Tiempo Climate Newswatch

Following a preparatory meeting for the forthcoming Durban climate summit, South African ambassador at large for the conference, NJ Mxakato-Diseko, has warned negotiators not to inflate expectations. "Talk of any legally binding instrument would be irresponsible, very irresponsible," she said. "To even begin to suggest that the outcome of Durban must be a legally binding instrument would be irresponsible, because it will collapse the system." Progress can, however, be expected, in some areas, with commentators highlighting climate financing, emissions reporting and carbon trading.

Whether to extend or replace the Kyoto Protocol remains an issue of contention. China has said that, while it remains committed to extending the Protocol, reform would be acceptable. The European Parliament environment committee has passed a resolution to extend its commitment beyond 2012. ""The continuation of the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 will decide the success or failure of the Durban summit. The European Union (EU) must show the necessary leadership to prevent a stalemate in climate negotiations," said committee chairman Jo Leinen. The committee believes that the EU's economy would benefit from going beyond the current 20 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target.

Climate change induced by human activity is partly responsible for the increasing frequency of wintertime droughts in the Mediterranean region, according to a new study by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in the United States. Over the past 20 years, ten of the driest 12 winters on record have occurred in the region.

"The magnitude and frequency of the drying that has occurred is too great to be explained by natural variability alone," said Martin Hoerling from NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. The pattern of ocean warming in recent decades has driven drought-favouring weather patterns over the Mediterranean, consistent with climate model projections. "The question has been whether this projected drying has already begun to occur in winter, the most important season for water resources," Hoerling said. "The answer is yes."

A group of companies in the United States has launched a one-year pilot project, the Partnership for Resilience and Environmental Preparedness (PREP). The project will promote practices and economic growth that help both vulnerable communities and businesses adapt to the impacts of climate change and public policies that facilitate adaptation efforts to prepare for and respond to the consequences of a changing climate.

"From cotton to coffee, we have already seen the impact that climate change is having on our global supply chains, but we're now discovering more about the impacts on the communities our supply chains depend on," commented Amy Leonard of Levi Strauss & Co. "Investing in smart adaptation solutions is a major step towards building a climate resilient society," said Mark Way at Swiss Re. "By partnering together, companies and communities can utilize their collective resources to tackle climate risk and improve resiliency for the betterment of society as a whole."