The United Nations announced that an independent board of scientists will review the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The announcement was made at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) annual meeting in Bali, Indonesia.
The IPCC has been under fire recently for minor mistakes in its 2007 report on the effects of climate change.
The review process is meant to strengthen the IPCC's next report, due in 2014, accoridng to Nick Nuttall, spokesman for UNEP.
"It should do a review of the IPCC, produce a report by, say, August. There is a plenary of the IPCC in South Korea in October. The review will go there for adoption. I think we are bringing some level of closure to this issue," Nuttall said (Reuters reporting).
World Environmental Organization
A global environment authority, likened to the World Trade Organization, may be formed in an effort to reform environmental governance worldwide.
UNEP's executive director, Achim Steiner said such reform was a key topic in Bali last week and participating governments considered the possibility of a centralized World Environment Organization (WEO).
"The status quo ... is no longer an option. Within the broader reform options, the WEO concept is one of them," he said (Reuters reporting).
UNEP also issued a formal declaration of policies, including the creation of a world body to help rebuild Haiti in an environmentally responsible manner and the possibility of a new scientifica panel dedicated to biodiversity and modeled after the IPCC.
Australia Sets Carbon Scheme 2.0
AUSTRALIA'S environmental markets have sprung into life after the government announced proposed amendments to the Renewable Energy Target, creating hope that Australia may finally be able to rid itself of an unwanted reputation as a dead-end for the renewable energy industry.
Read full coverage in The Australian Business at the link below.
