UN Partners
on Climate Change
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Toward a New Climate Change Agreement
Agreement Reached in Bangkok on Agenda toward New Climate Change Pact
Bangkok, 4 April 2008 – The 162 countries attending the Bangkok Climate Change talks decided on the structure for negotiations on a long-term international climate change agreement, set to be concluded in Copenhagen by the end of 2009. "The train to Copenhagen has left the station." said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate. "Not only do we have the certainty that critical issues will be addressed this year, we now have the bite-sized chunks which will allow us to negotiate in an effective manner."
Upcoming Events
Indigenous Peoples
3,000 people at forum focusing on climate change and biodiversity issues at UN in New York, 21 April to 2 May.
Achieving the MDGs in a Climate Changing World
ECOSOC will discuss adaptation and mitigation measures that can help countries meet the Millennium Development Goals in New York on 2 May
World Environment Day
The theme for this year is “Kick the Carbon Habit” and will be ma rked across the world on 5 June
Agriculture, drought and sustainable development
The UN Commission on Sustainable Development will be meeting on several climate change-impacted issues, such as agriculture, in New York from 5-16 May.
Biodiversity
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will meet in Bonn, Germany, 19-30 May.
UNFCCC negotiations toward a new climate change agreement
Countries will follow-up on the Bali Roadmap at the same time Convention Subsidiary Bodies meet in Bonn, 2-13 June.
Food Security, Climate Change and Bioenergy
High-level FAO Conference to look at links between biofuels, the global food crisis and climate change in Rome from 3-5 June.
Climate Change Studies and Reports
New study shows huge loss of biodiversity to medical science--enough to make you sick
Record Glacier Thinning Means No Time to Waste on Agreeing New International Climate Regime
ZURICH/NAIROBI, 16 March 2008 -- The world's glaciers are continuing to melt away with the latest official figures showing record losses, the UN Environment Programme announced today. Data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled.
The findings come from the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), a centre based at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and that is supported by UNEP.
New UNEP Report finds global warming is a major threat to the world's dwindling fish stocks.
At least three quarters of the globe's key fishing grounds may become seriously impacted by changes in the natural “pumping” systems in the word’s oceans that bring nutrients to fisheries and keep them healthy by flushing out wastes and pollution. In addition, higher sea surface temperatures over the coming decades threaten to bleach and kill up to 80 per cent of the globe's coral reefs-major tourist attractions, natural sea defenses and also nurseries for fish.
UN Climate Change News
- UNEP Announces Winners of Earth Awards 2008 for Climate Change Action
- Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanisms Approves 1,000th Project
- Yvo de Boer Says Bangkok Good Start but Task Ahead Huge
- New IPCC Report Details Climate Change—Water Scarcity link
- WHO Says Climate Change Will Erode Foundations of Health , Statement of WHO Director-General Margaret Chan on World Health Day
- UNDP, GEF Start Program to help Communities Adapt to Climate Change
- Temperature in Shanghai has Risen 1.4°C over the past 100 years
The 
2007/2008 Human Development Report:
Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world
Latest News
UN-backed summit to spotlight private sector’s role in tackling climate change
12 May 2008 - The United Nations will take part in a global meeting next year to assess how a new global climate change policy can also address the needs of the business community, it was announced today.
Indigenous peoples have crucial role in climate change debate UN forum
5 May 2008 - Indigenous peoples have an important role to play in the global response to climate change, given their knowledge and experience with impacts of the phenomenon, and should be included in the international debate on the issue, a United Nations gathering on indigenous affairs concluded.
Climate change could imperil poverty goals, ECOSOC hears
2 May 2008 - The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) should send a strong message that efforts to achieve the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) could be reversed if climate change is not addressed, its President Léo Mérorès told Council members today.
Indigenous peoples most affected by climate change, Assembly President says
1 May 2008 - Indigenous peoples are most directly affected by environmental degradation caused by climate change, and are the stewards of some of the most precious biologically diverse regions of the world, the President of the General Assembly said today.
"Honoring the IPCC through the grant of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 in essence can be seen as a clarion call for the protection of the earth as it faces the widespread impacts of climate change." This web site includes several features designed to improve accessibility for users with temporary or long-term disabilities, including those who are blind or vision impaired, mobility challenged, hearing impaired or simply adjusting to characteristics associated with aging or limiting environments, following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative.