Today is the deadline under the U.N climate accord for rich countries to submit their targets in terms of GHG emissions, and for developing nations to declare their plans for reducing and slowing down emissions.

Japan’s new prime minister-elect, Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, is going to fight climate change by backing deep emission cuts. As host of the Kyoto summit in 1997, Japan is keen to reposition itself at the forefront of the battle against climate change. Its emissions rose 2.3% in the year to March 2008, putting it 16% above [...]

A study, prepared by some of the nation’s top climate change policy advisers, proposes that with the right policies emissions growth could slow by 2020 with levels peaking around 2030. “As soon as possible, study and draft relative and then absolute targets to cap the total volume of carbon dioxide emissions,” says the preface of the report, obtained by Reuters. “Establishing and acting on quantified targets and corresponding policies to address climate change in the medium to long-term is already a matter of great urgency.” The call for “quantified targets” to cap greenhouse gas pollution marks a high-level public departure from China’s reluctance to spell out a proposed peak and date for it. This also signals that Beijing wants to play an active role in seeking agreement for a new international climate change pact.

A week-long negotiations toward a new global response to climate change concluded in Bonn Friday. Negotiators get down to practicalities in the areas of adaptation, technology and capacity building. Some progress was also made in narrowing options in the negotiating text. “So with only 15 days of negotiating time left before Copenhagen, negotiations will need to considerably pick up speed for the world to achieve a successful result at Copenhagen,” Yvo de Boer, UN climate chief, said. Governments also discussed how 2020 emission reduction pledges of industrialized countries could be translated into legally binding targets as a key component of the Copenhagen deal. “Industrialized countries need to show a greater level of ambition in agreeing to meaningful mid-term emission reduction targets,” de Boer said. “We also need a clear indication of the finance and technology industrialized countries are ready to provide to help developing countries green their economic growth and adapt to the impacts of climate change,” said de Boer.

China has great renewable resources to explore. So far, much has been done to promote wind power, with some of the world’s largest wind power farms being currently constructed in china. Solar thermal energy is well established and widespread. But, until recently, China’ s policy towards Photo-Voltaic was more reluctant in regard to domestic power [...]

Yes Bank Limited (YBL) is in process of establishing its first ever private equity fund for clean energy. The South Asia Clean Energy Fund (SACEF) is hoping to raise $200 million by this summer. According to YBL they have already raised $125 million, even with the constraints of a global recession.
The fund is targeting renewable [...]