Author: Joseph Robertson

Joseph is Executive Director of Citizens' Climate International. He represents Citizens’ Climate in the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, the UNFCCC negotiations, and other UN processes. He is the lead strategist supporting the Acceleration Dialogues (diplomatic climate-solutions roundtables) and Resilience Intel—an effort to move the world to 100% climate-smart finance. He is Senior Advisor Sustainable Finance for the EAT Foundation, where he served as Interim Director for the Food System Economics Commission, during its start-up phase from April through November 2020, and now serves on the Secretariat of the Good Food Finance Network. He is founder of Geoversiv and a lead contributor to the Earth Intelligence podcast. He publishes a free newsletter at LivingFutures.net
UNFCCC Process

Biden brings US back to Paris

Shortly after arriving at the Oval Office, President Joe Biden signed a number of executive orders. The third of these restored the United States to the Paris Agreement. This recommitment to global climate action leadership is historic, necessary, and a great benefit to the US and the world. The climate crisis is complex, operates across many different interacting natural systems, spans the ocean, atmosphere, glaciers, … Continue reading Biden brings US back to Paris

Joseph Robertson
UNFCCC Process

Five Years after Paris, the race to resilience is underway

Today marks 5 years from the day the Paris Agreement was finalized, at the end of the 21st annual global conference on implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (the COP21). The Paris Agreement was historic for a number of reasons. Chief among them: Nearly 200 nations committed to cooperate in the effort to end global heating emissions and stave off catastrophic climate … Continue reading Five Years after Paris, the race to resilience is underway

Joseph Robertson
Resilience Imperative

Rebuilding for a Better Future

Resilience Intel Principles for Reinventing Prosperity We urge the nations of the G20 to lead the world in putting these principles into practice, starting right away, to ensure a rapid, inclusive, sustainable recovery from the COVID crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly, and radically, altered the everyday assumptions of people around the world. Where science has guided decision-making, the virus has done less damage; where … Continue reading Rebuilding for a Better Future

Joseph Robertson
UNFCCC Process

Time for Co-Creating a Resilient Future

Postponement of COP26 provides opportunity for deep collaborative work to achieve a more resilient & prosperous future. On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the UN Climate Change secretariat and the UK Government—which holds the COP26 Presidency—announced the annual UN climate negotiations will be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The conference—which will be the largest ever held in Scotland, bringing together more than 25,000 diplomats, … Continue reading Time for Co-Creating a Resilient Future

Joseph Robertson
UNFCCC Process

Doha Work Programme Review – CCE submission

CCE Submission for the Next Phase of ACE Implementation This submission is offered in response to mandate: Decision 15/CP.25, paragraph 3—by Citizens’ Climate Education, on behalf of the Engage4Climate Network and local volunteer chapters of Citizens’ Climate Lobby in 55 countries—and offers “recommendations and views on future work to enhance the implementation of Article 6 of the Convention and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement”. … Continue reading Doha Work Programme Review – CCE submission

Joseph Robertson
Future Economy

2020 Vision: Deciding to Be Free

How much do we value human freedom? For thousands of years people of all variety of experience and influence have debated whether free will exists and which universe would be more full of virtue and good fortune—one that is fated or one that is free. Today, technology is flooding our experience with hard-to-trace information and options, conditioning the choices we make. Powerful interests are pushing … Continue reading 2020 Vision: Deciding to Be Free

Joseph Robertson
Resilience Imperative

UK is Stress-Testing Banks for Climate Risk; All Nations Should

A week before Christmas, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, wrote in the Financial Times that the UK is now stress-testing banks for climate risk and resilience. Specifically, he writes: Modelling for the full extent of climate-related financial risk is complex and challenging. Britain can lead the way next year, when we and Italy host COP26 climate negotiations in Glasgow. This critical … Continue reading UK is Stress-Testing Banks for Climate Risk; All Nations Should

Joseph Robertson
UNFCCC Process

Courage to Explore — The Road to COP26

COP25 Closing Statement from the Citizens’ Climate delegation The future of humankind will be shaped and defined by how well we manage our relationship to the climate system. Nations that move too slowly are ensuring they will face higher costs, expanded vulnerability, and reduced benefit from international cooperation. The Citizens’ Climate delegation came into the COP25 with five primary areas of focus: Public Participation Carbon … Continue reading Courage to Explore — The Road to COP26

Joseph Robertson
UNFCCC Process

ACCESS 2020 — Co-Creating the Climate-Smart Future

CCE COP25 Press Conference The Paris Agreement was achieved four years ago today. How far have we come? What can we do to rapidly upgrade the design of national climate action? On Saturday, December 12, 2015, the 196 nations of the UNFCCC process agreed to work together to end the industrial disruption of the climate system. The Agreement was designed to be both aspirational and … Continue reading ACCESS 2020 — Co-Creating the Climate-Smart Future

Joseph Robertson
CCEN News

Upgrading Earth Intelligence — CCE COP25 Week 1 Press Conference

Over the next year, all nations must upgrade their national climate action strategies (NDCs). The COP25 will lay the foundation for that work. CCE presents a view of Week 1, along with 5 high-value strategies for upgrading (and mobilizing) national plans for a climate-smart future. Civics, signals, finance, and nature to protect ice, watersheds, and the ocean. The Carbon Budget — our collective remaining allowance … Continue reading Upgrading Earth Intelligence — CCE COP25 Week 1 Press Conference

Joseph Robertson