United Nations chief call for second revolution

On Monday, the stage at the Earth to Paris forum held at Le Petit Palais in central Paris was host to a number of high-profile guests, from Alec Baldwin to Jane Goodall. McKenna said on Sunday that Canada supports including a reference in the agreement to a 1.5 °C warming target that is stricter than the official 2 °C goal, as well as legally binding requirements for setting targets and submitting progress reports, Canadian broadcaster CBC reports.

Speaking after his meeting with Ban, Kerry said they “talked about where we are in the negotiations and the steps we need to take to be successful”.

India and other major developing countries insist on their right to use some fossil fuels to advance their economies and argue the developed countries are historically responsible for raising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The European Union, which negotiates as a bloc in the talks, has said it wants an “ambitious” agreement which limits global temperature rises to less than 2C above pre-industrial levels – and it is “open” to the lower 1.5C goal some of the most vulnerable countries say is necessary for their protection.

“I have absolute confidence in the ability of capital to move where the signal of the marketplace says “go” after Paris”.

Ministers including US Secretary of State John Kerry are battling to formulate broad conclusions on those toughest issues by Tuesday evening, Tubiana said, after which they will examine the entire package.

“I think that’s a very good question”, said Ashok Lavssa, a top negotiator in the Indian delegation.

A surprising new study suggests global carbon dioxide emissions may be dropping ever so slightly this year.

“I think we are in a totally different world community prospective on climate change here in Paris compared to anything in the last 20 years”, reiterates Daniel Esty, pointing out that today’s global climate discourse has dropped away from its original top-down strategy. After years of nations meeting but never coming to an actual solution to lower emissions and reduce the rate and impact of climate change, we are counting on the fact that this time nations have an action plan.

A key compromise by developing countries, including India, on one of the finance provisions is in the offing and it could become the turning point at the Paris climate change conference. Even if climate change were not a concern, reducing emissions would be smart policy.

Kerry is in Paris to attend United Nations climate talks aimed at producing an agreement by the end of the week to fight global warming.

The EU has been among the most outspoken advocates of binding targets. “All the parties are well aware of it”, he said adding that the richest countries can not handle the environmental hazards.

Over 180 nations have already presented national pledges to curb carbon emissions after 2020, when the Paris deal would come into effect.

The alliance has also agreed that the Paris text must include a “transparency and accountability system” to track nations’ progress on their climate pledges, and share best practice. “We urge developed countries to fulfil their obligation…, while the developing countries, on a voluntary basis, can also contribute….”, Xie said. “In the years to come, we are expecting that out of every $10 invested in new power plants, $6 will be for renewables”.

In the Philippines, Kerry said he had seen the splintered wood strewn across the mountains in the path of Typhoon Haiyan that struck in November 2013.

“Climate funding is the glue that will make the Paris agreement stick”, said Oxfam head of advocacy and campaigns, Celine Charveriat.

The draft will be finalised Thursday and hopefully be signed on Friday, he told reporters at La Bourget conference venue. He did not elaborate.

Environment and foreign ministers from all over the world, including US Secretary of State John Kerry – who landed in Paris on Monday – were urged to rise to the moment and rip out hundreds of bracketed words or sentences in the draft accord that denote disagreement.