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Gender considerations are currently not systematically addressed in existing climate financing instruments; where gender appears, it is in bits and pieces. This is where the Green Climate Fund, currently designed by the 40 members of the Transitional Committee, has a chance to do better.

From June 7-11, 2010, Transatlantic Climate and Energy Fellow John Farrell (New Rules Project) visited Berlin and Brussels to meet with experts and officials for discussion on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Read impressions and findings from his fact finding mission.

Half way through the work of the Transitional Committee (TC), the 40-member body tasked by the COP 16 in Cancun to design the new Green Climate Fund (GCF) for approval by the Durban COP, member countries at their recent second meeting in Tokyo focused on further clarifying important points of convergence and divergence among countries. Many of these, though clearly not all, ran largely along a contributor county-recipient country dividing line.

Dirk Ketelsen, organic farmer and executive director of Dirkshof, a renewable energy producer and consultancy in Schleswig-Holstein, gives a first-hand report on the success of his investment in renewable energies.

South Africa plays host to the next UN climate conference in Durban from November 28 to December 9, 2011. This dossier provides an analysis of the major issues at stake and the context in which the negotiations will be held. It offers ongoing commentary and updates on major developments in the run up to the negotiations.

With conventional oil production in decline, the global oil industry is investing heavily in dirtier and riskier forms of unconventional oil such as heavy crude, tar sands, and oil shale. These investments pose a challenge to the climate, the environment, and local communities.

Global negotiators and observers met for two days in Mexico City at the end of April to start their work of designing the future Green Climate Fund. This first analysis by Liane Schalatek describes options for and potential obstacles to the process.

After Fukushima, the debate on nuclear power is changing. Arne Jungjohann provides insight on the discussion in Germany, compares the role of renewable energy in Europe and in the United States and explains why the US could boost renewables very quickly once its political will is strong enough.

Critics of renewable energies argue their costs are too high. This analysis by the Wuppertal Institute gives an overview of the costs and benefits of Germany’s Renewable Energies Act (EEG).