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The author, a negotiator for Ethiopia, details the steep learning curve for newcomers in the UNFCCC, citing complexities in scheduling, jargon, and lack of historical context. To facilitate consensus, the paper suggests enhancing capacity building through mentorship, utilizing external policy briefs and informal dialogues to build trust, and increasing the transparency of data and negotiation texts. It argues that trust, transparency, and the free flow of information are essential for parties to overcome conflicting national interests and reach multilateral agreements.

Earthjustice praises outgoing EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson for her role in regulating mercury from power plants and cement kilns, as well as implementing regulations to curb greenhouse gases, despite opposition from industrial polluters and Congress.

A coalition of environmental NGOs is calling on the European Commission to implement subsector-specific "placing on the market" (POM) prohibitions for new HFC-based equipment in the shipping sector. The letter argues that current recovery and containment measures are insufficient, noting leakage rates in the current fleet can reach up to 200% annually. The coalition asserts that applying containment and recovery measures could reduce maritime HFC emissions by 40% by 2020 compared to business-as-usual, at a cost of €22/tonne, which is lower than the average cost of other HFC reduction measures.

The global atmosphere is at a critical stage, with climate change identified as the most pressing issue. While successful international cooperation has phased out ozone-depleting substances and lead in petrol, progress on particulate matter and tropospheric ozone is mixed, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Despite the availability of low-carbon technologies, greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, leaving a gap of several billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between current pledges and the targets needed to limit global warming to 2°C. The document advocates for an integrated approach to atmospheric protection and the use of short-lived climate forcers as a complementary strategy to CO2 reduction.

The author characterizes the current global crisis as the collapse of a 'liberal-productivist' model, which combined neoliberal deregulation with a productivist drive that ignored ecological limits. This model failed due to a combination of financial instability (a 'debt economy'), extreme revenue inequality, and a 'climate-energy crisis' where the demand for staple commodities like food and energy crowded out durable goods. The author argues that traditional Keynesian solutions are insufficient because they would accelerate climate change, while 'green-washing' ignores the social inequalities at the root of the crisis. A proposed 'Green Deal' would involve a global redistribution of productivity—prioritizing the reduction of labor time over material consumption—and a shift toward a labor-intensive technological paradigm focused on public transportation and care services. Financing this transition would require the 'monetization of debts' and the creation of new credit strictly oriented toward green investments. The author warns that without a coordinated, democratic transition, the world risks a repeat of the 1930s, where economic desperation led to the rise of fascism and Stalinism.

The report details how corporate interests corrupt science through research suppression, ghostwriting, and the vilification of scientists, while also manipulating federal agencies, Congress, and the judiciary. It assesses the initial steps taken by the Obama administration to improve transparency and scientific integrity and provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for further federal and private-sector reforms to ensure policy is based on independent science.

The Clean Air Task Force criticizes a proposed EPA update to air emissions limits for the oil and natural gas industry, stating that while the rules make progress, they fail to directly regulate methane. The author asserts that the industry is the largest man-made source of methane in the US and that cost-effective measures to stop leaks and dumping could provide climate benefits equivalent to retiring hundreds of coal-fired generators while saving the industry over $30 million annually.

The document argues that EPA mercury rules will not undermine U.S. electricity system reliability due to regulatory flexibility, available compliance technologies, and sufficient new plant capacity to offset retirements.

A coalition of environmental organizations argues that the EPA's proposed rules for the oil and gas industry are insufficient. They demand the direct regulation of methane, the inclusion of existing sources, the elimination of exemptions for certain wells, and the regulation of hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter. The coalition also calls for more stringent toxic air pollutant limits and a more comprehensive health risk assessment for vulnerable populations.

The document analyzes Nigeria's multifaceted relationships with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, highlighting a pattern where Nigeria leverages its oil and gas resources to secure infrastructural development and technical cooperation. While diplomatic and trade ties are strong—particularly with India and China—the paper notes significant friction regarding the quality of Chinese goods, the treatment of workers by Indian and Chinese employers, and the failure of some BRIC entities to honor infrastructure commitments in exchange for oil blocks. It also details the strategic rivalry among the BRICs to capture Nigeria's market, noting that India's linguistic and historical advantages contrast with China's superior financial muscle.

H.R. 2401, the 'Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011', seeks to create a multi-agency committee chaired by the Secretary of Commerce to assess the impacts of EPA regulations. The bill mandates analyses for the years 2016, 2020, and 2030, focusing on global competitiveness, electricity and fuel prices, employment, and power supply reliability. It specifically targets rules related to air quality, hazardous pollutants, and climate change, and proposes deferring the final action of certain EPA rules until after the committee's final report is submitted.

The author contends that coal- and oil-fired power plants have lacked national air toxics regulations for a decade, leading to an 'intolerable situation' for public health and the environment. The text asserts that the EPA's economic benefit analyses are incomplete because they primarily measure particulate matter reductions while ignoring the benefits of reducing carcinogens, heavy metals, and respiratory irritants. It highlights that mercury controls can yield rapid environmental benefits and that some existing sources have already achieved mercury emission reductions of 'upwards of 98% from inlet' with minimal additional investment. The author argues that robust standards, alongside the Clean Air Transport Rule and New Source Performance Standards for greenhouse gases, would drive technological innovation in the energy generation sector.

The Reefs at Risk Revisited analysis finds that approximately 75 percent of global coral reefs are threatened by local and global pressures, with local threats affecting over 60 percent. Without intervention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local pressures, threatened reefs could increase to over 90 percent by 2030 and nearly all reefs by 2050. While over 25 percent of reefs are in marine protected areas, only 6 percent are effectively managed. The report identifies 27 nations as most vulnerable to reef degradation, including Haiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) is an environmental analysis tool that uses an environmentally extended input-output model to assess the global environmental impact of consumption at national, regional, and local levels. It tracks greenhouse gases, ecological footprints, and energy sources across the entire life cycle of products and services, including imports. The tool includes a scenario function to model the effects of political decisions, population changes, and shifts in consumption or transport habits. Originally developed in the UK in 2006, a Swedish version was introduced in April 2011.

Civil society organizations, including CDM Watch and EIA, sent open letters to various financial institutions and energy companies to express concerns over HFC-23 projects under the CDM. The letters argue that these projects lack environmental integrity, reward inefficient production, and create perverse incentives for the production of HCFC-22. The signatories call for changes to CDM methodology and the exclusion of these credits from the EU ETS.

The document asserts that environmental regulations in the United States generally cost far less than predicted by industry and the EPA, while providing substantial economic and public health benefits. It challenges claims that such regulations cause widespread job losses or force firms to relocate to 'pollution havens,' citing data that environmental spending creates jobs and that actual compliance costs are often lowered by technological innovation.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) challenges a timeline produced by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), asserting that the EPA is pursuing a realistic regulatory schedule for the electric power sector. WRI contends that many items on the EEI timeline are procedural or existing obligations rather than new requirements. The document highlights significant 'regulatory lag time,' noting that the industry has had years or decades of notice for most pollutants. It emphasizes that finalizing these rules under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is essential for public health and provides the investment certainty needed for a 21st-century power fleet.

The document examines the framework for industry self-regulation under the Ecodesign Directive, arguing that while these measures are not legally binding at the EU level, they must meet rigorous ex-ante and ex-post criteria to be admitted as alternatives to legislation. It emphasizes the need for representativeness, civil society consultation, and robust monitoring to avoid the failures seen in previous voluntary agreements, such as those regarding CO2 emissions from passenger cars.

The document highlights the accelerating loss of Arctic sea ice and the resulting threats to indigenous communities and global populations as evidence of the climate crisis. It argues that while law alone cannot solve climate change, international law is a vital instrument for achieving justice and protecting the rights of those most vulnerable to environmental degradation. The text frames the mission of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) as using transformative legal approaches to hold powerful entities accountable and protect human health and the environment on a global scale.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) supports the EPA's proposed Transport Rule to replace the judicially invalidated Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) but argues it should be strengthened to further reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). CATF specifically advocates for the passage of S. 2995, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 2010 (CAAA of 2010), asserting it would deliver greater emissions reductions, save more lives, and provide more regulatory certainty than the Transport Rule alone. The testimony details the severe health and environmental impacts of power plant emissions, including premature death from fine particulate matter, acid rain damage to eastern ecosystems, and ozone-related crop losses.