Author

Bernhard Pötter

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 11th, 2024

Ten questions that will dominate COP29

Like every climate conference, COP29 will be a confusing concentration of negotiations, presentations, show dates, declarations and meetings. For observers and negotiators, there is a great risk of losing track of the most important points. The following topics and key issues will play a decisive role both in front of and behind the scenes:Politics: Trump, […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 6th, 2024

After the US election: These are the climate activists’ contingency plans

After the initial shock of Donald Trump’s re-election as US President, the global climate scene is starting to work on contingency plans. Unlike after the 2016 election, countries, environmental groups, business associations and researchers are not completely blindsided by the development. And if the United States expectedly withdraws from international climate action for the third […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 5th, 2024

edi

There is to be an “autumn of decisions”, and this week will probably be the high point for the time being: When a new President and Parliament are elected in the USA today, the global climate community will be shaking with them. Today we have summarized the catastrophic consequences that a Republican victory could have […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 5th, 2024

COP16: Why the outcome is a burden on COP29

The UN Conference on Biodiversity, COP16, which was canceled at the weekend, also casts its shadow over COP29. On the one hand, the conference in Cali, Colombia, emphasized the close link between climate and species extinction. On the other hand, the delegations were unable to agree on the details of financing until the plenary was […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 5th, 2024

COP16: EU also prevents UN biodiversity fund

The UN Conference on Biodiversity COP16, which was canceled at the weekend, also casts its shadow over the Climate COP29 in Baku. On the one hand, the conference in Cali, Colombia, emphasized the close connection between climate and species extinction. On the other hand, the delegations were unable to agree on the details of financing […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: November 4th, 2024

US election: How much damage Trump could do to the climate

The prospect of Donald Trump becoming US president again is causing great concern in the US and global climate scene. Unlike if Kamala Harris were to win the election, the consequences would likely be severe. At a time of escalating climate crisis and high geopolitical tensions, another US withdrawal from the international process would hit […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: October 31st, 2024

Fossil energy: How the COP troika expands oil and gas

According to a study by environmental organizations, the countries belonging to the “troika” of COP hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE), Azerbaijan and Brazil have plans to massively expand their oil and gas production. The report “The COP Troika,” compiled by Oil Change International, 350.org, Menafem, and Observatorio do Clima, states that fossil fuel extraction in […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: October 31st, 2024

Climate in Numbers: A ship full of solar vs. a hundred coal ships

It is a drastic example of how much better the energy yield of renewables is compared to fossil fuels: A single ship full of PV modules could provide the means to generate as much electricity as would be possible with 50 tankers filled with gas or 100 ships full of coal. This is according to […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: October 31st, 2024

Decarbonization: What German and Chinese science academies call for

The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have reaffirmed their cooperation and called for effective steps towards decarbonization in a “Berlin Declaration.” At the “Science for Future” conference on “On the Path to Carbon Neutrality” in Berlin on Monday and Tuesday, chairmen Gerald Haug and Jianguo Hou signed […]

Bernhard Pötter Published: October 29th, 2024

COP29: Science warns of these ten climate trends

Two weeks before the start of COP29, a collaboration of research institutes is addressing delegations and key figures in climate policy and diplomacy with an update on the latest trends in climate science. In this year’s “10 New Insights into Climate Science“, the team of researchers from think tanks FutureEarth, The Earth League and the […]