Tiempo Climate Newswatch

There is mounting concern that any agreement reached later this year regarding extension of the climate treaty may be no tougher than the existing Kyoto Protocol. "There's not a lot of ambition around," said Jennifer Morgan from the think-tank E3G, which is based in London, commenting on submissions by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "The economic downturn is putting a brake on the level of commitment and investment to mitigate climate change," noted Pep Canadell of the Global Carbon Project.

There are, however, signs that China may be moving towards reaching agreement on joining international efforts to combat climate change. "China used to think the developed world is not serious. That's what they were saying in December," said British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband, following talks in Beijing. "But now they know the United States is on the pitch and ready to engage with them. It has made a real difference to what China is saying," he continued.

Following lengthy controversy, the British government has pledged that it will not allow any new coal-fired power stations to be built without a proportion of carbon emissions buried underground. "The era of new unabated coal has come to an end," claimed British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband. The United Kingdom recently became the first nation to commit to a mid-term goal for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, a 34 per cent cut by the year 2020 relative to 1990 levels.

British police appear to have been caught on tape attempting to recruit an informer within climate protest group, Plane Stupid. Two men, claiming to be police officers, allegedly offered Matilda Gifford money, tax-free and in cash, in return for information on the group's activities, following her arrest at an airport protest. She told the British newspaper, the Guardian, that "recording them seemed like the obvious thing to do. I was keen to find out what they had to offer, what they wanted to find out, and feed that back to the group in case other members of Plane Stupid were approached."

The Republic of Mauritius and the Federated States of Micronesia have been honoured with a Climate Protection Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The award recognizes the outstanding contribution of these island nations to climate protection under the Montreal Protocol ozone treaty. Over the past year, national representatives have been instrumental in advocating and building support for the collection and destruction of "banks" of ozone-depleting substances in old equipment.

"Climate change is such a serious threat to small island countries that every effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is not a choice, it is a must, particularly when you know your efforts are sure to bring results, as the Montreal Protocol has done for over 20 years," said Sateeaved Seebaluck from the Ministry of Environment of Mauritius. These nations have recently proposed that the Montreal Protocol be amended to phase down hydrofluorocarbons, which, it is feared, could otherwise represent one third of total climate emissions by 2040. "It shouldn’t take a prolonged debate to decide that this is a good idea," said Durwood Zaelke from the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, based in Washington DC and Geneva, Switzerland. "We congratulate the island states for leading the way. This is the third year in a row Micronesia and Mauritius have teamed up to strengthen the Montreal Protocol to do more for climate protection."