Environment & Climate Change

559 Items

Analysis & Opinions - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Event Debrief: Elliot Diringer Takes Stock of the International Climate Effort

| Dec. 21, 2023

Ahead of COP28 in Dubai, Harvard Kennedy School hosted Elliot Diringer, Senior Policy Advisor in the office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, for an Energy Policy Seminar on the evolution of the COP process.

COP28 Banners

Doug Gavel

News - Harvard Project on Climate Agreements

HPCA at COP 28

    Author:
  • Doug Gavel
| Dec. 21, 2023

HPCA and Director Robert Stavins played an active role at COP 28 in Dubai, which concluded on December 12 with an historic agreement calling for “transitioning away” from fossil fuels. Aside from moderating an official HPCA Side Event on reducing global methane emissions, Stavins also participated in several other panel discussions and forums on issues relating to the climate change negotiations as well as meetings with participants and journalists. Read more on HPCA’s activities in Dubai on our COP 28 Tumblr page.

Audio - Harvard Environmental Economics Program

Examining the Outcomes of COP 28: A Conversation with Amy Harder

| Dec. 20, 2023

Amy Harder, the founding Executive Editor of the climate policy publication Cipher News, expressed her surprise with several positive outcomes from the recent 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai during a special episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.”

Side Event Panel

Doug Gavel

News - Harvard Project on Climate Agreements

HPCA Hosts COP 28 Side Event on the Challenges and Opportunities of Reducing Global Methane Emissions

    Author:
  • Doug Gavel
| Dec. 13, 2023

The Harvard Project on Climate Agreements (HPCA) assembled a panel of leading academics and government officials to discuss strategies for achieving significant methane emissions reductions at relatively low costs at an official COP 28 Side Event last Wednesday (Dec. 6). The event, titled “Reducing Global Methane Emissions: Imperatives, Opportunities, and Challenges,” was moderated by HPCA Director Robert Stavins.

Audio - Harvard Environmental Economics Program

Analyzing COP 28: A Conversation with Jonathan Banks

| Dec. 08, 2023

With 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change well underway, Jonathan Banks, the global director of the Methane Pollution Prevention Program at the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), is the guest in a special mid-COP episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.” The podcast is produced by the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.

Audio - Harvard Environmental Economics Program

Previewing COP 28: A Conversation with Nat Keohane

| Nov. 27, 2023

With the start of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change just days away, environmental economist Nat Keohane is expressing optimism that the new global stocktake will incentivize participating nations to step up their collective efforts to slow the rise of global temperatures. Keohane is the guest in a special pre-COP episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.” The podcast is produced by the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.

People stand on the observation deck of the Dubai Creek Harbour in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to view the skyline

AP/Kamran Jebreili

News - Harvard Project on Climate Agreements

Harvard Project to Conduct Panel on Methane Emissions Abatement at COP-28

    Author:
  • Doug Gavel
| Nov. 15, 2023

Efforts around and impacts of global methane-emissions abatement will be the focus at an official side event on December 6 co-sponsored by the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP-28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai. Harvard Project Director Robert Stavins will also participate in a number of other events at COP-28.

A worker in the foreground adjusts some large straps as he looks up. In the background there is a flat horizon scattered with wind turbines against a blue sky.

AP Photo/Andy Wong

Analysis & Opinions - Financial Times

Climate Action in an Era of Great Power Competition

| July 18, 2023

At the foot of the Eqi Glacier in Greenland in June, I watched ice formed thousands of years ago drop into the warming ocean. With this vivid depiction of climate change in my mind, I was disappointed that neither of the conferences held last month to prepare for the UN’s upcoming COP28 summit had produced any real breakthroughs.

However, while the need for climate action is rising, the stakes for COP, perhaps counter-intuitively, look to be diminishing. An underwhelming COP28 would be a missed opportunity but it may not be a tragedy. Twenty or even 10 years ago, it was reasonable to hope a co-operative approach could address climate. But it is no longer a realistic expectation — nor the most promising route for progress.