Upcoming UN Climate Change talks in Poland will be greenwash

At the upcoming UN climate talks, the Conference of Parties (COP) 19 in Poland, the EU aims to expand carbon markets that would benefit big polluters, says a Statement signed by 135+ groups, movements and networks from all over the world. The Statement denounces the corporate capture of COP19 by the same companies that stand to profit.

Tamara Gilbertson from Carbon Trade Watch said,

“The European Commission and the carbon crooks who turn profits from the failing EU ETS are pushing for a lifeline through linking up markets, foreshadowing a global carbon market.”

The statement explains that COP19 partners include Polish energy group PGE, whose Belchatow coal-fired plant was the biggest polluter and the biggest recipient of free allowances in 2012.
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What’s Oil for Development scheme doing in the UN Sustainable Energy For All initiative?

The UN Sustainable Energy For All (SEFA) initiative looks like a massive exercise in greenwash. Chad Holliday, Chair of the Bank of America and Co-Chair of SEFA, describes it as “the greatest public-private partnership of all” – approaching $50 billion in commitments. A representative of the UN General-Secretariat says that “implicit in SEFA is that all options are open” – including all fossil fuel options.

Norway, a key funder of SEFA, is promoting its “Oil for Development” scheme, which proposes to exploit Africa’s great gas resources. And  Bloomberg New Energy Finance has described nuclear power as “absolutely fantastic”
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