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Adapting to climate change: Lessons from Colombo

Earlier this month, the fifth Asia Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum was held in Colombo, Sir Lanka. This year’s theme was “Adapting and Living below 2C.” This is because the UN climate treaty — the Paris Agreement, which goes into force next week — set a upper temperature limit of 2C warming above pre-industrial temperatures.…

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Not Fully Lost and Damaged: How Loss and Damage Fared in the Paris Agreement

(Originally published here) The Paris Agreement coming out of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 negotiations gave breakthrough recognition to loss and damage, sorting through thorny discussions and politically charged negotiating positions. These positions revolved around liability and compensation, which developing countries called for but developed countries were unwilling to have included in the Agreement.…

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 In the Final Hours of the Climate Talks, a 1.5 Degrees C Target Is Still on the Table—but Is That a Good Thing?

(Originally published here) In exchange for including the ambitious target in the final text, developing nations are being pressured to never again mention “loss and damage.”   Entering the closing 48 hours of the global climate negotiations, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that “we will not leave the most vulnerable nations…