Tiempo Climate Newswatch

The United States will develop a multibillion-dollar "clean technology fund" during the course of this year. The fund will assist developing countries finance technologies to limit emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. The aim, said David McCormick, Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs, is to "put a dent in the funding gap" between more expensive advanced technology and older, cheaper technology. It could cost developing countries an additional US$30 billion to switch to cleaner technology over the period to 2030, according to McCormick.

Yvo de Boer, head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat, welcomed the establishment of the fund. "The notion of this clean technology fund... represents a sea change in thinking on climate change," commented de Boer. "Up to now there has been a lot of concern, certainly in the United States, that helping developing countries like China and India on climate change would take jobs away from Americans and give them to the Chinese," he continued. The United States will host a second round of climate talks in Hawaii at the end of this month.

The European Union (EU) executive will put forward its controversial energy and climate plan this week. The plan spells out how the EU's agreed target of a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by the year 2030, and parallel targets for renewable energy and biofuels, will be met. "Our package... is a demonstration of our willingness to put our money where our mouth is," said José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. He recently warned the European Parliament "that transforming Europe into a low-carbon economy is not an easy task." "But this is the moment to be serious, responsible and coherent with our commitment," he continued.

The plan has been criticized from many sides. Environmental groups consider the targets too weak. "Coming up with just a 20 per cent proposal goes against both the scientific advice on what is needed to prevent a climate crisis and the moral obligation entered into in Bali," said Stefan Singer of WWF. Individual countries are concerned that they may be disadvantaged by their particular circumstances. Sweden, for example, fears that it may find itself penalized because its renewable energy sector is already substantial. France would like to see its nuclear power generation recognized. Industry and energy utilities across Europe are worried about economic costs.

A new assessment identifies coastal development as the main threat to Caribbean coral reefs. "The continuing degradation of coral reefs may be soon beyond repair, if threats are not identified and rapidly controlled," warns lead author Camilo Mora of Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. "In the Caribbean alone, these losses are endangering a large number of species, from corals to sharks, and jeopardizing over four billion dollars in services worth from fisheries, tourism and coastal protection," he continues.

The assessment was based on monitoring corals, fish and macroalgae at over three hundred sites in 13 countries, comparing records with socio-economic data on population density, coastal development and agricultural land use as well as environmental and ecological statistics. The analysis revealed that the number of people living near coral reefs is the main cause of coral mortality, loss of fish biomass and increases in macroalgae abundance. Coastal development, by increasing sewage and fishing pressure was identified as a major contributor to loss of corals and fish biomass. The area of cultivated land, related to agrochemical discharges, appears to have driven macroalgae growth. It was found that, alongside these factors, higher sea temperatures accelerates coral mortality.