Press room

On the sidelines of the symposium " Where are the international climate negotiations heading to "* the Centre for Strategic Analysis publishes three analytical notes. The notes are based on the main findings of two studies conducted for the CAS on the international perception of the scientific discourse and the evolution of international climate negotiations.

How to fight "climate skepticism"? Climate risk and public opinion

By the pressure it can exert on governments, public opinion  plays a central role in the fight against climate change. To prevent the spreading of "climate skeptics" arguments, the CAS proposes two strategies:

1)     Wildly spread knowledge on climate change, focusing not only on points of scientific consensus and the already tangible effects of phenomenon, but also on the uncertainties and areas of disagreement.

2)     Establish correspondants of the  IPCC in numerous parts of the world to develop a responsive and appropriate communication.

What role for Europe in the international climate negotiations?

The European Union, a pioneer in the implementation of climate policy has so far failed to lead the international negotiations towards an ambitious agreement. Nevertheless, it has a key role to play in global climate governance. To help it become a reality, the CAS proposes four strategic directions:

1)      The development of international solidarity climate is a priority. To this end, the EU should promote the implementation, scheduled in 2014, of the Technology Mechanism, Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Committee.

2) Integrate the fight against climate change as a priority in the rules of the World Trade Organization.

3)     Submit, at the Doha conference in 2012, the establishment of working groups involving ministers and experts to prepare the global agreement to be signed in 2015.

4)     Propose, within the framework of the preparation of a global agreement post 2020, to change the rules of decision-making in the global climate negotiations, which would not be based on unanimityanymore, but, depending on the nature of subjects, on relative majority.

Rio + 20: priority to the fight against poverty and the right to development

In June, the conference "Rio + 20" showed that developing countries and emerging countries regard the fight against poverty as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. While the feeling of a North / South gap still exists, future global agreements cannot ignore this issue. In this regard, the CAS proposes four strategic directions:

1)     Get involved in translating the social aspects of the Rio +20 Summit, thus contributing fully to the definition of sustainable development objectives, particularly those related to the fight against poverty and for food security.

2)     Quickly run the reform of the United Nations Environment Programme and the creation of the "high-level political Instance", while clarifying their roles vis-à-vis the UN institutions and ensuring the participation of civil society, including the scientific community.

3)     Provide the Montego Bay Convention with an instrument to preserve the biodiversity of the high seas

4)     Test on a European scale the implementation of innovative financing.

* Symposium organized by the CAS on November 14th, 2012