South Africa’s approach to the politics of climate negotiations As Africa’s highest greenhouse gas emitter, South Africa has different interests and expectations for an international climate agreement than most of its African neighbours, particularly on mitigation. Aaron Atteridge, Research Fellow with the Stockholm Environment Institute, posits that the balancing of many competing foreign policy objectives might make the country’s approach to climate negotiations more unpredictable than it has been in the past. Aaron points to some early signs of a shifting national position, particularly a building rhetoric on the need for ‘carbon space’, and to domestic economic interests becoming more engaged, making it challenging to maintain its international image as a constructive player in the negotiations.

Postcard from Bonn - Capacity building for LDC negotiators in UN climate talks Tristan Stubbs reports from the CDKN side event in Bonn, Germany, on capacity building for least developed country negotiators in the UN climate talks. Read what he has to say about the severe disadvantages that these negotiators face.

Seeking a cure for portal proliferation syndrome The symptoms are familiar. You seem to hear about a new climate information portal or knowledge platform being launched every week. You check it out and it seems impressive at first glance. Nice graphics. Promising headings. Ambitious objectives. Cool tools. But as you click further you start to wonder.

When pressure on cities leads to innovation The challenge for cities in a changing climate is: how to move beyond vulnerability to adaptation, and beyond adaptation to resilience? CDKN's Pati Leon and Caroline Spencer report from the Second Resilient Cities Congress

CDKN Press Briefing - Least developed countries need bigger say in climate talks PRESS BRIEFING 7 June 2011 For immediate release

voices of the vulnerable must be heard On the opening of the UN climate talks in Bonn, CDKN Chief Executive Sam Bickersteth and Asia Director Ali Tauqeer Sheikh argue for the wide benefits that come from supporting Least Developed Countries to have a loud voice in international negotiations.

Postcard from Frankfurt 2 - CDKN Knowledge Brokers Workshop round-up In the second blog from the CDKN Knowledge Brokers Workshop in Frankfurt, CDKN's Tristan Stubbs reports on the challenges conference participants have set themselves, and how they plan to work together in the future.

SRREN recommendations - challenges for Asian countries The IPCC's Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (SRREN) resonates with the aspirations of many developing countries in Asia. But one thing's for certain: every Asian country will have its own distinct approach to taking up the recommendations.

Deadlock likely at Bonn climate talks With the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and the G8 lining up on opposite sides of the fence, the prospects aren't good for progress on United Nations climate talks, when nations meet in Bonn this week.

Postcard from Frankfurt - CDKN Knowledge Brokers Workshop day 1 Tim Woods blogs on a successful first day of the CDKN Knowledge Brokers Workshop in Eschborn, Germany, and outlines the climate change knowledge challenges raised by participants.

climate change is only possible with cheap renewable energy Tariq Banuri, Director of the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, argues that making renewable energy available to everyone at an affordable price is the only meaningful way to fight climate change.

From planning to action - lessons from Durban’s adaptation response Many new and surprising lessons are arising from cities doing pioneering work in local climate change response. Debra Roberts shares some interesting findings from Durban’s experiences of trying to promote meaningful adaptation action on the ground.