład, czyli jak Unia Europejska zamierza uczynić z Europy pierwszy neutralny kontynent dla klimatu?

THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL, OR HOW DOES THE EUROPEAN UNION INTEND TO MAKE EUROPE THE FIRST CLIMATE-NEUTRAL CONTINENT? The research aim of the paper is to analyze the objectives of the European Union (EU) climate policy and the instruments for their implementation, as well as to present the challenges on the way to achieving climate neutrality by the EU. In 2015, during the 21st UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, an agreement was agreed, the purpose of which is to limit global warming, aiming, among other things, for limiting the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably to no more than 1.5°C. All EU Member States have ratified the above agreement, while agreeing to take action to make the EU the world’s first climate-neutral economy and society by 2050. To achieve this, the “European Green Deal” strategy was adopted, followed by the European Climate Law and the “Fit for 55” package of legislative proposals. In addition, a more ambitious EU climate target for 2030 has been agreed, namely a reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels. Based on this, the following research hypothesis should be put forward, assuming that if all initiated projects, climate programs and mechanisms are fully implemented, the EU will become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. The first part of the article focuses on the goals of the European Green Deal and their implementation. The second part discusses the assumptions of European Climate Law and the elements of the “Fit for 55” package, as well as presents the most important financial instruments of the EU climate policy. The third part contains an analysis of the challenges standing in the way of the EU achieving climate neutrality by 2050, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Combating Global Warming and Modern Wars is much about Sedimentology

The Paris Agreement on climate change came into force on 4 November 2016 which was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015. Under this agreement, 175 countries are legally bound to commit themselves to limit the increase of global warming temperatures to under 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. To achieve this goal, mitigation and adaptation policies have been adopted at the national and international levels. Mitigation measures include decarbonisation policy, for example the large-scale development of low-carbon energies to replace fossil fuel energy in a sustainable way. At present, efforts are focussed on the energy transition from fossil fuel driven energy to low-carbon energy which is mineral intensive. Rare earth elements (REEs) are core components of clean energy technologies such as solar, wind turbines and electric vehicles in the process of energy transition. In the quest for slow down the global temperature rise, development of low-carbon energy to achieve carbon emission reduction goals, rare earth elements are the key components to the energy transition. The criticality of supply and demand of raw materials is the key issue in planning the sustainable transition from fossil fuel driven energy to green energy. Over the past few years many countries established critical raw materials lists, in which rare earth elements have been given most attention.

Aspects of the European Union’s climate policy in the context of the opportunities offered by the building sector – innovation in action

The European Commission wants Europe to become climate-neutral by 2050. 28 November 2018. The Commission has set out a long-term strategic vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and, above all, climate-neutral economy by 2050, showing how Europe can lead the way in achieving this goal by investing in realistic technologies, empowering citizens and adapting policies in such areas like industrial policy, finance and research. In this transition process, social justice must also be guaranteed. The Commission’s vision for a climate-neutral future, following the suggestions of the European Parliament and the European Council, covers almost all EU policies and is in line with the Paris Agreement objective of keeping the temperature increase well below 2°C and trying to bring it down to 1.5°C. The Commission adopted its strategic vision on 28 November 2018 in advance of the UN Climate Summit (COP24), which took place from 2 to 14 December in Katowice. Clean technologies are opening up new opportunities for industry and investors, even if capital markets are slower to adapt to the climate economy. Renewable technologies such as solar, hydro or wind energy are expected to enable the EU to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% by 20502.

A Commentary and Critique on Progress in Ocean and Climate Change Action at Recent COP Meetings

Abstract The ocean was finally recognized within the formal UN climate change negotiations at COP 25 in 2019. This result was due to a decades long multinational, collaborative effort spearheaded by the Global Ocean Forum under the inspired leadership of Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain. This article describes some of the major events leading up to COP 25 and the developments in ocean-climate change activities at the following two COP meetings in Glasgow, Scotland (COP 26) and Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (COP 27). Observations about each of the COP meetings are presented, and successes and failures are identified along the way. In particular, the importance of the formal dialogues on ocean and climate change are assessed, and the urgency of translating hopes and aspirations into real climate action for the ocean is highlighted in preparation for the COP 28 in Dubai in 2023.

Energy security: new challenges and global trends

In the conditions of a permanent world energy crisis and its strengthening against the background of full-scale aggression of russia in Ukraine, questions regarding risks to national energy security come to the fore in the world. At the same time, the world is undergoing the fourth energy transition, which requires the develop­ment of a new concept of energy security by countries that are both suppliers of energy resources and their consumers. The aim of the research is to develop the conceptual principles of energy security, taking into account modern challenges caused by simultaneously growing crises in energy, economy and geopolitics. The creation of such a basis makes it possible to identify a number of solutions for neutralizing new threats that arise, in particular, in the context of the "green" transition. The research was conducted using the methods of scientific abstraction and systematization, analysis and synthesis, generalization, comparison. Concep­tual features of energy security management in conditions of radically changed context, streng­the­ning of crisis phenomena and threats of various natures are presented. The hypothesis that energy security is a complex category that expresses the ability of the fuel and energy complex of the region to supply the domestic market with the necessary volume and range of energy resources at stable and acceptable prices, to quickly mitigate unexpected fluctua­tions in demand for fuel and energy resources and to ensure uninterrupted energy supply and energy carrier parameters in real time. Based on the analysis of scientific publications and practical models of energy security, theoretical provisions, methodological principles and ener­gy security management tools that meet modern requirements have been developed. In particu­lar, the key global trends of changes in the energy markets are defined, the types and forms of modern energy threats and risks are outlined. It outlines the impact of the "green" transition that many countries have undertaken and confirmed at the UN Climate Change Confe­rence (COP28), emphasizing further energy security, taking into account both the reduction of dependence on fossil fuels and the new challenges associated with renewable energy sources. The results of the research are of prac­tical interest during the development of ener­gy policy, plans and specific actions aimed at ensuring energy security in a turbulent global environment.

How natural resource, renewable energy, and energy productivity integrate with environmental quality under the load capacity curve in OECD nations

Previous research highlights the impact of renewable energy (REN) sources and natural resources (NRP) on environmental sustainability, but it leaves out the possible consequences of energy production (EP). Additionally, clean environment is addressed by Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 12. This study evaluates the outcomes of meeting the OECD's carbon zero targets by 2050 as well as the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties' 2030 carbon neutrality target. Therefore, evaluating how these factors affect the load capacity factor (LCF) may have pertinent ramifications for the government's pursuit of sustainable development objectives. Therefore, the effects of REN, NRP, and energy efficiency on LCF were examined for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The method of momentum quantile regression (MMQR) is applied during the period of 1990–2022. The results show that REN is increasing LCF by 0.157%–0.161% in four quantiles and NRP is also contributing to environmental quality by 0.385%–0.233% in 25th to 90th quantiles. EP is lowering LCF by 0.091%–0.073% in the long run. The paper provides policy implications for a cleaner environment in OECD nations.

Discourse Analysis of COP28 News Reports from the Perspective of Attitude in Appraisal Theory

Conference of the Parties is the world’s largest and most important annual climate-related conference. Taking the attitude system of Martin’s Appraisal Theory as the theoretical framework, this study collects news reports on the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties from China Daily as the corpus. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of the corpus, this study explores the distribution pattern and realization of attitudinal resources in these news reports, aiming to reveal the attitude and stance of China Daily towards COP28. According to the study, attitudinal resources consist mostly of appreciation resources, which comprise over half of the total. Affect and judgement resources follow, with a greater proportion of positive than negative resources. Additionally, China Daily frequently adopts a positive viewpoint regarding COP28 through the use of attitudinal materials. This research aids in the efficient comprehension and expression of attitudes and positions in discourses.

Japan-Brazil Relations at a Time of Historical Change in the International Order: With G20 Summit, COP30, and BRICS Summit in Mind

The international order is currently undergoing a historic transition, and in addition to the 2024 G20 Rio de Janeiro summit in November 2024, Brazil is scheduled to host the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP30) and the 17th BRICS summit in 2025. The world’s attention will inevitably be focused on Brazil. In this article, the author will take a look at the domestic political and economic situation in Brazil.

Footprints of Artificial Intelligence in Climate Change

Abstract: Climate change and digital modifications are the two most dominant trends of our century and have become a global concern. The strategy in which humans can manage them, and their enlarged interactions will play a key role in mankind’s future. Primarily we have to make pathways to combine the climate and digital transformations in a way that validates our social and democratic values. In the present situation, climate change is the major concern that leads to the depletion of various environmental resources which is an alarming situation for living beings. Technology has changed a lot in the past few decades, changing our lives and us along with it. Artificial Intelligence is already playing a key role in Education, Health, and various other industries. Artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing about many changes in our perception of technology and lifestyle. Advancements in AI and Machine Learning (ML) are promising, and their applications are continually redefining the way we interact with our devices, people, and the planet. Various initiatives of Artificial Intelligence for tackling climate change have started, like the UN Climate Change Initiative on Artificial Intelligence for Climate Action. These investigate how AI might be used as a potent instrument to advance and intensify climate action that is revolutionary in poor nations. This paper mainly identifies the effective impacts of Artificial Intelligence on climate change and its sustainability.