China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, for the period 2021–25, presents a real opportunity for China to link its long-term climate goals with its short- to medium-term social and economic development plans.

The viability and environmental risks of removing carbon dioxide from the air must be assessed if we are to achieve the Paris goals, writes Phil Williamson.

The frequency of intense natural disasters (defined here as events triggered by hazards of nature and causing at least 100 deaths or affecting the survival needs of at least 1,000 people) increased notably from the 1970s to the 2000s. Intense hydrometeorological disasters (related to floods and storms), and climatological disasters (related to droughts and heat waves) to a lesser extent, accounted for most of the worldwide increase in natural disasters.

The lack of real progress at the Durban climate change conference in 2011—postponing effective action until at least 2020—has many causes, one of which is the failure to address trade issues and in particular carbon leakage. This paper advances two arguments.

The report, Catalysing Low Carbon Growth in Developing Economies: public finance mechanisms to scale up private sector investment in climate solutions, was prepared by Vivid Economics based on case studies. The report makes several broad recommendations to overcome current hurdles.