Climate change agenda is hotting up

Having failed to achieve consensus on climate change policies in Copenhagen in 2009, the UN is set to try again, writes Michael Jacobs

FOR many people around the world this year, the weather has become anything but a topic for small talk.

Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, in the US a record- breaking freeze and year-long drought in California, and flooding in Europe have put the long-term dangers of climate change back on the political agenda. In response, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has sent an urgent letter to government, business, civil society, and finance leaders, urging them to attend a special climate summit in New York in September.